Chapter # 2

The next day, dressed as a bride forcefully, I was holding my mother’s arm desperately. 

“Mama, I will do anything you say, don’t make me marry Kyle,”

“Do you think I want that? We have no choice, my love. Look at your father, only you can save him.” She sighed, frowning when I was not moving an inch as she secured the veil over my head.

I wanted them to listen, to understand that he wasn’t the man I wanted. 

In fact, the one I truly desired was the person who forced me to say yes.

Why couldn’t he notice my love? My feelings for him? Why make me marry Kyle when I didn’t want to?

“Please…” I whimpered, clutching my chest due to pain and enhancing that sting, he entered with his cold front. 

Wow, so he had dressed up for my fucking wedding too.

Unbothered expressions, wearing all black shirt and pants accompanied by a waistcoat and well combed hair to look eye-catching.

My jaw clenched, glaring at him through the reflection which he obviously ignored and asked Mother.

“Are you guys ready?”

“No. I am not,” I hissed, ripping the veil off from my head and throwing it away. 

Displeased with my actions, he came closer. I flinched when without a second, he grabbed my wrist and made me stand. 

“I don’t have time for your drama. Come,”

I felt numb, I was drained, I couldn’t do it but he forced me to move. My lips began to shake with tears blurring my vision. 

“Mama,” Please, please, please, stop him…

“Denzel, careful, please,” Mother whispered, emitting compassion for me but how could I blame her?

There was nothing she could do. Kyle was too powerful… we couldn’t fight him.

“Then tell her to accept her fate. This is the best for her but her tiny brain is incapable of understanding this,”

Growling, he didn’t bother to hear further and since my father was in the hospital, he decided to walk me down himself.

Like hell I would let it!

Whimpering, I struggled to release his harsh grip but he had always been overwhelmingly strong and nothing I did affected him.

“Leave me, let me go!”

“Leave me, Denzel!” 

“I said I don’t want to-”

Tired of my whining, he gave me a rough yank, pressing me against the wall. 

My throat dried when his muscular body was lethally closer to mine. 

I shivered when he placed his one hand above my head and pressed his index finger on my lips with the other hand, freezing me.

“Shut the fuck up, Eliana,” I obeyed…

Silly me, after he had horribly broken my heart, I swayed by his one action. 

What kind of attractive spell was it? It was almost like a connection of a soulmate. Did he feel the same- 

Oh, what was I saying? If he had, he wouldn’t be throwing me into fire.

Licking my lips anxiously, silent tears streamed as I held his wrist, pulling his hand from my lips down. My misery was transparent but he had become blind.

He couldn’t hear how madly my heart was screaming his name. 

“You are no one to decide or force me into anything. Leave me, Denzel, don’t do this to me.” I whimpered, shaking my head in denial.

And my weak, delicate whisper infuriated him. He almost looked… powerless and slammed his both hands on my either side.

“What is your problem!?”

“Do you want me to die from the pain of marrying Kyle before you?” 

His anger faded at my comment. Mouth gaping when I sobbed a little, leaving the cage of his arms to cover my mouth and wipe my tears.

“Even if you don’t feel the same, I cannot bear marrying another man before you,” I cried a little, taking support from the wall.

My tears, my words, my pain, nothing worked, nothing lessened my pain. It was unbearable for me to hold Kyle’s hands.

“Don’t spout nonsense,” 

Hissing, he was about to grab my wrist but I yanked my hand away, glaring at him. He had tormented my soul enough but I won’t let him do that further.

“Then leave me. I won’t go with you. You are not my father, you are a nobody, Denzel Reynold,” I growled, pointing my finger at him as I gathered my dress and moved back.

“Okay, fine. Go with your mother,” 

He scoffed. Once again, it meant nothing to him.

Rolling my eyes, I ran back to the dressing room, to my mother who was astonished to find me back.

“What happened?”

“Why would he take me there? You are my mother, I will go with you,” 

“But, you are so attached to him-”

“I don’t care. I will go with you,” I hissed, curling my hands in a fist to contain my powerlessness.

“Okay,” 

Mother didn’t think deeply about the reasoning and helped me to fix my form. When she set the veil over my head again, she kissed the top of my head, heartbroken.

“I am sorry, this is not how I imagined your married, my love,”

“Me too. But… What can I say? Let’s go and get over this,” I sighed, giving her hand an assuring squeeze.

I was left with no choice.

“Bless you,” 

She smiled, wiping her tears as we left where the man I least wanted to see was waiting for me.

The scheming billionaire, Kyle Hudson. His blue eyes shining, brown hair flowing in the air while keeping a charming expression.

I got fooled once, but not again.

His usual manipulative aura surrounding him, earning a glare from me. The second I stepped forth, his face glowed, observing my helpless figure carefully.

“Ah, there you are, Darling, I was impatiently waiting for you. You are looking absolutely stunning,”

Grinning, he took my hand without offering, making me stand at the altar, keeping my hands caged in his, he pulled us closer.

“Drop that sweet act after giving my father a heart attack,” I muttered, rolling my eyes.

I scanned the hall and fortunately, Denzel wasn’t there. I seriously wouldn’t be able to continue if he was there. 

“Do you think I did this deliberately? If I had known he is weak-hearted, I wouldn’t have come near him in the first place,” He frowned, caressing my knuckles to convince me.

“I don’t need your explanations,”

“Okay, I am sorry, Baby. Let’s place this behind us and start a new life, I promise I will give you all the happiness and keep you happy.” 

Murmuring, he kissed my hands, flashing a wide, toothy grin to convince me.  

Not wanting to create a scene or infuriate him, I remained motionless as the ceremony started.

“Do you, Eliana Duke, take Kyle Hudson, as your lawfully wedded husband?” 

I couldn’t explain, it took life-threatening force from me to say my ‘I do,’- It shattered me. 

Each second was heavy on my breaths, tears refilled, suffocation took over me. Invisible fetter defeated me and it was not from Kyle’s actions.

But Denzel’s.

When I never meant anything then why did he hold my hand? 

Just to leave me on another man’s mercy?

I was overwhelmingly outraged at Denzel, hating myself for loving a man like him. Whatever the reason was, my life was destroyed.

… All because of him.