The following days passed by in a blur for Racheal.
The presidential palace was busy with activities. The wedding was to be held here, in attendance of all political dignitaries from both countries.
On the morning of her wedding, her face looked flawless as she sat waiting in a thick white lace wedding dress.
She noticed her maid scurrying away, and looked up at the door. Her father stood, beaming with pride at her.
This was the first time he had ever stepped foot in her room or even suite in the eighteen years they had lived in the presidential palace, first as a vice president and then a president.
She wanted to hate him, she resented him a little even, but she could not hate him.
As much as she wanted to, as much as she thought she should, she just couldn't.
He was father, he was also the only living reminder of the pleasant parts of her childhood.
"You look radiant." He said moving close to her. "Stand up so I can see you."
Racheal obeyed quietly.
"The only thing missing is a smile." He said looking at her. She remained silent and did not attempt a smile. She couldn't have succeeded even if she had tried. Her face felt stiff.
"With this attitude she would have the whole country asking unpleasant questions." Roslyn said walking in. Her daughters followed in tow.
They were dressed elegantly. Roslyn in a gold dress, her daughters in peach coloured dresses. "Smile." She barked.
Racheal bowed in greeting but did not smile, could not smile. She ignored her step mother's glare and returned to her seat.
Her room door flung open and she heard the thick leather boots, thumping loudly on the floor. She looked up at the officer who had just come in and was now whispering in her father's ear.
She immediately thought of Maxwell, and wondered where he was.
She had not set eyes on him since that day they broke up, and he no longer stood with her personal guards outside her room or even suite.
"It's time." Her father announced. She stood up and wove her hand into his. As he led her out of the room, she wondered and even hoped Maxwell would save her.
If he changed his mind now, there was still time to save her. Maybe he would find some backup and charge in like they did in the movies and rescue her.
The thought sounded silly, but that was all she had left, hope.
She stood beside her father, waiting outside the heavy church doors.
Her life was about to change in a few minutes, she would be someone's wife, a man she had never met, and a political hostage. Her heart was breaking and her eyes burned with tears.
She sniffed quickly to hold the flood back.
"Don't you dare cry now." Her father fiercely whispered. Racheal nodded.
The heavy wooden doors swung open inward, with a light sigh.
The pianist began to play a solemn wedding tune and the church, filled to the brim with important looking people, stood up and turned to watch the president walk his daughter down the aisle.
"Smile." Her father commanded. The ice on her face finally broke. She managed to put on a smile and they began their walk down the long, long aisle.
A few seconds into the walk, as they nodded to everyone at the edge of the aisle, she began to hear the whispers.
SHE IS THE DAUGHTER THEY ARE ALWAYS KEEPING AWAY.
MY GOD, SHE IS A VISION. LOOK AT ALL THAT THICK GOLDEN CURLS.
I LOVE HER DRESS.
I CAN IMAGINE THE PRIDE HER FATHER MUST BE FEELING. SHE IS SO BEAUTIFUL.
The comments came from different parts of the church as they continued the longest walk of Racheal's life.
She finally returned her attention to the present when she saw the man standing at the altar.
She had never paid attention to the enemy country's news so she did not know their president's son.
In the last few days, she feared he might be old and ugly, but drawing closer to him now, she realised he was not.
He was very tall, almost too tall. He had flawless olive skin, dark hair and blue eyes. He seemed to be looking at her with surprise too. Pleasant surprise.
He stepped forward and nodded at her father, before taking her hand in his. She could not help but shiver at his touch.
He furrowed his eyebrows and then smiled at her. For the first time in days, Racheal smiled genuinely, back at him.
That brief exchange though did not stop her from glancing at the door, again and again as he read his vows.
Even now, when it seemed hopeless, she wished Maxwell would charge in and save her from marrying this stranger, no matter how kind he looked.
And then she saw him.
Maxwell stood at the door, handsome as ever, neatly dressed in his uniform. He scanned the church and his gaze rested on a spot, a little too long that Racheal turned to look too.
She saw Celia, who winked at him and to Racheal's horror Maxwell blushed, smiled and then quickly found a seat at the back.
"Miss Rana" She heard the male voice as if from very far away. She turned and saw her soon to be husband looking at her with a little confusion on his face. Her throat felt clogged with tears so she could not risk speaking.
"The priest is waiting."
She turned to the priest and could only manage to nod in apology. Maxwell had betrayed her. Maxwell had betrayed her in a worse way than she thought he did earlier.
"Say the words after me. I, your name, take you." The priest said.
"I Racheal Rana take you." She repeated, absentmindedly. She completed her vows, tilted her chin up to receive a soft peck on the lips from her husband, and turned around to smile at the congregation all in a trance.
Her movements were mechanical, like a zombie's. She could not shake the shock away, the shock that chilled her bones and made her unable to concentrate or be present in the moment.
She felt like she was watching the whole activity from outside her body.
"Come. Our fathers are waiting to have an important talk with us." Her new husband said, gently leading her out of the reception hall a few hours later. Pressmen, local and international took pictures as they left.
In the official presidency office sat her father and Spencer Sherrod, her father-in-law. Roslyn was nowhere in sight, and for that Racheal was very grateful. Spencer Sherrod stood up as soon as the couple walked into the huge, lavishly designed office with flags standing before one side of the walls. He walked up to them, and the young couple bowed in greeting. "Welcome to the family." He said, giving Racheal a hug. "Thank you Mr President." She said."No. You can call me Spencer, or father-in-law. You just married Steffan after all." Spencer Sherrod said with a wide smile. Racheal looked at him warily, despite his sunny countenance, she instinctively felt he could not be trusted. This was a man that could be ruthless when he needed to be. Besides, she could not forget the attacks he launched on her country during the war. One could argue that it was a war and that her country fought back. But still, it took a certain kind of person to be willing to go to war in that manner. I
"No! I don't know where that came from." Racheal said immediately in horror. The guests began to whisper, and soon it became a full hall of murmuring and irritated hiss.Everyone was giving her dirty looks. "What is the meaning of this?" Steffan said, walking towards her. Racheal turned to look up at him. His eyes held a look of confusion. "I don't know where that cufflink came from, I did not take it.""Then how did it get in your purse?" Racheal heard a beautiful feminine voice say from the other side of the table. She turned to look. It was Thalia, she was looking at Racheal with sympathy."I am not a thief." Racheal said, defending herself. Thalia looked horrified. "I would never label you. I just asked a question." She said sweetly, looking like she may soon burst into tears. Steffan's mother Danna Sherrod shifted towards Thalia and rubbed her shoulders, consoling her.The woman had gone over several times during the dinner to check on Thalia and have small chats with her.
The bracelet sparkled against the light shining down from the ceiling. "It's beautiful." Racheal said in genuine awe. She could not remember the last time anyone had given her something this beautiful. Or any gifts at all."I'm glad you like it." He said. "Hold out your wrist."She did, stretching out her right hand. He placed the bracelet on her wrist and clasped it. It felt cold.She turned it this way and that in the light, admiring the delicate beauty of it."It suits you." He said. Racheal looked up at him. He was looking at her in the same strange way he had since they got in the elevator. And somehow the look made her heart race and skin hot.It was a different look from the one he had given her before the elevator. That kind, patient look that made her want to impress him.This look made her want to… She did not know what this look made her want to do!"It's a wedding gift." He finally said. "In our culture, a man is supposed to give his bride something valuable on their wed
"It's fine, Aunty. We did not take any offence at all." Thalia said, smiling kindly and patting Racheal on the shoulders. "No. She embarrassed us." Danna Sherrod said angrily. "Soon the whole country will learn that the country's First Son is married a common thief.""I did not steal ma'am." Racheal said politely. "Then how did it get in your purse of all places?" Danna Sherrod barked."I don't know." Racheal said honestly. She was beginning to feel trapped. Last night she wondered if someone could steal without their own knowledge. Like Skylar had observed yesterday. She had not even gone near the vice president the whole time. So how could she have stolen his cufflink?And what would she need a cufflink for, especially one that had the family initials on it. She could not sell it to anyone. It had to be someone trying to frame her. She suspected Thalia. As far as she knew, only she had enough motive to frame her, except she had other enemies. She broke into a sweat. Did she ha
The couple turned back to look at her."What is wrong with her look?" The president asked."She looks…" Danna Sherrod struggled for a word. "Inelegant, plain GAUDY." She shrieked. "She looks stunning to me." Skylar cut in. "More elegant than SOME PEOPLE with their extravagant makeup." She did not look at Thalia but everyone knew who she was talking about. Thalia had on layers of red lipstick, bright, bright highlighter and her cleavage was bare and bouncy.Steffan looked at Racheal who was close to tears now. She did not know why her mother-in-law hated her so much. She had not even made any effort to get to know her first. "Do you like your dress?" Steffan asked."Yes.""Good. Let's go." He turned to walk away with her."But I can change my outfit if your mother prefers." She said trying to keep up with his long legs."No." He said strongly. The force behind the one word silenced her.She quietly let him lead her, hand in hand to the convoy waiting outside. The security guards we
Racheal drank from a cup of tea. Thankfully it was sweet, the way she liked her tea. She might as well enjoy it, lunch was still far away. But as she finally finished her tea, she looked up to see the assistant return with a tray.He set it before them and Racheal gasped in shock. The tray contained toast and jam, a cup of cappuccino, yoghurt, nicely chopped fruits, scrambled eggs, two cupcakes and water."Here? The press conference will start in a few minutes." She could not help blurting out. "I will not watch you starve." He said. "I had them postpone the event for another hour. Eat!" He peeled open a finger of banana for her. "No unauthorized person will come here. This is a private waiting area."Racheal wanted to die of embarrassment. He must think her a glutton. And he said something about starving. If only he knew she had mastered the art. Her stepmother had starved her non-stop after all."Why are you smiling?" He asked Racheal shook her head. "Thank you." She replied i
After that it was commotion. The crowd went wild trying to defend Racheal. Some attempted to grab at the old woman after the guards handed her over to the cops who pulled her through the crowd.Racheal was partially blind from the sting of the chicken blood in her eye. Her dress was completely ruined and her hair and face felt sticky. Steffan guided her into the car, and she could feel his anger even without seeing him. They drove hard and fast back home. She heard Steffan rummaging through the fridge in the car. Then he leaned in close and she felt something cold on her face. “Don’t move.” He commanded and Racheal stayed still. She felt him gently wiping her eyelids and her brows. “I cannot do much.” She heard him say in frustration. She said nothing. With the brief wipe he did, she was able to open her eyes a few inches. But soon, the mess from her hair began streaming down her face again. She quickly shut her eyes close. As soon as their cars pulled in through the presid
Racheal went with the intelligence officer, while wondering why her father called so soon.It was not like he cared about her, or even missed her. Perhaps he was trying to put on an appearance for her in-laws, because she could not imagine him calling just to check up on her and ask how well she was settling in.She scoffed. “This way please.” The intelligence officer said, showing her around a bend. And then they were standing in front of a heavy glass door.Racheal gently pushed the door open and found herself standing in a huge hall with people seated at cubicles working on computers and whispering into their headphones. “Come ma'am.” The intelligence officer said and began walking ahead, down the hall. She finally stopped in front of a chair facing three men in suits who were staring intently at her.“Please take a seat.” One of the men said. Racheal sat down, all the while wondering if she was really going to sit and have a phone conversation in front of these people. The i