Just Before He Said 'I DO'

Chapter 2

The Renard's Mansion.

“I am still in shock over this!” Mrs. Hannah Montgomery cried dramatically as she sat in a gold-gilded chair with her legs crossed. “I mean, how could he do this?”

“Calm down, honey,” Mr. Landon Montgomery said as he stood beside his wife's chair giving her loving pats.

“I can't believe he did this to me!” Vivienne sat on the bare ground crying, she was surrounded by used wipers with her hair and makeup all over the place.

“Calm down, honey.” Mrs. Juliet Renard sighed, rubbing her daughter’s head.

They had all returned to the Renard's mansion after retrieving Vivienne.

“What did I ever do wrong?! Why did that b***h have to show up and ruin all my hard work...? I can't believe this is happening!” Vivienne wept louder, grabbed a vase from the side, and flung it against a wall, her sobs increasing hysterically.

Juliet's eyes flashed angrily at the attitude her daughter was portraying.

“Will you stop this disgusting act and get over yourself?”She asked disdainfully and waved a perfectly manicured hand for a maid to come clean up the mess. “...you won't let that filthy beggar turn you into this, will you?”

“But mother don't you see? It hurts...” Vivienne wanted to weep louder when the voice of a TV host interrupted her.

“For today's breaking news. The society wedding of famous Billionaire, Edgar Montgomery, CEO of Montgomery'Co, and top supermodel, Vivienne Renard, was interrupted by the revealing of a huge scandal. A shabbily dressed unknown lady appeared and claimed that she had been jilted by Edgar Montgomery... making the people wonder how it happened, with different speculations going around. One of which is suggesting that the top supermodel, Vivienne Renard, had allegedly separated the poor girl from billionaire Edgar Montgomery so she...”

Andrew grabbed the remote control and switched the TV off as Vivienne jumped into another round of hysterical cries.

“That b***h has ruined my reputation and my wedding... I will so kill her for doing this to me!”

“Hush now child,” Hannah called from the other side of the expansive room. “Your mother is right. You can't let a mere beggar get the worst of you.”

“I have been trying to get through to Edgar's phone but he isn't answering!” Landon said angrily punching the buttons on his phone.

“Doesn’t he know the repercussions of his actions?” Andrew demanded angrily. “It could ruin our reputation and Montgomery'Co's finance is in danger because of it...”

“That can't be all you care about, father. He has broken my heart...” Vivienne said, now sobbing quietly.

Landon tried Edgar's phone again and got his voicemail instead.

“Edgar, you have acted unreasonable and foolish. I'd like you back now to clear up and straighten out this mess. Your actions can put the company's reputation in grave danger. Return home now, that's an order!” He spoke angrily into the receiver and flung the phone against a wall in frustration.

“Easy now, dear.” Hannah stood up and gently led her husband to her seat, while Juliet pulled at her hair in frustration.

“If you don't want your reputation and heart in complete shambles, I suggest you get yourself up there, cleaned and ready to face the press!” She snapped in a cold voice.

Vivienne obeyed and ran up the stairs to her room, her long wedding dress almost tripping her.

After her departure, someone barged into the room angrily.

“Antoniette!” Juliet said tiredly and sank into a sofa behind her. “Go see to your sister, she is acting miserable.”

Antoinette's beautiful face scrunched up as she clicked her tongue irritatedly. “No, I would prefer very much, putting a bullet through that asshole, Edgar, and his bitchy mistress's head!”

“Do as you were told Antoniette!” Andrew snapped at her.

She scoffed and rolled her eyes as she stormed upstairs.

***

“Rosa… Rosa wait!” Edgar called, looking disheveled. Rosalind stopped running and stood still, her back to him.

“I am truly sorry, Rosalind… I didn't mean for this to…”

Rosalind turned. Her innocent face covered in tears and her eyes held hurt. “You…you didn't mean for what? For your marriage? I was only gone for half a month, and you already decided to take a wife? You didn't even bother to look for me…if I was well or…”

Edgar looked apologetic as he moved slowly towards her, his hands raised. “Hear me out, okay! Please...we can't talk here like this!”

Rosalind didn't reply but broke into fresh sobs. God knows how much she had wished for him to come rescue her.

“Rosalind, please... I want to fix this.”

…

They were seated in a plush booth at a low-key restaurant that used to be their favorite, the place was tucked away from the rest of London, making them free from prying eyes.

Edgar stared at the poor girl looking down at her fingers nervously, she was gorgeous with her long brown straight hair falling around her cute round face, wide trusting green eyes, a button nose, and pink plumb lips. He couldn't help himself as he reached for her hands across the table.

“Tell me, Rosa, everything that happened. Why are you like this? Who did this to you?”

“I… I… Oh, God!!” She broke down into tears again. “I can't… It was horrid.” she cried.

Edgar became more worried and went to her side of the booth and wrapped his arms around her.

“You didn't bother to look for me. I never expected this from you. I thought you loved me. Were they all lies? All the promises?” She said angrily, weeping softly.

“No, please, Rosalind calm down let's talk this out...”

“I... don't...want to talk to you anymore...” She stuttered.

Edgar cradled her head on his chest and gave her soothing pats on her back.

“What happened Rosa?” He asked her after a while when she had calmed down.

“I went missing and you didn't bother to look for me... but you went ahead with your marriage with her. You didn't care if I was alive or lying dead somewhere in a ditch!” She said sadly, tears welling up in her redrimmed green eyes.

“It isn't like that, Rosalind. I did look for you. The first two weeks were hell. I spent them looking for you all over the city even in two other countries. But there was no sign of you.” He paused as his voice became bitter.

“I became devastated. I thought you had left me. So, my parents and Vivienne’s parents went on with the marriage plans that were left pending when I met you. They saw your disappearance as a miracle to them. I stayed adamant about it as always and turned it down, but a lot was at stake for us and the company too.” He took in a short, sharp breath.

“You know the relationship between my parent and hers and how my marriage to her will affect our company positively... After much thinking, and without you in the picture to keep me holding on, I had no choice but to go with their wishes. Although I never stopped looking for you.” He said and clutched her hand tight to his heart. “But I don't love her anymore. She doesn't make my heart race like you do, and you know it.”

Rosalind sighed sorrowfully and shook her head.

“I don't believe you, Edgar!”

“I really do... I couldn't live without you. These past few weeks have been hell without you... I really do love you, Rosalind,” He spoke with such emotions that she felt touched.

She touched his face fondly, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

“I... I believe you, Edgar. And I love you too.”

Edgar's heart fluttered with joy as he gently pulled her into a hug. He pulled away and asked the one question that had been at the back of his mind since she went missing.

“But, where were you, my love? You just suddenly disappeared. What happened?”

“I was abducted by some unknown men when I was returning home from work one night, and was taken to a place I didn't know.” She said with tears running down her face.

“How?”Edgar exclaimed, shock evident on his face. “But no one called for ransom or something... what happened? Why were you abducted? Were they traffickers?”

“I don't know.” She whispered, shaking her head. “I was just locked up in a dirty cell, fed once in a while, and wasn't even allowed the luxury of taking a bath. I never knew what they wanted from me. They never asked for anything.”

“One day, I overheard the leader of the men talking to a lady over the phone, and she ordered them to keep me locked up there a bit longer. I just wonder who the lady might be. I have never hurt anybody, Edgar. look at me… a lowly poor coffee attendee who can barely feed herself! There is no one I am having issues with and the only person I feel might want to harm me is Vivienne Renard, but I don't see her as such a person who can harm me. Vivienne is a very kind person, and she’s been nice to me even though she knows you've chosen me over her. I am j....” She narrated and broke down into tears again, sobbing uncontrollably.

Edgar became lost in thought momentarily at the possibility of Vivienne abducting Rosalind.

‘Could it be possible that Vivienne abducted her?’ He wondered and turned to Rosalind again.

“How did you get out?” he asked gently, trying to piece things together.

“When the scary men went out, leaving me alone with just one man, I pretended to be sick. The man brought some pills and a glass of water for me to take. Luckily for me, I managed to knock the man out with the glass and escaped.”

“I am glad you made it out alive. But can you describe the place so that I can get the police on the case?”

Rosalind suddenly looked scared as she shook her head negatively, tears scattering from her wide eyes. “They might come for me again if I do. I just want to forget about all I went through!” She broke down into tears again, her hands trembling in his large palms.

Edward sighed and gathered her into his arms. “I am so happy that you're back. I promise to always protect you, my love.” He said, his thoughts drifting back to Vivienne.