Chapter 2

Clinching her arm with her father, Lily walked on the red carpet, wearing a pretty white dress. The decoration and whole setup were just like she wanted – pure, simple but grand. In front of her was her prince charm, standing tall in a white suit and well-set hair.

Having a perfect married life was her goal and it is going to be fulfilled in the next few minutes. As she walked, she saw various businessmen, whom she only saw in the Forbes magazine. Of course, why wouldn’t they come to Mr. Denholm's wedding? Every media channel was present at the venue to shoot the marriage between the two famous and rich families.

Drake Denholm is the CEO of the famous Pharmaceuticals Company with a million-dollar turnover. His family owns the largest iron and mining industry. While Lily’s father, Andrew Meyers, is the owner of large automobile industry. This marriage is more like a business alliance as the two businesses go hand in hand.

Lily was aware of all the business stuff going behind her, but she was least concerned about it. All that mattered to her was Drake is the man, who she imagined living her entire life.

But what happened the previous day collapsed all the impression she had on Drake. He was no longer her dream man. He is just a stranger, a useless and untrustable person in her eyes.

Unlike every bride, Lily’s eyes weren’t fixed on the groom, as she was focused on finding a way to expose the video. Her eyes dilated to see a large screen that would be used to play the memories of the couple. ‘Where is the operator?’ Her eyes searched. ‘Got it! Whom should I give this to?’

Before she could finish searching for a known person, She and her father reached the stage. Andrew smiled at her and placed her palm in Drake’s hand. She would no longer feel the chillness and heart race when she touched Drake. How could she? Drake didn’t hold the same position in her heart as he did a couple of days earlier.

But then Lily doesn’t have the time to analyze those stupid and useless feelings.

“Let me help with the dress.” Rosy whispered and started settling Lily’s dress. Lily’s eyes glittered to see her best friend. Rosy came to her like an angel.

“Rosy, give this pen drive to the operator and ask him to play the video.”

“Ok!” Rosy smiled brightly and walked towards the operator.

“What’s that?” Drake inquired. “Didn’t we already give our videos?” His eyes narrowed and observed Lily’s weird and awkward face. The happiness, shyness and obedience that he always saw in her were no longer visible.

“I have prepared a new video. It has all our latest experiences. I am sure you will like it!” Lily gave a smirk.

“Ah! Faster! Ah!!.... Drake, faster!!” Ember’s wheeze echoed the wedding hall. Loud banging, breathing and moaning sound resounded, thanks to the superb audio system.

Drake’s eyes widened at Lily. Ember trembled behind her sister, trying hard to hide her face. “Turn off the video!” He yelled. His forehead accumulated droplets of sweat to see his naked body on the screen, in front of the delegates.

The entire Denholm family stared at Drake with rage. They looked frightened that they would hit the headlines because of their idiotic son.

“Idiot! What have you done?” Lily’s father scolded her from behind. All the shocked and worried expressions were expected by Lily, but this wasn’t the expected reaction from her father. “Who are you to stop this alliance? Idiot! Stupid! Do you know how hard I tried to get their match?”

“What the hell are you doing, man? Didn’t I tell you to stop the video?” Drake was enraged to see the video still playing without any sound.

“Sir, I am unable to stop the video. The system is not working. I could only stop the sound by pulling off the wires to the speakers.” The tensed operator replied.

Lily sneered to see Drake worried and frustrated. Her eyes turned wet, but she didn't know the reason for those tears. Was she sad or happy?

Before the video could be completed, Andrew rushed to the screen and smashed the screen with a wooden chair. He then walked towards Lily and slapped her hard.

Lily looked at her father with tears, by holding her cheek which had Andrew’s fingerprints. She didn’t understand why her father was angry at her instead of Drake and Ember.

“Mr. Denholm, shall we have a private talk about the situation?” Andrew asked Drake’s father James Denholm. James glared at Ember and walked away along with Andrew.

Lily stood in an awkward position between her sister and Drake. The hall turned chaotic with whispers. Everyone seemed to be biting each other’s ears and enjoying the mess going on the stage.

After a few minutes, Andrew and James came. “I want you to marry Ember Meyers,” James told her son while Andrew pulled Ember to the front.

“But Dad, Lily...” Drake murmured.

“Shut up!” James hissed at his son.

“What are you still doing here? Isn’t it enough that you spoilt both our family names?” Andrew groaned at confused Lily. “Go and sit in one corner!”

Lily blinked her eyes and silently got down from the stage. Just as her father said, she walked to a corner table and sat down. Through her blurry eyes, she looked at the wedding happening on the stage. The crowd seemed unbothered by the injustice that happened to her. A minute ago, they were praising her innocent and cute looks. Now, they are least bothered about her. “People!” She grinned to herself and fetched a scotch bottle that the bartender was taking.

“Urgh!” She frowned with just a sip of it. “So, is it the bitter taste that makes us forget about the bitterness in life?” Without thinking even for a moment, she lifted the bottle and began gulping by making weird expressions because of the taste.

“Why are people dancing?” She muttered and began beaming. In the next very second, that smile disappeared. Her lips turned down to see the blurry and shaking images of Drake and Ember. “She is getting married in the dress I specially ordered for her. Bitch!” She lifted the bottle again and drank the last gulp.

“What is this black thing?” Lily stood and poked the soft black thing in front of her. “How did you come here? You are so soft!” She giggled.

“Excuse me!” A voice came from the tall object.

“WoW!” Lily wondered and closed her mouth. “A talking tall doll! You even got buttons on your dress. Very nice. Let me count the number of buttons you have!”

“Who is she? What is she doing in a bride’s costume?”

Lily suddenly looked at the doll’s face with a frown. “You know what? I am the bride, but they betrayed me.”

“Mr. Cooper, she is Liliya Meyers. Today’s actual bride!” A person beside the tall doll confirmed.

As the black-dressed doll was thinking about what he should do, Lily pressed her lips over his. “She....my sister kissed my fiance like this.” Lily pointed at the stage in sorrow.

The doll who suddenly got kissed really turned into a doll and looked at Lily with utter shock.

“She even hugged him like this. I was so sad. How can they do that to me? How can......?” Uttering that, Lily fell unconscious on Niklaus Cooper’s shoulder.