In The Arms of The Enemy

Two

Sunshine poured through my window and I couldn't help the smile that crept onto my lips. It was finally here, my wedding day the day I marry the man of my dreams.

I looked out the window wind to the decorated garden and everything was perfect, just as I had imagined it.

“Good morning honey”, my aunt said as she walked through the door of my bedroom with the entourage of stylists and makeup artists that we had hired.

“Today is your big day darling”, she said and kissed my cheek.

“Thank you so much Aunty”, I smiled and said “Where is Sarah?”, I asked after not seeing my cousin who is also my bridesmaid.

“She came home drunk, but don't worry I asked the cook to make her a sobering juice she will be ready just in time for the wedding”, she assured me. I wanted everything to be perfect.

“Typical of Sarah, I'm not surprised “, a voice said.

“Come on Athena”, I said to my best friend who walked in through the door.

Athena and I have been friends since we were in diapers. Her mother is like a mother to me. She and my mother were besties just like Athena and I.

“I can't believe you are finally marrying that loser David, he managed to trap you in his web of seduction”, she said wiping away nonexistent tears from the corners of her eyes.

“David is a good guy I don’t know why you don't like him”, I said.

“That’s the reason he is just too good to be true, a guy like him can’t exist it’s impossible”, she said.

“Enough don’t ruin this beautiful day for your friend. Don’t listen to her sweetheart you better than anyone knows him and his true feelings “, my aunt assured me. But I wasn’t upset because I knew this was Athena just being herself, from the beginning when David was just my bodyguard she never liked him. And what she said kind of got to me. Maybe it’s because I was nervous.

“From a simple bodyguard to almost becoming Vice CEO?”, she questioned. She has always been blunt even if it meant at the cost of other people's feelings.

The stylist did my hair and my makeup and the guests started arriving. I still couldn’t help but wonder if what she said was true and if David was just pretending to love me. Many people have tried to take advantage of me just because of who my father is.

“Ms Vladimor!”, my stylist called.

“What the hell could you be thinking of, I have been calling you for some time now”, my father who stood behind me said. I could see the dissatisfaction as I looked at him through the mirror.

“Daddy when did you get here”, I smiled and said and stood up from my seat to face him.

He sighed and held my hands in his. “You look beautiful”, he said and signaled for his bodyguard who handed him a black velvet box. “This is the first gift I bought your mother after I made my first million”, he spoke as he opened it. When the box was opened my breath hitched when I saw what it contained. It was a beautiful diamond necklace, I have since it around my mother in most of her pictures. It was her favorite piece of jewelry.

“It's beautiful “, I said and lightly touched it.

“I want you to wear it and always keep it safe”, he said and kissed my forehead. I could count the handful of times my father showed affection to me. All my life I did all I could to be perfect, so he could love me.

“Okay time to wear your dress”, my aunt interrupted before any words could leave my mouth. Then I remembered my thought from earlier I didn't even think twice before I bolted out of my room ignoring everyone that called behind me. I had to know, I wanted his reassurance.

I ran to the ground floor to his room and barged in, I just wanted to throw myself in his arms so he could reassure me of how much he loved me and that marrying me had nothing to do with my father. I was expecting to see my fiancee getting ready for our wedding but what welcomed me stopped me in my tracks.

“Clara?”, he said in surprise as his face filled with horror. There he lay naked on top of my cousin Sarah. It was clear what was going on here. But my mind refused to believe what I was seeing.