Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Chloe

This was a mistake. 

I didn't need the loud wedding bells outside reminding me of all the reasons why this marriage was a bad idea. 

Aside from the fact that my parents were too self-absorbed in their goals and ambitions, neglecting the feelings of their only daughter for... for what? 

I sighed tiredly as the modiste tightened the straps of my wedding dress. This was it. I was truly getting married. Against my own will- sure I signed the papers, but what was I to do when my parents, my father had threatened to toss me out on my ass if I didn't agree to the wedding?

There was no way I could raise a child alone. That much was clear. I had depended on my parents my entire life. A secure home was all I knew and frankly, I was too afraid to give that up. 

"Pull it any tighter and I'll puke my guts on this dress!" I snapped at the modiste.

 The dress was pretty. It was strapless with a sweetheart neckline that highlighted my full chest. I loved the dress and of course and would not puke on it, but the woman kept trying to tighten the dress beyond what my freaking waist could handle! What the hell was wrong with everyone in the damn world?! First, my parents were being jackasses, trying to foist off their daughter to the Benjamins. And worse, the man I was to marry was also a jackass. And now the modiste was acting up?!

"What a stroke of fucking pure fortune!" I spat snidely. 

The modiste cast a look of judgment and I sneered at her. She had been hired to help me dress up for the wedding, not judge me for my feelings. 

In fact, I was damn right done with being judged for my feelings. My eyes flitted to the window of the dressing room. 

Outside, the garden downstairs was adorned with pretty white lilies and roses. Chairs had been arranged in semi-circular patterns around the pathway I would walk on. An arch of roses stood on the podium, gleaming beautifully. That would be the podium I and Nathan would stand on, making promises to love and to hold-

I shuddered and looked away. 'Holding' had gotten me in this mess in the first freaking place. But Nathan holding me that night had been phenomenal. 

"Damn," I breathed as my mind replayed what I could remember of that night. 

The modiste placed a cool diamond studded necklace around my neck that sent ripples of shivers up my spine. Nathan's hands had been cold at first. They had stroked and pinched and plucked at my skin while I had remained a mewling mess under his ministrations. And then as if turned on by a million degrees, his hands became a scorching flame that licked at my skin and sent me exploding into a million tiny pieces. 

At least, I can hold on to that memory anytime I feel like bashing his stupid head!

"Dear God, will you at least smile, Chloe?!" My mother walked into the dressing room, her face sparkling so radiantly, they could have mistaken her for the bride. 

She was dressed in a cream-colored dress that billowed at her waist extravagantly. Her make-up had been done and overall, my mother looked extremely happy about the wedding. 

No surprise there. 

"Why dear mother?" I asked, pasting a too-wide smile on my lips. "So you can feel less guilty about sending me to the gallows?" 

The older woman huffed and waved her hand. "Oh stop being dramatic. Your father and I only want what is best for you."

I scoffed, "Don't lie to me. The marriage, this whole betrothal sham, you can't tell me you did it because you thought it was 'best' for me."

My mother shook her head and turned to the modiste. "Is she ready? Our guests have arrived and her husband-to-be will be waiting for her." 

True enough, when I glanced out the window, Nathan had climbed the podium, with a scowl on his handsome face. 

Wonderful, even he looked like he was being sent to the gallows. How on earth would a marriage like ours survive?! The only thing we had going on was that I was pregnant with his child. That was it!

He had a nasty attitude. He shifted blame like a child and while I didn't think I was any better, I feared with our high temperaments, we might as well blow our homes to bits. 

"She is ready ma'am," the modiste's words reached her ears and I whipped my face back to my mother, dread suddenly filling me. 

"I am?" 

Oh no no no! What would I do? There had to be a way to stall for time! I definitely wasn't ready to be Mrs. Benjamin! I wasn't ready to be married to that asshole!

"Get those ideas out of your head," Mother gritted in a low, threatening tone. "You're coming with me now, and if you do not want your father embarrassing you today, you will smile!" 

Hearing the true threat in her voice, I blinked away hot tears that stung the corner of my eyes and a wobbly smile made its way to my face. 

As we stepped out of the dressing room, the loud song announcing the bride's arrival began playing. 

Father waited at the entrance of the garden, his arm waiting to be interlocked with mine

As I stepped beside him and slipped my hand into his, I locked eyes with Nathan a few meters away. His face had lost its scowl, and he looked... Mesmerized? 

Was there someone behind me? I glanced back to see if there was anyone there and then back at Nathan. Unless he had been making googly eyes at a spirit, Nathan seemed enthralled by my appearance. 

My chest fluttered. Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad. He was attracted to me, and he was quite gorgeous. Maybe we would get along quite splendidly as good friends-

Nathan's googly eyes dropped the minute I climbed the stairs to the podium. His scowl was back, even more, menacing than ever and if he was a cartoon character, smoke would escape his ears. 

"Oh boy,"