Walk Down The Aisle and Say 'I do'

When I opened my eyes, I was in a spacious room dominated by pastel peach and ash colors. The decorations and equipment were still the same as they were three years ago before I left. As well-maintained and spotless as I remembered. This was my room, though I had no idea how I ended up in it since the last thing I remembered was getting into the limousine that picked me up after disembarking from the private jet Alexander and I had taken from Boston to New York.

I got out of bed and walked to the glass door that connected my room to the balcony. The room was in the left wing of the mansion on the second floor. If you stepped out onto the balcony, you'd immediately see an artificial lake surrounded by trees whose leaves turned yellow in the fall. Back when I was ten years old and in my tomboy phase, I used to climb the trees and hide there whenever my ballet coach came over. And beyond the lake was the golf course where I used to play with Grandpa.

There were so many good memories in this mansion that sometimes made me wish I could be a child again where my parents were still alive and bathed me with their love. I took another deep breath of the cold autumn air while looking up at the darkening sky, then asked myself what demon had possessed me three years ago to foolishly abandon my perfect life for bullshit pride and useless pseudo-love.

Satisfied with my contemplation, I decided to walk out of the room, and down the hall where there were some very expensive pieces of art, be it statues, china jars, or paintings. Grandpa was very fond of art and collected a lot of rare and expensive artworks, making it a valuable investment while feeding his ego as an old money.

A woman in the black-and-white uniform of the mansion's servants greeted me, saying welcome before she told me that Grandpa was waiting for me at the dining table. Since not much had changed about the mansion, I declined the maid's offer to escort me. I thought he could do something more useful than heading me to a place I already knew where it was.

I was just wearing the white dress Alexander had bought me before leaving the hotel. I'm sure my hair was disheveled and my face was still puffy from just waking up. However, look at the people already seated at the dining table. They looked charming with neat clothes and on-point makeup. I looked like a hobo who had come to ask for their pity. Considering that they'd been living comfortably with plenty of money for the past three years, while I'd been a maid in my asshole ex-husband's house, of course, I was just a hobo in their eyes.

Even so, the old man sitting at the end of the table stood up and walked toward me with his arms outstretched. He then hugged me tightly while saying that he missed me a lot. Although this old man was a little annoying, I won't lie that I missed him a lot too. Not only did I miss his comforting hugs and jokes, but also the protection and luxury that he always brought me.

"I've invited everyone for your welcome," Grandpa said.

I just smiled in response. Then Grandpa led me to an empty chair right next to Alexander. A servant pulled the chair out for me so I had no choice but to sit there. Grandpa was still standing behind me, precisely between my chair and Alexander's. In front of me was a woman wearing a red dress as red as her lipstick with a low cleavage that looked a little provoking. She smiled at me, but I knew that the smile on her face was not sincere. I knew she hated me and I didn't like her at all.

I turned to Grandpa as I felt his hand touch my shoulder. He smiled briefly, then said, "I wanted to throw a big party to celebrate Chloe's return, but I knew she would refuse. Since childhood, she hasn't been very good at taking advantage of the luxuries provided for her."

I held Grandpa's hand on my shoulder as I shook my head and replied, "I really don't want to be welcomed at a big party, but that's because I don't like being the center of attention of many people. But, it looks like you'll have to get ready because from now on I'm going to completely deplete your treasury for extravagance."

"This future husband of yours," Grandpa patted Alexander on the shoulder, "really knows how to multiply money many times over. So, you are free to use it as much as you like. Isn't that right, Alexander?"

Alexander looked at me who was also looking at him. However, unlike me who was forcing a smile, he looked very happy when he said, "Of course, I can't wait for our wedding day because I like women who are good at spending."

I immediately looked away, not wanting to respond to Alexander's remarks which made me resentful to hear. I didn't want to get married again, whether it was to Alexander or another man. But, after all, I couldn't refuse the match arranged by Grandpa if I wanted to stay in the mansion and receive the inheritance from Grandpa. I wouldn't let outsiders enjoy the fruits of Grandpa's and my late father's labor.

Dinner went on with a lot of chatter about the past and some expressions from the people at the table about how much they missed me. And I knew that apart from Grandpa, those people's words were false. They were outsiders who had come to pursue my family's wealth alone, let alone the three people sitting on the side of the table in front of me.

"Speaking of marriage, I'd like you to have a wedding blessing ceremony before Alexander leaves for London to open a new branch there," Grandpa said, making me cough from choking on the water I'd just gulped down.

Alexander, who no doubt immediately agreed with Grandpa's decision, while the other three couldn't possibly disagree.

I cleared my throat briefly, then smiled awkwardly and asked, "And when is Alexander leaving for London?"

"Next week," Grandpa replied. "So, what if the blessing is in three days?"

"But, isn't that too much of a rush? After all, I've just gotten officially divorced, so there are a lot of things to take care of first."

I tried to come up with an excuse so that my marriage to Alexander could be postponed, it would even be better if it was canceled. 

"All you have to do is walk down the aisle and say 'I do', Little Princess," Alexander said.

Grandpa chuckled and nodded. "Listen to that, Chloe. That's the man who will be your husband, a man you can always count on."