Chapter One * The Reluctant Wedding

"Arrgh would you close the damn blinds," Aurora groaned. Her head pounding as a result of a hangover.

She was starting to really regret her decision to get drunk last night, although it was really needed.

"Would you sit up young lady, it's nearly eight o'clock and for goodness sake, it's your wedding day," Laura Bentley said.

Hearing the dreaded W word she suddenly remembered why she and her two friends had to get drunk last night, she wanted to enjoy her last night as a single lady.

Aurora Bentley was getting married, no not love, but the marriage was arranged. Not that any one except her father still arranged marriages in the bloody 21st century.

And if that wasn't enough she was getting married to the most pompous ass Nate Walters, just thinking about him made her want to pull at her hair. He was arrogant, irritating and rude to her as she grew up, he would tug her pigtails and push her into the mud, and suddenly he's all grown up but not in the least bit changed.

She sat up the soft blanket pooling at her waist, remembering all she did to try and get out of the marriage but all for naught.

How she had known all her life that he was the man she was to marry, but never really wanted to accept it, how she argued when her father first told her the wedding was in a months time, then when it was getting clear that being stubborn will take her nowhere, she turned to emotional blackmail, trying to get through her mother to her father, and since she's getting married today you can guess how that went.

Obviously not knowing when to give up she resulted in trying to escape and leave the country or even the continent where no one would find her, and even that didn't go as planned as she was caught even before she could book her flight.

Left with no other options she resulted to begging, crying, which was a low low even for her.

And a month of being looked after like a prisoner in her parents house here she was her bloody wedding day.

"Come on Aurora, you need to get dressed," her mother said pulling her up from the bed although she really didn't want to go Laura Bentley wasn't a woman to be trifled with Aurora reluctantly allowed herself to be dragged by her mother.

"Andrea is already dressed and ready to go as a good bride should be," her mother said while walking her to her sisters room.

Digging her foot, she halted in her steps, the statement was meant to make her feel guilty but all she could feel was anger.

"Of course, she is ready, she actually wants to get married, she loves Ryan !!!" She all but yelled at her mother.

Immediately, she said that she felt bad it wasn't her mother's fault she was marrying that egoistical pigheaded man, it was her father's and Nate's father's fault though she could never be mad at Uncle Alex it was all her father's fault.

"I'm sorry for yelling mum, but I can't take it anymore, marrying him will be my worst nightmare," Aurora said.

"I know you don't want to get married darling but I can't really do anything about it your father has made up his mind and he is convinced that it is for your own good, I have tried changing his mind but he is as stubborn as you are," she said.

"It will be hard, but just try to get along with him."

"Mom, it's not that easy he doesn't even like me," Aurora complained, and I don't like him she continued in her mind.

"Am quite sure my daughter can make any one fall in love with her," her mother said and Aurora sorely doubted it.

"Now cheer up let's get you ready for your big day," her mom said as they got to Andrea's room.

Very organized and neat, with a little pink like every other girl, a few books the right amount of pillows, shoes uncountable and dresses innumerable, Andrea is really just like her room perfect in every sense, nothing like Aurora's room and Aurora has always been jealous of it, because she never had problems with anybody the golden child, and even when her father had arranged her marriage, she didn't fret or argue or try to escape like Aurora did but she managed to make Ryan to fall head over heels in love with her without stress and now she is getting her dream wedding.

"Wow, Andrea you're looking so good," Aurora commented.

No matter how jealous she was she couldn't deny how good her sister looked on her wedding day. Like a princess, with her off- shouldered cream ball gown, with a built in corset making her already thin waist look thinner, they might have looked identical when they were younger, she thought, but they grew up and now look different.

Andrea still looking very slim with small perky breasts, a flat toned stomach, and the nicest legs.

But much to her disgust Aurora filled out more, with fuller breasts a bigger ass, that had people looking at her every where she went, while Andrea's skin was toned because of the endless beaches and slim because of jogging and exercise, Aurora didn't have the energy or strength or stamina to even try and exercise or tone, she was quite lazy when it came to that, one jog a week was all she could do.

"Come on, Rory," Andrea said getting up from her chair, calling her by the annoying nickname she gave her and it had stuck since almost everyone called her that now.

"Let's get you dressed," she continued. Big gown and all pulling her into the dressing room. And like always Aurora allowed herself to be dragged albeit reluctantly groaning on the way, well she groaned until she saw her wedding dress.

Her mother refused to let her pick out the dress, because she knew that Aurora will end up picking a black hideous and ugly one, but this was beautiful on the mannequin, reaching out she felt the fabric, it was silk so soft and smooth.  She wasn't much of a dress person unlike Andrea but she loved the dress.

"Let me put it on," she said, walking into the dressing room she took off her clothes, at the corner of the dressing room, she saw some very beautiful white lingerie set full on with garters, she was reluctant to put it on thinking that she didn't want to have sex with the egoistical pighead, but she decided she wanted to look good for herself, taking her clothes off, she tried putting on the complicated stuff on, and she couldn't calling out to her sister.

"Dreee, come help me out am stuck," Aurora called.

"I am coming," Andrea answered coming into the dressing room ball gown and all, and helped her into the lovely lingerie set, and into her dress.

"You look wonderful," Andrea commented.

"Not at all like a reluctant bride," she continued her eyes showing that she really loved the dress.

"Are you guys not ready yet, it's almost time to leave," their mother said coming into the dressing room but was wowed when she saw Aurora.

"You look ethereal dear," she said.

Aurora was staring at her reflection in the full length mirror, that was in the dressing room, and she could admit that she looked nice, but felt sad that she being blackmailed into the marriage that she wasn't marrying the man that she loved, then all the excitement that she felt just dissolved.

Moving out of the dressing room, both her mother and her sister saw the sad look on her face, but decided not to comment but rather they tried cheering her up.

Bringing out two identical diamond necklaces Laura Bentley gave them to her twin daughters.

"This is my wedding gift to my two favourite girls, I can't believe my two babies are getting married today, you guys are all grown up now," she cried, she was quite the drama queen.

Both Aurora and Andrea were getting emotional, they both hugged their mother.

"Don't worry mum we will always be your babies," Andrea said.

"I wish you both happiness in your married lives," she told them.

A knock sounded on the door breaking the moment. "Come in," their mother said. A maid came in and told them that their father was already waiting for them downstairs.

They made their way downstairs, their father was waiting for them at the base of the staircase looking dashing as usual wearing a navy blue suit with his hair styled looking much younger than his 50 years with a gold Rolex watch on his left hand.

"Look, how dashing my girls are looking, wow," he commented.

"Thanks dad," Andrea chirped while Laura kissed his cheek as they made it down the staircase with Aurora looking down with a scowl on her face, still very much angry with her father.

"You're also looking very dashing honey," Laura complimented her husband.

"Thanks love," Jake told his wife, "And wipe that scowl off your face Aurora, it doesn't become you."

When Aurora continued to frown he said coming to her "Are you still mad at me, you know I won't do anything to hurt you," he continued.

"Smile, Rory it your wedding day."

Aurora couldn't stay mad at her father for long, and her dad never called her Rory nor was he ever this free with her so she smiled.

"That's my girl," he said, "Now let's go and get married."

Walking outside the house they got into the limo and drove to the cathedral where the wedding was taking place, it was obvious that the grooms where already waiting for the brides, there was paparazzi in front of the church and the her father ordered those to be cleared, looking out of the window of the car Aurora saw her sister's favourite flowers; dandelions on one side and her favorite flower lilies on the other side.

Turning and looking at her sister Aurora asked, "Are you ready to get married?"

"Actually, am having cold feet, what if he doesn't really love me, or what if I don't really love him, I am so confused," Andrea replied.

Aurora wasn't expecting that reply when she asked her, holding her hand she replied, "Dree you have to calm down, relax Ryan loves you and you him every thing will be fine."

"So what do you say ready to get married," Aurora asked again.

Taking a deep breath, she replied, "Ready as ever Rory."

"Come on girls time to go," their dad said, when they came out he held both of them on his two arms with, their cousin's kids as the flower girls throwing pretty petals on the floor.

And their best friends as their chief brides maids by their side, marching in slowing into the church while the hymn played.

Aurora looked on and saw Ryan, her brothers in-law with a smile on his face looking at her sister with so much love, and a smile crept up her own face, she couldn't help but feel jealous especially when she looked at the egoistical pighead looking like he'd rather be any where but the wedding, looking as proud as usual, but even as much as she hated him she couldn't deny how handsome he looked in a suit, any woman would want him as her husband, well any woman but her.

As their eyes met a scowl formed on his face, indicating disgust on seeing her, and that made her hate him even more, well she said to her self, he hates her as much as she hates him.

As the ceremony began she couldn't stand being so close to him, she tried scooting away, at the back of her mind she could hear the priest begin the ceremony.

"Dearly, beloved we are gathered here in holy matrimony to join together to couples as husband and wife."

~~~~~~~~~

"Do you Nate Walters take this young lady Aurora Bentley to be your lawfully wedded wife to love and to honour, to cherish,in sickness and in health till death do you part."

Aurora saw his father give him a gentle jab, frowning like he was selling him life to the devil he grumbled, "Yes, I do."

"Do you Aurora Bentley take this young man Nate Walters to be your lawfully wedded husband to love and to cherish in sickness and in health till death do you part."

With a scowl on her face she said, "I do."

"I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride," the priest said.

He then gave a short kiss on her cheek and started to leave the church without her, her sister and her new husband were still kissing, feeling very annoyed she was tempted to throw her bouquet at him, it was obvious to anyone that saw that he did not want to get married to her.

Feeling very miserable she decided that she will make him fall in love with her, she made it her new goal and after he falls in love with her she will divorce him but she will never fall in love with him.

The driver drove her alone without her pigheaded husband to the reception, where she saw her mother and her sister and her new husband looking very happy all that adding to her gloomy state, her best friends were nowhere to be found she called the waiter and asked for a bottle of white wine and she began drinking,

When it was time for the couples first dance, her husband was still nowhere to be found, so she just drank till the reception was almost over and he came to her, looking at her disgusted that she was drunk.

"Get your things Aurora we are leaving," he said in a gruff voice.

"But am having fun," she said, he was so uptight.

"Now!" he growled.

"Fine am coming," she said as she was still seated.

Through her dazed state she felt him pull on her hand and yank her up, pulling her with him, which made her arm hurt she complained and grumbled all the way.

Getting to the car he pushed her to the seat and banged the door.

"You hurt my arm," she complained as he got into the car and he ignored her for the rest of the journey.