18. Truth about marriage
1981 Words
Wendy POV
I don't know what to say, mainly because I have nothing to say. Apparently, I'm getting married in a week and expected to fix the dress with everything else I need before then. Since I don't have any girlfriends, I don't know who to take with me either. The closest I have as friends are the brothers and Adrien.
Can I really call them? I have no choice, there is no one else I can get, and I am honestly hopeless when it comes to dresses. There's a dress I've always dreamed of; it hangs in my closet at home at the far end; I ordered it many years ago one evening when I felt nostalgic and missed Damien.
The idea was that I would send it back and get over my weakness, which is that man. As you understand, it never happened, and the dress is still there. Why not use it and spare me lots of time? Because that dress is for the day, I get married for love and not control, if that ever happens.
The right thing to do is call Adrien, but if I do, he'll call Jaxon, who will contact Brody, who will call Damien... I'm sure you understand what a stupid idea this is. No, no matter how much I want, I can't ask my best friend, even though it would be the right thing to do.
I look up the wedding shop the Ravellie's have chosen, and it's centrally located. This is nothing I want to do, but I must, for the sake of my children and everyone else. I call and make an appointment. Thank God they have an opening in half an hour. With a sigh, I get up from the bed and pick up my things before going out of my bedroom to get there.
The trip to the store does not take long, and I'm there in ten minutes. When I get out of the taxi, I look around and realize that Damien's company is on the other side of the street, of course. I should have been more careful and double-checked the address. Now, however, it does not matter; I am here and have to implement it.
I walk in and am immediately met by an older woman holding a cover. We shake hands and introduce ourselves. She gets me a champagne glass before she goes back to the storage room to pick up some suggestions for dresses. Since I have not married before, I also do not know what is suitable and not.
The dress I want to wear when I get married is beyond bounds, I've told you. But even so, I can't look however when I get married, many respected people will be there, and I don't want to embarrass my father. No matter how much the i***t deserves it right now.
The woman who is called Lucy, by the way, comes back with a dozen different dresses, and I start trying them one by one. The first is a very simple tight dress that sits way too laborious on my body. The other has a strange trail back there that I do not find nice. She's been instructed on what's okay from my future "husband" and not.
I try on dresses for an hour before I find one that actually looks okay. It is tight at the top but is wider down at the feet, and the entire dress is covered with glitter. It's a soft lace material that doesn't itch, and I know I'm going to feel comfortable in this one. Or yes, as comfortable as I can be at an arranged wedding.
"Here, put this on, and then you hold this," Lucy says, giving me the stuff.
She's given me a bridal veil with a tiara stuck together and a plastic bouquet of white roses. I do what she asks of me, put on the heels she has taken out, and look in the mirror. Thank God I put on my makeup this morning and fixed my hair. I'm beautiful. The bell on the door clings to, and I stiffen.
The brothers and Adrien come in through the door, laughing. I guess they're going to buy their costumes; I pull on the dress and try to become invisible to no avail. Because suddenly, the men behind me silence, and even if I have the veil over my face, Adrien can recognize me.
"Wendy?" he asks and takes a step towards me.
I sigh soundly, turn around and look at them. Tears sparkle in my eyes, and I am devastated that I have to face Damien here, of all places. We've been avoiding the truth for as long as we've been able to, but here we have it right in our faces. We're both getting married to someone else. Adrien lifts the veil.
"Hey, princess," says my best friend, smiling and looks over my dress choice. "Isn't that dress a little tight for your taste?"
"It's not exactly the case that I have any choices in this," I reply, sitting down in one of the armchairs and taking off my dagger heels that are over fifteen centimeters high.
"Damn, you better hope you don't fall with them on there," Adrien says with wide eyes.
"Yes, if I do, then I fall to my death," I answer laughingly, but it dies quickly when I remember why I have to get married at all. "I will if I don't get married too."
Lucy comes back and look over the situation. She gives me a questioning look and points to the champagne; I nod. She disappears and comes back with a newly opened bottle and a new glass for me. I sigh and pour a drink that I down immediately.
"Miss, the groom will be so pleased with your choice of dress!" she says excitedly, and I feel like strangling her.
"He should be, given the situation," I mutter to myself.
"If you take off the dress, I can wrap it for you and make sure you have it by Thursday next week," she chirps, and I nod.
I walk into the dressing room and take off my dress. The tears are heavy behind my eyelids, but I refuse to let them fall. I can hear Damien say something to Lucy, but I can't discern it until she gets closer to the place I'm at.
"Miss, could you be kind and try on a special dress for your friend? His bride is not present, " she chirps, and I respond with a simple 'yes' even though my heart breaks.
She disappears with the dress I had on me and returns a few minutes later with exactly the same dress that I myself have at home in my closet. I receive it, and a tear falls from my eye after all. The dress is beautiful and comfortable to put on, unlike the other. I walk out and stand on the platform.
Lucy walks up and help me put the veil on. Adrien and the brothers come out of the other side of the store with their costumes. They freeze, and I involuntarily tremble when I realize what it is he has asked of me. Slowly Damien walks up to me and stands beside his hand, embracing mine.
We look at each other in the mirror, and my tears fall noiselessly. He looks at me with such sadness, and it is the sadness that makes me feel the way I do. I hastily wipe my tears before going back to my dressing room and taking off my dress.
Lucy receives it through the door, and I put on my own clothes. When I get out, Damien sits with his head in his hands, and the rest of them look just as sad. This is the first time we know what's at stake. I look out the window and see my future husband's car; Lucy comes back.
"Miss, Mr. Ravellie is waiting for you outside," she chirps, and I die a little inside, of all the things she could say, she said that.
"Ravellie?" says Damien with a stern voice and looks at me with wide eyes when he realizes the truth. "You're marrying one of the Ravellie brothers after everything they've done to you?!"
I close my eyes slowly as the tears fall again, and when I open them, everyone looks at me like I just murdered someone. My mouth opens and closes; what should I say? I have to do this, even though I know I have to give the children to Damien. There's no way I'm going to have them near the Ravellie's.
"That's the price I have to pay to make sure we're all safe; I've signed the papers about the kids. As of Thursday next week, you have solitary custody over them, " I answer in my formal tone.
"What? What are you talking about?!" he exclaims in a broken voice.
"I'm getting married on Thursday, and there's no way I'm going to expose the kids to such risks as living with me when I'm with him. That's why I trust you, all of you, that you take care of them and keep them safe. They must experience happiness and security; they cannot have that with me."
"What about your happiness and safety, huh?!" roars Damien. "He will kill you if you go against his will only once, and you know it!"
"I know."
"So why do you take such risks?! You do not submit to anyone!"
"This time, I do."
"You're going to be someone you're not!"
"I already am," I answer and give him a sad smile before I walk out the door.
Herman Ravellie stands outside his car with a sneer on his lips and takes a hard hold of my forearm when I arrive. He pulls me behind him, and I make the mistake of looking back. Through the windowpane, I can see the brothers holding back Damien, who is about to run after.
His eyes shed tears, and I can do nothing but mime 'I love you' to him. I get in the car, and Herman slams the door shut. He sits down on the driver's side and drives away from the place while Damien makes his way out.
"Think, never in a thousand years did I think I would finally get my revenge against Damien by marrying his woman," Herman laughs.
He thinks this is hysterically funny while my heart breaks in my chest. I believe you are angry about this, and I don't blame you. To be honest, I've known about this for a while now, ever since I found out that I would be married.
This is the first time I've met Herman, and I can't exactly say it's a pleasant meeting. Especially not considering what happened that day, I shot his brother in the leg. I didn't kill anyone that day, or well, I did; but only his henchmen who tried to kill me first.
"Oh, darling, you have no idea how long I've been waiting to get a taste of you, just like my brothers had before."
I feel bile in the throat at his words, and become nauseous by the thought of how our marriage will be. If I can only make it for a couple of months, I'll go back, back to Damien. Do not wait for me, my dear, wait for the peace that I will give you...
A/N:
Hello everyone!
So, the truth about Wendy's husband to be is out.
* Did you see it coming?
* What did you think of the meeting in the shop?
* What do you think will happen?
* What did you feel during this chapter, sadness, anger?
Please, let me know your thoughts! Lots of love!<3
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