My Wife Is A Stranger

Chapter Eight - Wedding

“Y-You’re going to let me go there?” Claire asked, there was hope in her tone, so her mother just nodded.

“Yes dear, we can’t decline the invitation, you know how influential the Zaveri’s are as of this moment, and your dad…he couldn’t bring himself to tell you that so I’m here,” She smiled before stroking her daughter’s long, wavy hair.

“So right now, we're going to help you choose what you’ll wear, the wedding will be white and purple, I heard you were the maid of honor, isn’t that exciting?” Her mother cheered, so Claire just smiled as she accompanied her mother to her room to discuss what they’ll wear.

Staring at her mother pricked her heart because tomorrow, she’ll leave them and marry off with someone that she loves.

Just thinking that they’ll find out tomorrow she left them already breaks her, but she had to do this, she had to stay away from Vladimir.

She also found out something about him, Vladimir was also part of a mafia organization underground, Arthur told her about that in the letter.

“Mom?” Claire softly called, so her mother stopped talking before she tilted her head at her.

“Is there something wrong dear?” She worriedly asked, so Claire clenched her fists before giving her a long, tight hug.

“I love you,” Claire whispered as she fought so hard to stop herself from crying, her mother was surprised, but she eventually just hugged her.

“Please remember that no matter what I do and please tell that to dad either, I’m always grateful for you both for accepting me as your true daughter,” She let out a long sigh, so her mother just smiled before nodding at her.

“We know dear, we know, now mush, we’re still going to pick your dress for tomorrow! Vladimir’s accompanying you, okay?” Her mother informed, so her eyes widened.

“H-He will?” She bit her lower lip, so her mother just nodded before they started talking about what she should wear.

“Mom, how about Serene? She can accompany me, right?” Claire asked, she wanted to know if there was a way she could get rid of Vladimir herself.

“Oh your sister will not come, she has to meet up with the stockholders tomorrow to discuss the main problems, she’s a very busy girl,” Her mother replied, so she secretly clenched her fists on her thighs.

She had to inform Arthur that Vladimir would be there tomorrow as her escort, she closed her eyes and prayed that tomorrow would be alright.

***

The day of the Karyl and Adrian Jay Zaveri wedding finally came, Claire was in her room getting dolled up with the makeup designers that her parents called for her.

It wasn’t long until she slipped into her off-shoulder lavender gown that was fitted on her curves and flown so perfectly behind her back.

“Mr. & Mrs. Crayford, your daughter is prepared,” The make-up designers bowed their heads downstairs, so they both stood up together with Vladimir and waited for Claire to get down from the grand staircase.

The tapping of her heels was to be heard as everything became slow motion when she revealed herself. Vladimir almost lost his balance because he was stunned at her beauty.

Her mother sniffed as her father comforted her mother, Claire anxiously paced downstairs and greeted them, “D-Do I look okay?” She worriedly asked.

No one was saying anything and she felt nervous about it for a moment. Vladimir stepped forward and gently squeezed her hands, “I’m the luckiest escort in the world to have you as my muse,” He complimented before he kissed the back of her hand.

She just gave him a small smile before glancing at her parents, “Mom? Dad? Thank you for everything,” Claire emotionally said before giving them a long, tight hug.

“Why do you sound like you’re saying goodbye dear?” Her mother jokes, so she just sighed before breaking their hugs against each other.

“I’m just grateful that you’re allowing me to attend my best friend's wedding,” She replied, so they complimented what she was wearing before she was escorted outside by Timothy.

“Excuse me driver, but she’ll come to my car,” Vladimir firmly said, but Timothy just smiled before escorting Claire to the back seat and promptly gestured to her to sit there.

“Sorry sir, but my order was to take her to the wedding, you can go come in your car alone or be with her here,” Timothy raised her eyebrows, so Vladimir just hissed before looking at Claire.

“I’ll just sit here with you,” Vladimir smiled at her, so Claire just nodded before looking at Timothy.

He secretly gave her a wink as she giggled, it was on their plan not to allow Vladimir to bring his car just in case there was an emergency and he found out that she was taken by Arthur in the wedding.

“Alright, buckle up you two, we have a wedding to crash!” Timothy fooled around and started the engine of the car.

It didn’t take them long to arrive at the wedding, Vladimir was a gentleman as he escorted her towards their chairs, Claire hates that she couldn’t appreciate his efforts.

“Am I too unfair?” She frowned while looking at Vladimir, who was speaking with the people who greeted him from the entrance a while ago.

“Hey beautiful,” Claire flinched after hearing that familiar voice, she gazed from the top and saw Arthur winking at her.

He examined what she was wearing as his heart skipped a beat after staring at those fierce sky blue eyes that no matter what she wears suit her perfectly.

“Should we just leave and have our wedding elsewhere?” He grinned, so she just playfully hit his hand while looking at Vladimir.

“Why are you here? He’ll see you,” Claire cautiously replied, so he just shook his head before sticking out his tongue.

“So what? I’m invited here also,” He pouted before leaning in to give her a peck on the cheeks, “See you later, my future wife,” After he whispered those words, he ran away.

Claire, on the other hand, was blushing because she was caught off guard by what he did, “That guy never fails to make my heartbeat,” She just shook his head and waited for the wedding to start.

She never thought a wedding could be so touching since she was crying the whole time. Claire was watching her best friend walk down the aisle, someone secretly threw a tissue at her from behind, so she almost flinched when she saw Arthur was the one who threw it while wearing a mask.

“Claire? Are you alright?” Vladimir asked while holding her hand, she heard someone hissed from behind, so she just smiled.

“I’m fine, the wedding was just a tearjerker,” She mumbled, so he gave her a small smile before squeezing her hands.

“Don’t worry ours will be the happiest one,” Vladimir happily claimed as they both felt someone kick the chairs from behind.

“Who did that? What a disgrace,” Vladimir commented, so she secretly glanced from behind and warned Arthur with her glare.

Arthur pouted behind the mask and somehow, Claire knew that he was making that face, she just shook her head and listened to the hearts of Karyl and Adrian become one.

The wedding took place and everyone finally gathered at the reception inside of a plaza. It was extravagant since the whole Zaveri family planned the party.

Claire, on the other hand, was nervous, because the time she had to escape Vladimir’s hands was almost near.

Due to her constant pacing back and forth, something hit her head as it landed on her hands. She tilted her head when she saw that it looked familiar with the bouquet Karyl was holding a while ago.

“Well everyone, would you look at that! Ms. Claire Jewel Crayford got our bouquet!” The host announced, so everyone cheered, which made her confused.

“It means you’re getting married next if you got that bouquet!” The host added, so her eyes widened as she panicked.

“Hey, you’re being called on the stage,” Vladimir tapped her shoulders, he had a huge grin on his face like he was expecting this would happen.

“D-Do I have to go there?” She nervously asked, so he just nodded at her. Claire just nervously sighed, she was never comfortable at the center stage and it’s been a while she's been to one.

After she arrived at the center stage, she met up with Karyl who gave her a tight hug, “I’m wishing you happiness, best friend,” She beamed from behind.

Claire almost teared up from what she heard before hugging her back, “I wish you happiness too, Karyl, we both deserve it,” She mumbled before they broke their hugs against each other and were given a seat in the center stage.

“Alright, everyone! Now we have to request the groom to remove the garter of his wife to give to the man that will have this beautiful woman’s hand!” The host fooled around as she pointed at Claire.

Adrian Jay Zaveri manly raised up to the stage and stared at his wife dearly, “I love you, Karyl,” He greeted, so Claire just smiled as she watched those two look at each other with love in their eyes.

He was challenged to remove the garter using his mouth, so it was fun and daring at the same time.

After he successfully removed it the host announced the next instructions, “Now that the garter was removed, Mr. Zaveri you can now throw–”

Everyone was surprised when Adrian swiftly arrived right in front of Arthur, he casually gave the garter to him and tapped his back, “Take good care of my wife’s best friend, she loves her dearly,”

Arthur playfully smirked as he removed his mask, “I will, with all of my heart,” He replied before he paced on the stage, looking at Claire intently.

Vladimir almost stood up because he didn’t like what was going on, he was planning to catch the garter to himself yet that Zaveri gave it to that jerk. He doesn’t want to cause a scene in the middle of the reception.

“Was this the one that Lowella was talking about?” He whispered to himself while clenching his fists.

Karyl secretly pinches Claire’s waist as they both watch Arthur walking towards the center stage, “He loves you so much girl,” She whispered.

“He would do anything just to have you in his arms, I remembered how he almost pleaded us to make this happen, actually, without his help, our wedding wouldn’t be this successful,” She admitted, so Claire was surprised.

“What do you mean? Did he plan all of this?” Claire confusingly asked, so Karyl happily nodded at her as she grazed her cheeks.

“He did and Adrian worked with him, Arthur just have a lot of connections,” Karyl paused before sighing in relief, “Even if I won’t see you for many years, I know for sure you would be in good hands,”

Claire and Karyl just squeezed each other's hands while tearing up, Arthur arrived and gave them both some tissue.

“May I?” Arthur kneeled before her, so she felt embarrassed because the King of the Crestfallen Kingdom was casually kneeling before her.

Arthur gently raised the fabric of her dress and slowly wore the garter to her, both of them were gasping for air whenever Arthur’s fingers touched her smooth, long thighs and legs.

“It’s done,” He sighed in relief before asking her to stand up and dance, “He’s mad and will probably take you home after this,” Arthur informed her while smiling.

Claire flinched before secretly looking at Vladimir from the crowd, he was glaring at how Arthur held her.

“If he ever takes you away, excuse yourself from the bathroom and I’ll meet you there,” He winked before gliding her at the stage.

Claire got nervous for a moment, she knows that it’s almost time for her to elope with him, but she was still nervous.

Despite all of that, the dance with Arthur calmed her nerves, everything she does with him puts her at ease.

Everything was fun until she got back from the chair and was harshly pulled on the wrists by Vladimir, “We’re going to leave,” He furiously informed while removing that bouquet from her hands.

“B-But I can’t, I have to see the end of my best friend's wedding and reception,” Claire firmly said, but he just glared at her.

“You will not finish this reception,” He fumed, so Claire furrowed her eyebrows at him as she shoved his hands away from her.

“You’re not the boss of me Vladimir, you can’t order me around, if I want to stay, I’ll stay until it's over because I got my parent's permission,” She raised her voice before walking away.

“Where are you going?! Come back here!” Vladimir almost screamed, so she glared at him and pointed at the bathroom.

“I’m going to take a pee, will you just calm down Vlad?” Claire shook her head before leaving the table.

To be continued…