Chapter 6: Before The Wedding

Layla tirelessly entered the car, whispering, “Damn.”

Layla’s mission was to monitor and support Calantha to join the party and meet Asher. But a noble woman stopped her from fulfilling her duties.

Layla met her at the WC. The fat middle-aged woman was so tormented by her abdominal pain that she confused Layla for her daughter, and held on to her hands, screaming relentlessly even though she had tried everything to calm her down. It was all over when another girl walked into the WC and helped Layla and that miserable woman.

When the girl rescued Layla, the party was still underway, but Asher had left to catch his flight to Los Angeles.

Layla did not wait for Calantha too long, she came out of the mansion right after.

“Is everything okay?” Layla asked as the car had rolled.

“It’s fine,” Calantha stopped saying, “Asher doesn’t doubt me.”

Layla felt that since she had been in the car, Calantha was very strange, she didn’t seem happy.

“Really? He did nothing to upset you?” Layla asked carefully.

“N-No, he did not.” Calantha answered and tried to make her well.

Layla asked nothing more, Calantha sighed.

Calantha would never confess to anyone that Asher kissed her that night, for Calantha, that her first kiss to someone she didn’t love wasn’t something to be proud of. That kiss made her nervous. She could remember clearly, she was surprised and motionless at the time Asher kissed her.

Calantha wanted to forget about it, but she could not. Even on that night, Calantha dreamed of Asher.

In the dream, in the presence of hundreds of people, Asher and Calantha gave each other their wedding rings. And when Asher lifted her veil, things went wrong. Asher immediately realized she wasn’t Selena, he immediately shouted,

“You’re a poor bitch.”

Asher left shortly after. Calantha faced the sarcastic laughter of the people there.

“Hahaha...”

“Hahaha...”

Calantha wanted to scream “Shut up!”, but she realized she couldn’t, as if Asher were leaving and taking her voice with him.

The angst beset Calantha; she was desperate and cried out.

When Calantha was in pain because of her nightmare. Asher was sitting on a private plane, enjoying a late night meal of luxury delicacies from famous chefs.

Asher was very pleased with the Masquerade Ballroom Dancing Party tonight. Asher touched his lips and laughed softly. For him, ‘Selena’ was lovely tonight. She was obedient, gentle, and sweet. Asher loved her shy look when he kissed her.

Even Asher had thought he would postpone his flight to Los Angeles to have a great night with ‘Selena’.

“But she’s really different today than before, why?” Asher wondered.

Before the Masquerade Ballroom Dancing Party tonight, their romantic relationship was very awkward. Asher was the only one who took the initiative in this romantic relationship. Selena always seemed interested and gentle with Asher, but it was easy to realize that she was always listless, Layla provided her the information about Asher she had without her having to find out anything by herself.

Selena did not care about Asher.

Asher looked for himself as a reason for Selena’s change: the wedding was imminent, and Selena was forced to see Asher as a future husband, and that was the reason for Selena’s change.

“This is an important step forward in the romantic relationship with Selena.” Asher thought, and he was excited and cheerful.

…

Knock, knock.

“Miss Ellis, breakfast is ready.” The butler called.

The butler’s voice awakened her from the nightmare.

Knock, knock.

His knocking sounded again.

“Yes, I know, I’ll be in the kitchen in five.” Calantha replied.

The knocking did not continue, the butler had left.

Calantha left the bed immediately. And as she walked into the bathroom, looking at the only mirror, Calantha realized that her eyes were a bit swollen. She was crying.

“Man, that dream affects my feelings, no, Asher Pittman causes everything. Until now, I was still obsessed with his kiss.” Calantha thought, and tried not to think of Asher Pittman.

When Calantha went down to the kitchen, Selena was having breakfast. This is a rare thing, because Selena did not always have breakfast in this mansion. You know, this mansion was just a place for her to host Asher Pittman, which she actually called ‘home’, a small house in a remote suburb, which she lived in with John.

“Good morning, Lady Selena.” Calantha said.

“Good morning, Miss Ellis.” Selena replied unenthusiastically.

Selena couldn’t care about Calantha, she was upset. Last night, she wanted to make love to John, but he refused.

“Why did he do this?” Selena wondered, and she used a spoon to break up the food that was beautifully displayed on the plate.

Calantha couldn’t enjoy this delicious breakfast either, because of Lady Selena, Asher, and last night’s nightmare.

“Miss Ellis...” Selena suddenly called Calantha.

“Yes.” Calantha replied.

“There’s only one week left before the wedding, right?.” Selena asked.

Calantha wondered why she was referring to the wedding, when it was all planned, and everyone knew about it.

“Yes.” Calantha replied.

“All right!” Selena replied then focused on her breakfast.

“It’s hard to understand what Lady Selena is thinking.” Calantha acknowledged.

Perhaps Calantha underestimated Asher’s influence on her. The next day, she continued to have nightmares of Asher and woke up in the middle of the night. Despite Calantha’s self comforting efforts, she still could not fall asleep.

“What the hell is going on? Damn Asher.” Calantha whispered and tried to fall asleep, but her mind was only of Asher and the negative emotions were useless.

After all, she had to take sleeping pills.

Sadly, Calantha had to keep taking sleeping pills all week long in order to be in the best shape to prepare for the wedding.

Under the effects of the sleeping pills, the obsession with Asher and the nightmares, Calantha thinned out, even Layla complained because Calantha couldn’t fit her wedding dress. She had to use many measures that she could fit the dress.

…

The wedding ceremony took place on a beautiful day with light sunshine and a clear blue sky.

Calantha sat at the makeup table, Selena’s stylist made up for her. She looks at herself in the mirror.

She saw a girl with ginger hair, blue eyes, concealer covered dark circles around her eyes, but devotion and sadness still appeared in her eyes.

Calantha worried. The success of their plan would be decided today. So that she had no right to hesitate.

Calantha clenched her hand, determined to complete this mission.

Knock, knock.

The knocking caught Calantha’s attention. She beckoned the maid to open the door because she thought Selena wanted to tell her something. But a strange man entered the room. He who was a middle-aged man with a full body. Calantha panicked at this man’s arrival, but she had to pretend to calm down.

“Selena, in an hour you will walk down the aisle with me, hand over the wedding ring to Lord Pittman and become Selena Pittman.” the man said.

She guested that this man was Selena’s father, her heart beating fast.

She’d never heard Selena talk about her father or any family member except John, so she could hardly imagine what Selena would do in this situation. Besides, if this man was Selena’s father, could he figure out the difference between her and Selena?

Calantha sneaked a look around the room to seek help, Calantha realized a maid had sneaked out of the room. She would have gone looking for Selena or Layla.

Calantha was silent, not responding to this man.