4

She must have been the unluckiest girl in the world as she waited in the car outside the church. Wearing a vintage wedding dress that her mother worn on her own wedding with her father, she kept on wiping the tears from her face.

"Devon, stop crying! It's your day today! It's your wedding day. They will wonder what's gotten into you," her mother exclaimed and tried to wipe her tears with her tissue but she moved away from her.

"This is just the start of my suffering, mom. I wanted to stop this but you won't let me so please know you did it to your own daughter."

"You really are sometimes a pain in my head. I wanted to have a daughter but look what I had! Someone who can't understand. You cannot even make a small sacrifice for the family who raised you."

Melena went out of the car and asked for the make-up artist to retouch Devon's make-up.

She continued crying so her mother decided to extend the ceremony to calm her down. Another make-up artist went up to her.

"Just don't bother, please. I will not be stopped. Don't tell me to stop crying. It may be my last. I will walk that aisle to let everyone know that I will be married against my will. Other families will see me weep and will know that the Farrows family is the worst to even put their daughter to wed a man like Joffrey."

But to her surprise, the make-up artist removed a face prosthetics and Ariane smiled at her.

"Ariane! Y-You are alive!"

"Yes, Devon."

She hugged her and looked around to see if someone noticed them.

"But how? I thought papa ordered to kill you?"

"Shh! No one knows that I'm alive. I was able to escape to another family. The Ferrol's head saved me and now it's my turn to save a friend who has constantly save me from the past."

"But how? Everyone is here." She began crying again. "I don't want to marry, Joffrey. I wanted to die than marry him."

"I know. I know." Ariane held her hands and assured her. "That's why I'm here. I can't let you down this time. So this is what you have to do. You have to compose yourself from now and go outside. Let them think you're ready to accept him." She put a device in her hand. "Here. Take this. If you push this while you're inside the church, it will instantly trigger a bomb and I will help you get away if the commotion starts."

"W-What? A bomb? What about my family, Ariane? I hate them now but I can't go as far as wanting them to be dead."

"It will only be a small explosion to scare the people inside, enough to make them panic. Now calm down and let me fix your make-up. Trust me on this."

After a while, she went down to the delight of her family. Her mother hugged her and kissed her check while her father stood from afar seemingly angry about the delay.

The entourage started walking while she waited outside the big doors, her heart beating like a drum.

When the door opened and all the eyes focused on her, she had the urge to run away but when she looked at Ariane who nodded at her, she breathed hard and nodded as well.

The groom is on the altar looking like a predator ready to eat his prey. Joffrey's receding hairline and the crooked smile on his face makes it too hard for her to take the first walk but she remembered what Ariane said.

"Push the button the moment you started walking to start the countdown and then take as time as you want so that when you're in the middle of the church, the bomb will go off. That's when you have to run to the side of the church. I'll be waiting there to meet you."

"But Ariane, where are you taking me? To the Farrows too?"

"Let's not talk about that now, Devon. The most important thing for now is for you to execute our plan successfully. We may not have another chance if your father spoils this. Now go out and and do what I said."

She pushed the button that is hidden on her bridal bouquet. A faint sound echoed in her ears together with the mumblings in the air when some guests noticed her swollen face behind her white veil.

With trembling body, she started walking while breathing hard. When she reached halfway through the carpet, she expected some explosions but nothing happened. She looked at the direction where her friend has been. Ariane is not in the same position anymore. Panic began to set in her.

"Ariane... Where are you?"

A tear rolled off the side of her face. It had finally hit her. She is doomed to suffer for the rest of her life with Joffrey. And Ariane, maybe her father found out about her and maybe... he already killed her.

"Devon," her mother hissed when she is frozen at her tracks crying. "Devon, come here now sweetie."

"Devon," her father called authoritatively. "Don't make your groom wait for you."

She looked at her three brothers and asked for help in her pleading eyes but they just coaxed her to come forward to the groom.

Her sobs intensified so her mother had to go and fetch her. She held her so tightly in her arms and pulled her to the altar.

"Mom, I c-can't. Please, I can't do this. Let me go. Please let me go."

"Shut it out, Devon. You are embarrassing our family. Don't make a scene here. I thought we've agreed already."

"No... No." She shook her head and turned towards the seat where Ariane has been.

Please Ariane. Please... Save me. Anyone please save me.

"Devon, come on. The guests are wondering already. All the heads of the families are here. Don't embarrass your father in front of them! Come on now."

She didn't have a choice but to walk slowly with every step feeling like a step towards her grave.