Chapter 5

SELENA

"We are gathered here today to join Aiden Frazier and Selena Crawford in holy matrimony," the priest finally spoke after he did the sign of the cross in the air. 

It was happening, I thought to myself. I thought about different escape plans while I was been brought here but seeing how tight the security were I knew there was no way out of here because I didn't know the exact place Aiden had kept my mother and sister. 

There was security at every corner of the house, even while I was being brought to the church, three cars had escorted me and in the car two security personnel had sat in the car with me. 

I had tried to gather some information from the maids who had come to dress me up and do my make up about the whereabouts of my mother and sister but none of them seemed to be interested in talking rather they were hell bent on getting me ready as soon as possible, to avoid the wrath of their boss.

They had even encouraged me to eat but I refused.

"Please ma, we don't want our boss to fire us," one of the maids had begged me to eat kneeling down and ready to even lie flat on the floor as the two other maids joined her by kneeling down as well. 

I was forced to eat the food and drink enough water as well because I didn't want them to get punished by my actions. 

What had baffled me was how fitted the wedding gown was on my body, it was like they knew my exact measurements all along.

I had resulted to pinch myself at interval to see if I was dreaming or hallucinating but I only ended up hurting myself and realizing it was reality.

"Do you take this woman to be your wife, to live together in holy matrimony, to love her, to honor her, to comfort her and to keep her in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?" The priest asked staring at Aiden.

"I do," Aiden responded immediately, there was no reluctance in his voice, like he wanted to get this whole thing over with. The more he stared into my eyes the more I wanted to curse at him for making me do this against my will.

"Do you take this man to be your husband, to live together in holy matrimony, to love him, to honor him, to comfort him and to keep him in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?," The priest asked me this time looking at me but I was still looking at Aiden with gritted teeth to even notice that it was my turn to speak.

Irrespective of the fact that the man that stood before me was tall, handsome and so sexy, I found it difficult to look at him for so long without secretly lusting for his touch again, my thoughts annoyed me so much that I imagined myself slapping him right across the face.

"Ma'am," I heard Max mutter to me as I stared at him then at Aiden who was motioning me to respond to the priest.

It wasn't that I didn't hear the priest but I never imagined in my wildest dreams that this was how my wedding was going to turn out, without my consent or my family and to a complete stranger that I knew absolutely nothing about. 

"I...I..d..do," I stuttered not wanting to see the wrath his maid were talking about earlier, even though I tried to act not afraid of him, I really didn't know him and what he was capable of doing to me if I refused him.

I knew behind his smudge face, he was nothing but a self centered and a heartless man.

I had barely finished talking when I felt Aiden reach out to take my left hand in his. 

I took a step backward not knowing what he was up to but only got a smirk from Aiden as he reached out for my left hand again and pulled it to his eye level.

"Here boss," Max said bringing out a ring from his pocket and offering Aiden with a bow as it dawned on me what was about to happen next.

I suddenly felt like a heavy weight was being placed over my chest as my heart started to race faster, I stared at Aiden who was now looking at me with a smile on his face.

He seemed unbothered by how repulsive I was looking at him and I noticed that no matter what I said or do he seemed less concerned and hell bent on doing as he pleased.

Aiden placed the ring to the tip of my fourth finger waiting for the priest to continue the vows.

"Repeat after me," the priest said. "I, your name, give you this ring as a token and a pledge of our constant faith and abiding love."

"I, Aiden Frazier, give you this ring as a token of my love and a pledge of our constant faith and abiding love," Aiden repeated staring right into my eyes as he slowly placed the ring into my finger. 

I stared right at him nervously as my mouth quivered at his cold hands holding mine and placing the ring into my finger.

He brought my hand to his lips as he placed a kiss on the ring, it felt like he had always wanted to do that.

I stared at his warm lips on my hand as he let go slowly, my eyes trailed his hand and my eyes slowly widened in shock when I caught sight of the ring in my finger. I stared at Aiden, then at Max and then back at the ring in her finger. 

Who was this man?

How did he know about this ring?

For as long as I could remember I had always wanted a costume made wedding ring from Sapphire Stone , they were well know for making costume jewelries for celebrities. 

I had gone as far as to even sketch out the design I wanted, and here it was right in my fourth finger, staring me right in the face. 

I was sure my shock expression did not go unnoticed by Aiden, who seemed to be expecting to see just that. Did he really find out about this ring or was it a coincidence? I thought.

He couldn't have gone through the trouble for someone like me, it definitely had to be a coincidence.

"Ma'am," Max said handing me the ring as he bowed his head to me, I wasn't comfortable with how he and the other bodyguards were always bowing their heads to me, it felt like they were compelled to do it because the last I checked they wanted to kill me.

I collected it with trembling hands as I stared at Aiden, I rolled my eyes at him and reached for his big left hand as I raised it up placing the ring at the tip of his fourth finger.

"I give you this ring as a token of my love and pledge of our constant faith and abiding love," the priest repeated.

"I give you this ring as a token of my love and pledge of our constant faith and abiding love," I said in a low voice as I placed the ring into his fourth finger. 

"You may kiss the bride," the priest announced. 

What? I exclaimed in my head, of course the groom was to kiss the bride, but was he really going to kiss me?

He leaned in slowly lowering his head to my level as he planted an innocent kiss on my lips. 

I had not anticipated the kiss but neither was my brain willing to reject the kiss. 

It was my first kiss and this bastard had just taken it away from me just like that without allowing me to process the whole scenario.

I had been saving my first kiss for my crush in school.

"You are mine now," Aiden muttered on my lips as he planted another kiss on my forehead this time.