Love Story With My Brother-in-law

*CRYSTAL* As I walked up to the double doors where I knew where my sister was getting ready for the wedding. “I’m not marrying a blind man!” The sound of my sister’s whining greeted me as the white from the pearl-studded wedding dress tingled my face, almost blinding me as I opened the door. My elder sister, Esmeralda Matthews was throwing a tantrum on her own wedding day. If she wasn’t throwing her tantrum you would find her beautiful with her blonde hair until her mid back and green eyes framed with her cat like eyes that she took after her mother. If there were one word to describe it would be ‘beautiful’. It was supposed to be the happiest day of anyone’s life but clearly my sister thought differently. “Esme, sweetheart, I know Alex is not the man he used to be anymore. But he’s still a Morgenstern. You know we can’t afford to mess with his family.” The sound of my father, Charles’s voice caught my attention as he tried to persuade Esme from her tantrum, his voice full of soft coaxing and a plea in one. He was in his mid 40s, standing at 5’7” with dark brown hair slicked back, hazel brown eyes glinting with sternness yet soft towards his eldest, dressed in a black business suit as if he was going to work instead of a wedding. ‘Clink! Clank! Crash!’ “ESME!” The shout of my father’s voice was drowned out by my sister's throwing. First the expensive wedding dress that could easily afford a whole mansion, then it was our father’s favorite vase that he purchased from Egypt onto the ground, smashing it to pieces as she shouted. “I don’t care! I’m not gonna marry a disabled man! You can marry him if you’re scared of them so much!” She had gone ballistic in her anger, continuing to smash what was within her reach. I hurriedly stepped back to avoid a flying object that would hit me had I not moved. Just as Esme continued her tantrum, I noticed a woman in her late 30s with her blonde hair short until just above her shoulders and green eyes similar to her daughter, placed her hand on father’s arm, wrapping his with hers as she spoke. “Honey, we both know our precious daughter deserves better.” I couldn't help but smile bitterly as I took in the scene in front of me, thinking to myself and watched as if I didn't exist to them. ‘What a warm family, the doting parents, and the spoiled daughter. And I am the outsider as always.’ Gesturing outside the window where a car is waiting for them, Father looked like he was going to have a meltdown if this didn't go well. "Darling Esmeralda, my little princess. Are you really trying to give your poor father a heart attack? The wedding car is just waiting outside.."  As if struck with an idea, Esme immediately turned and locked her eyes on me, making me nervous as I was still standing by the door quietly. “There’s Crystal! Let her be the bride!” a sudden glint in her eyes that made me fearful based on past experience. Both Father and stepmother turned towards me at her words. “But she’s mute Esme. The Morgensterns won’t accept a mute.”  “I never spoke anything when I’m with Alex before this, so it should be fine! He should think I'm a mute." Esme explained excitedly, finally seeing a way out from this arrangement. Charles however was suspicious of the reason “Why haven't you spoken with him before?” "Daddy, it doesn't matter," Esme huffed in annoyance that their father isn't agreeing with her immediately, "Just make Crystal the bride. She's a mute and he's a blind man. They are perfect for each other." While I could see father hesitating, I knew Catherine only wanted the best for her blood daughter, even if it meant the expense of me who was from father’s previous marriage. “Dear.. I think it can work.” Catherine nudged father with her elbow, "Alex can't see and Crystal can't talk. This is the only way." I knew then my fate was sealed, after all, father is ever smitten with his new wife. Looking at me with apologetic eyes, yet his eyes speaking more than what his next words would be. “Crystalline..” ‘Why’ I screamed in my mind as my heart felt betrayed at how my father so easily sacrificed me for my elder sister. ‘Why is it always me?!’  I raised my eyes from the pearl wedding dress on the floor to each of my family’s faces. It stung as if needles were stabbing my heart with their attitude. When my eyes met Esme’s, she merely looked away, as if she was guilty for pushing it to me instead. ‘All because he wasn't the perfect man she had wanted’ I thought bitterly to myself.  “Crystal.. '' Charles sighed, as if he didn't just sacrifice one child for another. “You know how important this is for our family..” Before he could continue, I raised my hand to cut him off, grabbing the pearl dress from the floor and placing it on the chair next to me. “It’s okay Father, I’ll marry him.” I signed to him, defeated. Almost immediately, I saw the content smile on my sister’s face, the relieved one on stepmother and father's apologetic eyes, yet within my heart, I couldn’t help the sudden heavy feeling inside of me. Not wanting to make any response, I quietly yet quickly went back to my room to put on the dress. As I changed, I let my thoughts wander. My hand unconsciously caressing a ring that was by my dresser. ‘To be honest, I had actually been longing for the day to marry Alex. I had been secretly in love with him ever since we were children. I could remember every happy moment and memories I had with him, even the promise that he would marry me when we grew up.’  I sighed. Even though he might have forgotten our promise and somehow ended up falling in love with my sister half a year ago, this traitorous heart of mine couldn't stop loving this man. ‘Perhaps it is childish of me.. I still hope that one day, he will remember his promise and marry me.’ Perhaps it was wishful thinking yet I still kept it to this day which was why I agreed almost without hesitation to be my sister's substitute bride. As I finished putting on the dress, it was heavy and oversized on me yet I smiled at her reflection in the mirror as I sat before the dresser. ‘Even if he is blind now, even if he is no longer that powerful man that people feared.. I am glad to be able to be his wife.’ I thought, smiling to myself before putting on a determined face. ‘Time to face the music Crystal’ and walked straight out towards the gates of the Morgenstern mansion.  As I got into the wedding car gracefully, a wide smile plastered on my face as the driver started driving. The wedding probably won't have feasts or guests, but that is fine with me. Because Alex is the one I'm getting married to.. The man that I loved. And that was enough for me. On the journey towards Alex’s mansion, I felt nervous and worried. My mind couldn't help but overthink too many scenarios. ‘What if Alex finds out I'm not Esme?’ ‘What if he hates me if he finds out?’ Yet I also felt hopeful, my mind conjuring images of what would be my future life with Alex. Perhaps the lovey dovey kind? Or the slow yet burning fiery kind?  As I took a deep breath to calm myself, I worried about not being able to expect what would happen next. Finally, the car stopped and I peeked out to see a rusty iron gate of an old mansion. When I got off, the car drove away in a flash, as if it was running away from something. I looked around to see no one to greet me or show me the way. Pausing to muster my courage, I made my way through the unkempt lawn, knocking on the moldy door. A scrawny middle-aged woman opened it, her face full of displeasure and contempt as she said impatiently to me. “Mr Morgenstern is waiting for you on the second floor, the second room on your right hand.” and stepped back as if to let me in. As I walked in, I almost choked by the dusty smell in the air. I took in my surroundings to see that the furniture looked outdated and old. The house looked bleak and deserted, nothing a former CEO would be living in. ‘Does Alex really live here?’ I couldn't help but think, confused. Picking up the long hem of my wedding dress, I carefully climbed up the wooden stairs, the old stairs were creaking with my weight. ‘Way to make me feel fat’ I thought sarcastically to myself but the words of the middle aged woman murmured made me freeze in my step and turned back to glare at her.  “That bride is quite pretty. But she marries a blind. What a shame.”  It seemed that my glare was enough for the woman to shut up as she didn't speak a word after that. As I finally arrived at the door where I thought Alex was, I couldn't help but pause before going in. Even though he couldn't see anymore, I’m still nervous.. What would he look like after the accident? Despite being between fear and anticipation, I still push myself to raise my hand to knock only to freeze midair as a gale of howling laughter wafts its way out of the room. "Just subscribe, guys! Seriously, I'll feed this wanker s**t if you guys subscribe now." a male voice echoed, another man’s voice following him. "What do you mean by 'you don't believe us? This is the real former CEO of the Morgenstern Group. Look, do you see his face?" “We're not joking, man. Over 10,000 subscriptions, we'll give you guys a show, how a former CEO becomes a s**t-eater! Hahahaha…” Bang! I was so angry at his words and slammed the door open. How could they say such horrible things to Alex? My anger only grew when I saw the two men doing a live stream and were barking crazily with each other, cajoling each other with their live stream chat. I looked around for Alex in the room, seeing him sitting on an old chair by the window, in a thin shirt that wasn’t suitable for the weather. It was nearing December for god’s sake. ‘How cruel! Even I had to wear a shawl over the wedding dress and he’s just wearing a thin shirt, they didn't even give him a coat!’ I thought furiously as I looked him over with my eyes. His face was still handsome and impassive, but also as pale as a ghost's, his lips dry and cracked. His once bright and dazzling eyes were hidden behind a pair of sunglasses. He looked so indifferent and isolated. My heart was broken at the sight of this. It seems that the two men finally noticed me as I heard one of them ask, “Who is she?” “The new maid, probably.” “That loser is basically like a dead walking now. Why does he still need servants?” “We need to figure out something more interesting.”  “How about you get some s**t here and feed him?” As they continued their conversation, I felt hot anger burning my blood, how dare they humiliate him! Impulsively, I rushed towards them, slapping the phone out of the man’s hand, making it drop on the floor, cracking the screen as it landed. The man was furious as he grabbed my arm in anger, "What are you doing, b***h? Do you think we won't beat the s**t out of you because you're a woman?" However the other man took a look at me, his eyes looking at me up and down, making me feel disgusted. "Brother, she's got a pretty face. We should strip them both naked and make a tape!" The other man barked out a laugh. Just as I was going to kick them in the nuts for suggesting such a vulgar thing, an aging man around the age of my father walked in, wearing a uniform similar to a butler’s. “Sir Cale, Sir Ben, how about leaving them alone today? It is Sir Mr Morgensterns’s wedding day after all.” “Oh?” I felt myself involuntary shiver at the lewd gaze the two now gave me. “So this is the bride? Quite pretty though. Too bad our dear cousin can't see you now. He’s blind!” The echoing laughter boomed out as the grip on her arm tightened.  “Why don’t you greet us? Give us some show for your wedding night! Hahaha!” I wanted to scream, it was one of the many times I cursed myself for my inability to speak. “She is a mute.” The butler explained.  This only made the two c***k up even more as I struggled to make the man let me go. “A f*****g mute! This must be the funniest joke ever! A mute and a blind! What a perfect match!”  The disgusting laughter filled the room, yet from the corner of my eye, I saw Alex still sitting motionlessly, looking out the window. The two men then dragged me in front of Alex, making me feel humiliated at being manhandled by these two brutes. “Hey, cousin, you hear that? Your wife is a mute.” “Oh man, their wedding night will be so boring. How about we help them?” “Any idea, bro?” “I stand by my previous idea! Let's strip them naked and have a wedding night live stream! Isn't it great? We get a live show of our dear cousin’s lovemaking!” “Awesome idea! Let's tie the blind up and strip him first!” As if losing interest in me, the man let my arm go, my other hand reached to rub the red imprint from the tight grip the man had. But what the two men did next made me freeze, my mind running a mile a minute when I saw Alex still not moving. It was as if he was deaf! I was so worried about him. ‘Was he ill? Was he too sad about his blindness? What’s going on!’ Before my eyes, one of the men held Alex back on the chair, grabbing his arms as the other one was trying to tear the thin shirt he had on. Panicked and worried, I immediately rushed towards him, pushing the two away and slapping the hand of the one holding him down away, the weight of the wedding dress helping me as they staggered, and spread my arms out to protect him. The anger that was bubbling in me grew as the two stared at me in anger and shock. But my only raging thought stopped me from cowering. ‘They were really out of line! I won’t accept this!’ I will protect him from these bastards!