CHAPTER 2

Eric's POV.

I have a wedding with Angela today. But I don't know how to feel about this? I have loved her dearly since childhood but I don't feel fair at all about this wedding. It makes me feel like I'm cheating on her and cheating with her true emotions.

She is just a pure-hearted girl and I don't want to hurt her anyway. But I don't have any other choice in my hand.

I don't know! How I'm going to handle all the situations from today? And I do not know at all how long I will be able to hide this deep secret from her that the person she is going to marry today is not Erish, but me Eric.

I'm feeling so guilty deep inside my heart that I don't know how I'm going to face her today. 

I'm feeling nervous to face her. 

What if she realized who I am?  

That I'm not the one she loves. What if she realized that I'm Eric? 

I have been thinking about all these possibilities in my heart that suddenly my parents come into the room.

"Eric, my poor son! I'm sorry! " After coming into the room, my mother apologized to me.

I can sense she is so upset, just like me. Her face is looking a little pale also while her eyes also become red with tears.

Seeing her like this I tried to console her. "Mom, don't cry. I know you both were helpless. I promise I will try my best to fulfill Erish's place. "

Hearing my words, she nodded lightly and smiled weakly.

But Dad, just looked at me with strict eyes and announced coldly, "Eric, I know you are feeling guilty towards Angela, but we don't have any choice left and we can't cancel the wedding date. So, Please just act as Erish until we find out the right time to tell Angela and her family about this whole truth."

Hearing my father, I didn't know how to feel about it but one thing is clear, it didn't make me any less guilty. I still feel the same pain throughout my deep chest. 

"Let's go, it's already time!" Dad announced in a quiet tone.

I took a long breath and nodded slowly in response.

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.

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Finally, I'm here, on the stage. 

I stood on the stage and started thinking furiously about Angela. Feeling nervous and curious at the same time. When my thoughts started to become blurred, I heard cheering and clapping sounds around me and finally, I saw Angela.

Seeing her, my heart halted for a moment as I felt my breath almost stopped. 

The person whom I missed like crazy was finally in front of me. And this soon made my heart again beating but faster, and only one line came to my mind "My Angela…"

She is standing in front of me in her wedding gown and looking as beautiful as the way she looked all the time. 

From teenager to adulthood, I already imagined her thousands of times in a bridal gown, in my dreams. Yet today, I can't express her beauty in words. 

She is looking extremely glorious in her bridal dress and her veil which is giving her a full elegant bridal look. She is looking so attractive and gorgeous in her dress. 

But when it comes to face, I can not glimpse her goddess face from her veil.

Still, no matter how much I tried, I could not take my eyes off her. 

After seeing her, my heart felt helpless not to ignore her charm, even though I knew it was not for me. Her appearance is not for me, the gown she's wearing is not for me and the steps she's taking are not for me. 

After coming from abroad, this is the first time I met her, and I never even thought in my dreams or imagination that I would meet her as her substitute groom in this way. 

This is a truly unbelievable and unpredictable situation for me. And it's hurt to realize, everything is just a lie, a fake lie.

On the other side, never realizing my thoughts and emotions, Angela is slowly coming towards me. While my heartbeat rapidly increases with her each step that is coming toward me. 

She shyly looked at the floor without raising her head. But when there is a few inches distance between her and the stage. I can see and admire her goddess look, her almond-shaped eyes, and her long silky black hair which is flowing freely behind her back. I can see her red cherry lips which look like curves because of her shy smile. 

She is holding a white rose bouquet in one hand. 

Her vail is the only thing that is stopping me from looking at her whole gorgeous face clearly. But I could imagine how she is looking without her veil. My thoughts become clearer when a few seconds later she stands in front of me on the stage and her father gives me her hand.

After holding her hand, I realized that her hand is so small just like a child and it fits absolutely right in my hand. It just feels like her hand is only made for my hand to be a fit.

But my thoughts vanished again when father (The Priest) told me to kiss her.

Hearing this, I lost my mind and clenched my fist tightly and the only thing I thought in my mind was, 'I don't want to feel more guilty!'

But all my thoughts suddenly stopped when I saw her peeking at me lovingly and confusedly. It feels like her eyes are questioning me, why didn't I make a move. 

After seeing that look I eventually moved towards her and slowly opened her Vail. To see her beautiful, gorgeous face. 

Seeing her magnificent favk and whole appearance from this close, my heart skipped a beat.

At this moment, I can clearly admire her beauty without any disturbance. 

Her almond-shaped eyes are just looking at me lovingly and her lips which are looking so plummy and as red as cherry, slightly parted when I leaned closer to her face. She is ready to give herself to me. But I'm the one who is not ready to feel more guilty. I'm not ready to take advantage of her by any means. 

But, when there was only a little gap between our lips, she slowly closed her eyes. Seeing her like this, at that moment my mind only wants to grab her cherry lips and taste them without any care. I want to kiss her passionately without thinking about anything anymore. But this is all only my thoughts which became clear a few seconds later.

I helplessly sighed in my heart and then kissed her forehead leaving her soft lips.

When I kissed her on the forehead, she suddenly opened her eyes astonishingly and started staring at me with an upset face. 

Seeing her like this makes me feel a little bit awkward and upset. I became hesitant and started thinking about what to say to her but all my thoughts vanished when I saw her again smiling. She happily chuckled looking at me.

Seeing her smiling face, my heartfelt warmth. This is the first time she is smiling warmly at me. Now I can understand how it feels when your lover smiles at you. After feeling like this, I just want her to smile like this all her life, so I can see her beautiful smile. Today I promise myself, that I will try my best to keep her happy until my last breath.