1: I Do... to a Dog?

My Mysterious Husband

The church was stunning—of course it was. Chandeliers dripped crystal from high vaulted ceilings. Golden candlelight danced across the ivory columns, and white petals lined the aisle in painstaking spirals.

Aria stood at the altar in her champagne-colored gown, her heart pounding for reasons that had nothing to do with love.

“This is ridiculous,” she whispered through clenched teeth. “Is this a prank?”

“No, ma’am,” the priest said solemnly, not even blinking. “Mr. Vale has approved all arrangements. Including the proxy.”

She looked down again and stared at the puppy.

A small, fluffy, absolutely ridiculous golden retriever puppy sat at the altar in a custom-tailored tuxedo, tongue lolling out in pure joy. His leash was held by a man in a suit too sharp to be real, possibly a butler. The dog sneezed adorably.

Aria turned to her mother, who stood off to the side dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. “Mom. Seriously. A dog?” she complains.

“It’s all symbolic, sweetheart,” her mother whispered, waving off the concern. “Mr. Vale is a very private man. He’s... eccentric.”

“Eccentric?” Aria hissed. “I’m marrying a ghost!”

“Don’t be dramatic. You agreed to the arrangement, remember? For the family’s sake.” Her mother remind her again.

“Yes. Right. For the family.” Evelyn folded her gloved hands in front of her, trying to summon dignity. This was fine. She was marrying a man she had never met, never seen, and now—symbolically tying her life to a small, drooling animal in a bowtie. Fantastic.

The ceremony began.

The priest spoke. Vows were exchanged. The puppy barked twice. Aria repeated the scripted words with a blank expression, staring straight ahead and refusing to look at the absurdity next to her.

The ring bearer placed a delicate diamond band on her finger. The puppy, miraculously, lifted a paw at the right moment and pawed at a velvet pillow containing a simple platinum band as everyone happily clapped.

When the priest finally said, “You may now seal the union,” Evelyn glared at him.

“I will not kiss the dog.” She hissed.

“No one’s asking you to,” he replied dryly. “A symbolic gesture will suffice.”

So Evelyn tapped her gloved hand against the puppy’s head, and he licked her fingers like she was made of bacon.

Everyone happily cheered to the wedding ceremony as the dog barked again, thrilled with himself.

And just like that—Aria Thorne became Aria Vale, wife to a man who hadn’t even shown his face.

The reception was grand and weird.

A towering, six-tier cake.  A live quartet. A hundred guests, most of whom seemed more excited about the puppy than the bride. Aria spent the entire evening smiling tightly, sipping champagne, and dodging questions like:

“Have you met your husband yet?”

“He’s so mysterious, isn’t he? It’s so romantic!”

“Did he really rescue that puppy from a burning building in Prague?”

She didn’t know. No one knew. Everything about Lucien Vale was wrapped in silk and shadows.

She finally cornered the butler-looking man who had held the dog’s leash.

“You,” she said, jabbing a finger toward his chest. “You know where he is. Tell me. Now.”

He bowed slightly, ever the picture of refined composure. “Master Vale regrets he couldn’t attend in person. Business overseas.”

“He sent a dog. Is this even acceptable?” she murmurs as her eyes rolling.

“A beloved companion. Sir Archibald is highly regarded in the family.”

“I married a puppy,” she whispered to herself. “This is my life now.”

“Your husband will meet you at the manor,” the butler added smoothly. “He requested that your first meeting be... away from eyes. Private.”

Aria narrowed her eyes. “Is he a troll? Hideous? Disfigured?”

The man smiled. “I’m afraid you’ll have to see for yourself.”

By midnight, Aria sat alone in the back of the limousine, Archibald the wedding puppy snoozing beside her, paw on her silk lap. She stared out the window as the city melted into dark woods and winding roads, leading them to the estate she’d been told was now “home.”

It was massive.

Ancient stone. Ivy. Balconies with wrought-iron railings. The kind of mansion people died in during horror films. She stepped out into the moonlight with her arms crossed.

The front doors opened before she even knocked.

And there he was.

Lucien Vale.

He stood beneath the archway in a midnight-black suit, not a hair out of place, watching her with calm, unreadable eyes the color of dusk. She could notice his tall while looking at his shadow but she didn’t see his face clearly as he was standing against the light.

He bowed slightly making her difficult to study his face. “Gosh, I can’t see what he looks like,” she said in her mind, she’s been wondering what he looks before she goes to the church and married Lucien Vale.

Aria is the kind of woman whose beauty isn't loud—but it lingers. She's all soft firelight and sharp eyes, the type you notice twice: once because she's stunning, and again because you realize she’s dangerous with her words. She is many things: smart, observant, deeply loyal—but above all, she does not bend easily.  She has a sharp tongue and sharper comebacks, especially when she’s flustered (which is often around him). She didn’t marry for love. She married out of duty. But she refuses to become a caged bird, even if the cage is made of chandeliers and silk.

“Mrs. Vale,” he said, voice low and velvet-smooth. “Welcome home.” He open his both arms as he spoke.

Arias stared at him, “no,” she said.

Lucien tilted his head. “No?”

“No. You don’t get to look like that after sending a dog to our wedding.” She mentioned, she is pissed at what he did to her. She could not accept that a man would stood her up, no man could ever resist her charm and beauty.

A hint of amusement curled his lips. “Archibald was deeply honored to represent me.”

She stomped her feet and complain, “Oh, how romantic—married to a dog. If you didn’t want me, you could’ve just said so instead of turning me into a joke."

“I know,” Lucien said softly, "Funny—last I checked, it was your family knocking on our door, not the other way around." He left her speechless.