Chapter 1

It wasn't meant to go this way but situation brought her here, on this day, in this wedding dress. She has no plans of getting this far because she never want to marry someone she always dislike even since they were children.

But when her parents were killed in an accident few years ago, she was forced to agree on a marriage with the son of her father's bestfriend in order to save their company because a year after her parent's tragic death she was surprised when their family lawyer dropped a bomb saying thay before they died they have filed a bankcrupcy and with this she had to agree on marrying someone for a merger.

" Do you really think this will work out?" she asked her bestfriend who is very busy on doing her dress as they both stand behind the closed doors of a cathedral where hundreds of visitors are waiting inside to witness the marriage of the children of two of the most acknowledge families in the city.

" Do you have any other choice? You can just let your parent's company fall or you have to live this way," Angela, her bestfriend coldly said without looking at her because she was very busy on fixing the bride's dress.

She sighed because she know her bestfriend is right, she cannot even properly conduct a meeting with the employees then who can she think she can face the board with no knowledge about anything. She is not into business and whoever her father tried to teach her from when she was young, she just had no interest at all.

" I can do this. All I have to do is to study business management and let them handle the company first. I will just take it over when I am ready," she took a deep breathe and closed her eyes.

In her mind it is not a wedding at all especially when she thinks of the idea that no one in that room is someone she know except for her bestfriend as it is not a sacred ceremony for her, instead, it is a business agreement which she will end when she's ready. For now, she will just use this family to handle her late parents' business.

" Okay, everyone go to your position already. Bride, please prepare," everyone slowly moves when the coordinator entered giving signals that the ceremony is already starting. Angela looked at her and smiled then she walk forward to her escort leaving the bride behind all of them.

It is not a wedding for her but when the wedding bells started to ring, her world seemed to become blur and there is nothing she can see but her parents' faces, the faces she does not want to forget. Yes, this might not be a wedding for her but she know deep in her heart she wants them to with her this very moment, when she has to walk down an aisle where a groom she will be marrying is waiting for her in front of the altar with all of the unfamiliar faces wishing to see them both tie a knot into marriage.

She wants her father's arms to hold unto and her mother's soothing voice to tell her that marriage is not scary. She wants them to be with her now as she walk, she wants to see them cry with her. She wants to hear them say how much they love her as much as how she loves the both of them.

She can still remember when she was just a child, when she pretends that she wears a veil using her mother scarf, her mother would always look at her smiling while her father would get mad at her mother saying that she's still a child to think of marriage. She can still her father's voice telling how precious she is to him that he'd never let her marry a boy he never agreed.

It is not marriage.

It is not marriage.

It is business.

" Bride? You're next," her eyes suddenly opened widely when she heard the coordinator silently whispered and when looked on her front all were already able to walk beyond the door.

She looked at the white curtain separating her to the cathedral and the lovely song that is being played for her to walk on. Her knees are shaking, her limbs are at the edge of falling but she has no one to hold on, she is alone.

Her wedding day is a woman's dream, it is a day where some of her fantasies will come true. She should be feeling heaven when she looks at her groom standing at the altar but not her, not for Abbygail.

Hindi ganito ang pinangarap kahahantungan ng buhay niya. Hindi niya kailanman pinangarap na saktan ang taong tunay niyang minamahal kapalit nang pagpapakasal sa isang lalaking kinamumuhian niya.

" Do you take Abbygail as your lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish until death do you part? " tiningnan ni Abbygail ang lalaking nakatayo sa harap niya na seryosong nakatingin sa paring nagkakasal sa kanila.

" Yes Father," buong tapang na sagot nito saka tiningnan niya na may ngiti.

" Ikaw naman Abbygail. Do you take Oswald as your lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish until death do you part?" siya na ang tinatanong ng pari at hindi niya alam ang mararamdaman niya sa mga sandaling iyon. Mapapatawad ba siya ng Diyos kung magsisinungaling siya Kaniyang harapan?

Tiningnan niya ang pari at ang lalaking katabi, makakaya niya ba talagang mamuhay habang kinikilalang asawa nito sa batas ng simbahan at ng mga tao?

Huminga siya nang malalim atsana niya ipinikit ang mga mata.

" Yes, Father," buong tapang niyang sagot dito.