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16. BELLS
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2024-10-29 19:42:56BELLS:
One of the most common symbols of marriage and weddings.
The minute I entered my mother’s hotel room, they noticed my ring.
“Oh my God, this is just too gorgeous!” my mother said, pulling my hand.
“This is expensive!” my aunt breathed. “It’s a Harry Winston!”
“You’re embarrassing me!” I hissed at them.
Ryder just chuckled.
“You spoil her too much, young man,” my mother said, but I could tell that she was very happy for me.
“She deserves it, Mrs. Jacobson,” he said. “Astrid deserves to wear a ring as beautiful as she is.”
Ryder was the epitome of grace and gallantry. He was everything a girl could ask for in a boyfriend! It’s like he was ripped right out of the pages of a romance novel. Sweet, funny, he treated my mother and my aunt like they were queen
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CONTRACEPTION:Part of the honeymoon checklist, if the couple is not yet planning on having babies immediately after the wedding.We dropped off my family at the Waldorf Astoria. Then, Ryder and I drove back to his apartment in silence.We were playing a dangerous game. In truth, no guy would put up with this. Why Ryder was doing so, I didn’t know. And he was doing it so well, and so nicely, it was getting more and more difficult for me not to feel something for him.Damn! Already physically attracted to him; I didn’t want to wish this was all real. I couldn’t take that risk.When he closed the door of his apartment, I turned to him nervously. He was smiling at me mischievously.“Ryder, I can’t really kiss you here. No one is here to see us. No need to put on a show,” I said.He stepped closer to me and tilted my chin gently so he cou
Knight in Shining Suit 18. FLOWERS
FLOWERS:An important element that makes up the whole wedding. Flowers must go with the theme, and must always match or compliment the motif.I found my mother in deep conversation with my aunt. When she saw us coming, she turned away, but not before I saw that her eyes were glistening with tears.I raised a brow at my aunt, but she merely shrugged.We went back to the hotel. Uncle Reynolds and Ryder had coffee in the living room and I figured it was time to speak to my mom and aunt privately.“What’s going on, Mom?”She shook her head.“Mother, I’m not a child anymore. Tell me what’s wrong.”All of a sudden she launched into a fit.“Oh my God, Mom!” I said, hugging her.“Your… father is having an affair!” she burst out.“What? When?”“It’s
Knight in Shining Suit 19. USHERETTES
USHERETTES:Their role is to make sure that your guests do not lose their way on your wedding party.One night, Ryder called me to ask a favor.“The maid will come tomorrow. Usually I’m there when she does. But I won’t make it this week. Can you stop by my house? She doesn’t have a key. Just let her in and stay there while she does her stuff.”“You want me to supervise your maid?”“Not really. Just be there to make sure that everything’s in order.”“Alright. I think I can handle that.”The next day, I went to Ryder’s house. His maid was a woman in her forties named Zara. She didn’t look like a maid at first, more like a diner waitress. She was chewing gum and was wearing a skirt way above her knees.“Where is Mr. Ryder?” she asked me.“He’s in Manhat
Knight in Shining Suit 20. ARRANGED MARRIAGE
ARRANGED MARRIAGE:A marriage born out of a business arrangement where both parties aim to benefit from the other.Adam asked me to have dinner with him. But I knew my cousin better. He only invited me over for dinner to either drop a bomb on my head or he’d touch base on what’s going on with the business. So even though it was casual, I was ready with the figures in my head, just in case he asks.“Business is good?” he asked casually.“I knew you took me to dinner for a reason!” I accused, pointing a finger at him.He chuckled. “Just asking.”I smiled at him. “It’s great!” I said. “In a few months, you’ll see those figures going green.”“Maybe it’s time to expand.”I stared at him. “What do you mean?”He shrugged. “Well, my investor saw
Knight in Shining Suit 21. WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
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Knight in Shining Suit 22. I DO
I DO:Powerful two little words that actually mean, ‘I will love you, take care of you, serve you, protect you, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, for as long as we both shall live.’Before I joined my parents, I looked at Ryder and said, “Thank you, Ryder. You’ve been very kind to all of us. I guess this is the last, huh? I'll call my parents after a week to tell them that it’s over. Don’t worry. I'll make sure nobody blames you. I’ll tell them that I want to stay single for a while. To… date around…”“Do you?” he asked bitterly.I raised a brow. “Do I what?”“Want to date around?” he asked.I laughed… to cover up the pain that I feel inside… and to hide the truth behind the lie that I’m about to say.“It’s been a while, hasn&rsquo
Knight in Shining Suit 23. BOND
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Knight in Shining Suit 24. VEIL
VEIL:Covers the bride’s face to the groom until he has fully committed to her after the wedding ceremony.I am made of stone. I can do this. I am not giving up! I told myself over and over.I was sitting on the deck of Ryder’s Malibu home. After so many nights I still felt alone, my heart was still broken and every single minute, I ached for the man who swore he would make my ‘ever after’ come true.But he was not here anymore… I never felt so alone in my life. The pain was ten times worse than what I felt when Bryan and Geena betrayed me.I remembered his laughter, his smile. I remembered his arms around me and the way he would look at me. I remembered how he never gave up on me. How he waited for me to realize that he was the right one for me. How long he waited for me to realize that I was in
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Knight in Shining Suit 38. THE VENUE
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Knight in Shining Suit 37. RING
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Knight in Shining Suit 36. PRESENT
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Knight in Shining Suit 35. WEDDING ALBUM
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Knight in Shining Suit 34. SOMETHING BORROWED
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Knight in Shining Suit 33. SOMETHING BLUE
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Knight in Shining Suit 32. SOMETHING OLD
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Knight in Shining Suit 31. SOMETHING NEW
SOMETHING NEW:Brides are supposed to wear something—anything—new during the wedding ceremony. It can be as small as a trinket, jewelry, an undergarment, or the gown itself.Astrid.I met up with my friends at Starbucks.“So, because Ryder forgot about you, we all have to be sober now?” Dannie asked. I knew what he meant. Since Ryder forgot about me, I had been steering clear of Oil Rig and Rig Style. It was too painful for me to go there. The sweetest guy I’d known didn’t want anything to do with me and looked down at me as if I was the biggest gold-digging slut on the face of the Earth.“No, Dannie. No one is preventing you from getting drunk out of your wits. As long as you don’t do it with me and in any of Ryder’s bars,” I said.“But those are my favor
