Chapter Four~ Wedding Bells

Emily

What do you say to a man who calls you a slut on your first conversation and in front of more than twenty people and cameras are all over the place?

A man who is supposed to be your husband?

I'm the only one who heard it but that doesn't help. I turn to look up at the man who has decided to think so ill of me and the coldness in his eyes makes me believe he meant every word he had said. A shiver runs down my spine as he turns back to the crowd with a fake smile plastered on his face. He locks his arm with mine and all I can feel are chains weighing me down.

We walk forward and the people clap in cheer because, to them, we are the perfect couple put together. We stand in front of everyone and Liam kneels on one knee like a perfect gentleman. I don’t know what he is up to, but he has made it clear that there is never going to be any  love between us. 

I just hope we will at least reason with each other and co-operate. 

He fakes a smile as he slips a diamond ring on my finger and when we lock eyes, there it is again.

Blue eyes full of hate. I can’t imagine living in the same house with someone who looks at me this way. Fear and sorrow grip me but I play along as I fight the tears from showing further. To them, they’re happy tears.

‘’We will now take a few pictures with the couple as they’re officially engaged. The couple is so in love that they don't wish to prolong the wait! The wedding is next weekend. ‘’ Richingard announces catching me off guard.

Next week?

“So eager to secure the bag, I see.” Liam passes the comment in a whisper for my ears only. Before I can explain that I had no idea, he walks away. 

His father, on the other hand,  looks so happy as he goes on to greet the guests and we do the same when my angry husband-to-be is at my side again.

After hours of posing for pictures and smiling in photos when I would rather be crying, my feet hurt and I just want to leave. 

I turn to look for my angry fiance but I can’t find him anywhere. ‘’You must be tired dear. You can go home now. I will take care of the rest. Where is your husband to be?’’ Richingard asks and I freeze not knowing what to say but the last thing I want is to have to fight with him because he might think I reported him to his father.

So I do what I have been doing so well lately.’’He received an urgent call. I will check outside for him.’’ I lie. 

‘’Nonsense, those heels must be killing you. Take a seat. I will call him.’’ He says and my face becomes pale from fear but I remain silent and take a seat on one of the couches. 

Well, he wasn’t lying about the heels and I'm  grateful that the day has finally ended without any problems but after a few minutes, a red-faced and angry-looking Liam walks in my direction and I know that I am in for it. 

‘’Let’s go.’’ He commands in his cold tone and I flinch a little before standing up. 

My feet now have blisters and I can’t take the shoes off because of their so-called rules. I walk slowly as the pain increases but Liam is not having it and from the way he is walking, he doesn’t give two damns as he walks to the car.

I pull my dress up and continue to carefully walk to reduce the pain but when I look up, the man who was meters away from me is right in my face, ‘’You enjoy it don’t you?’’ He spits and I look at him confused.

‘’What do you mean?’’ I ask and he laughs dryly. 

‘’You have it in for me to make me look bad? Is the money Dad paid you not enough? Why the fuck did you complain to him when they’re so many ways to get home!?’’ He accuses me and I shake my head in disbelief.

‘’Liam, I didn’t say anything.’’ I try to explain but he cuts me off with a scolf.

‘’You’re a slut who will lie to get anything. But that won’t work with me. I see you for who you are, and I will rip that mask off your face for every goddamn person to see! I told you not to go through with it but you did anyway!’’ he growls.

The pain, the anger, and everything comes crashing down like a tornado. How can he hate me so much when he just met me? For a second, I feel like giving up but then I’m quickly brought back as the realization hits me. 

My father needs this to live. I will not let him frustrate me into a lawsuit which I will lose together with my dad. So, I wipe my tears and open the car door, and sit at the back. But it seems everything I do irritates him.

‘’I’m not your fucking driver, sit in front and enjoy the view like the fucking gold digger you are.’’ He says and there it is again.

Gold digger! 

If that is how he sees me, I am sure everyone else thinks about me the same way but I refuse to think about it just yet. 

I can't be weighed down now. Not when I have so much to lose. 

I sit at the back and don’t move. There is silence until after a few minutes when the front door opens but it isn’t my dear husband-to-be. 

It's Jake and he starts the engine without saying anything. My mind wonders how I'm going to break the news to my family before the wedding and what I'm going to say. 

My finals are not until six months from now. My whole life just went upside down and I don’t know how I’m going to do it all alone when I’m not even allowed to talk about my pain with anyone.

‘’Where did Liam go?’’ I ask Jake as I think that maybe if I can reason with him we would make this work. His words sting and my heart bleeds every time he speaks but I don’t blame him. I just hope he can see me as a partner even if it means learning how to co-exist as we live separate lives.

‘’I’m not sure.’’ is all Jake says and I nod even though I know he can’t see me.

His flat responses say more than words can and I know that he doesn’t want anything to do with me either.

What have you gotten yourself into Emily? A little voice asks as the car speeds through the streets.

I don’t know both the answer and how to survive in this new world.

All I know is that I’m engaged to a man who hates the very fact that I exist.