The Rejected Bride

Things took a turn for the worse, something Larissa didn’t see happening.

She was seated on the front row of the pews. Her brother and mother tried to calm her down.

An hour passed and Liam wasn’t there.

Hushed gossip was starting to fly around.

Was Liam coming? Was he trying to humiliate her?

Larissa squeezed her gown in her hands just as her brother, Asher, stood up.

She turned at the sound of the door opening, hoping to see her soon-to-be husband but it wasn’t him.

It was Mauley. His nickname was gotten from the word, Maul which was given to him because of his huge stature.

He approached, carrying bad new. The entire church guessed it.

He was here without Liam. That was a bad sign already.

Asher met him halfway and Mauley whispered into Asher’s ears.

After that, Mauley turned around and left.

The church was silent. Everyone was waiting for the next shoe to drop. Larissa wished she could disappear.

She deserved better.

Asher returned to their seat with a fallen face.

“Liam has withdrawn his proposal. People are finding out what happened.”

Larissa was the only one in the dark. She looked from her mother to her eldest brother. “What truth?” Larissa asked.

“It’s none of your business,” her mum said dismissively.

“It is! If Liam is leaving me at the altar for it, then it is my business!” Larissa regretted being so loud as soon as she finished talking.

The silence was heavier in that instant. Immediately, loud murmurs followed.

Tears filled her eyes and her throat croaked. The priest was closing the Bible, people were getting up. It was all falling apart.

“Mum, please talk to me,” she begged her mum over and over again.

She could feel her perfect world-shattering around her. This was too humiliating for her and her insides burned from discomfort.

Whatever gave Liam the guts to leave her at the altar, she had to know.

It confused her that they were not going for

his head. How could he insult the Diaz family like that?

Larissa was heartbroken and mad.

“Your dad went against the code and unfortunately, he failed,” Larissa’s mum finally said after she couldn’t hide it anymore.

The word was going to spread like wildfire. It was why they pushed the wedding to this morning.

Their family had committed against the order which were the Tri Capr. Diego Diaz, Larissa’s father had tried to go against the other two bosses and he failed.

The Diaz family was going to get punished. They had also lost their right to the business's income, not to mention all of their savings that Diego had thrown onthis failed plan.

Their family had blood on their hands and a price to pay.

Liam was going to be their saviour but he had turned their back on them as soon as he knew there was nothing for him again.

The priest walked up to them. He was tired of being patient

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Diaz but it seems this wedding won’t happen again.”

“It will!” Larissa’s mum rose to her feet and began to dish orders to everyone.

She had to be strong for her daughter. The Diaz name couldn’t go down in the dirt.

“Asher, get to Liam. He should come here and say that to my face. Larissa clean your tears. This is not how this ends. And everyone go back to your bloody seats, this ceremony isn’t over until I say so.”

She was still powerful as long as the people in here didn’t know the truth yet.

She was going to act quickly and fix things here before it would be too late. Maybe she could trick Liam back into the marriage.

But how?

Diego left this family in her care. If he had failed on his path, Kate Diaz wasn’t going to fail too.

She turned to the Reverend Father. “And you, get back to the altar, we paid you for a wedding ceremony and you will do just that.”

“But there’s no groom in sight! Or should I marry your children to one another?” A stupid joke that Father Bernard thought he could utter. Did he not fear for his tongue?

He had the guts to talk back at Kate.

It only meant he already knew of the family’s predicament.

Mrs. Kate Diaz felt a punch in her gut. Her insides twisted as she stepped back, feeling powerless for the first time in a long time.

She too had failed.

“What if you marry us both instead?”

The voice came from the shadows, a tall dark figure stood from the rear end of the cathedral.

His face was hidden behind his hat and his height towered above everyone.

No one had to see him yet, his voice was commanding enough.

Calm like the river yet rough like a soldier who had conquered the harshness of waves and tides.

“And who are you?” Larissa’s mum asked him.

Larissa got up and squinted at the stranger.

She didn’t know him. He looked like someone who wasn't from here.

She tried harder and waited to hear his voice again.

“Miguel Sebastian of New York. Now, I am looking for a bride and you are looking for a groom so would you marry us, right now at your altar? Or should I get my bride from somewhere else?”

Larissa didn’t know him but her stomach fluttered, giving her away so easily.

He had guts and she loved it. Maybe he was her Prince Charming.

He had to be, for that was one hell of a dramatic entrance.