All Chapters of Behind Their Veneers: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

▬▬▬▬▬●●▬▬▬▬▬ It was finally the day of the wedding and everyone couldn't be busier than ever. Emerald stood at the threshold of the glass door connecting the kitchen to their huge backyard slash garden, which happened to be the venue for the nuptials to take place. As earlier stated, the couple wanted a simple and small wedding with only close family members and friends present and thankfully, they had been wise enough to not put Maggie in charge of invitations this time. Emerald stood, dressed casually in a brown sleeveless top and a pair of fitted knee-length denim shorts, occasionally marking away at the crammed checklist beaming vibrantly on the clipboard in her hands while adjusting her spectacles on intervals. From where he stood with Maggie, arranging the wooden and intricately decorated chairs around the long and large table, Jordan couldn't help but let his gaze linger frequently on Emerald

▬▬▬▬▬●●▬▬▬▬▬   “The amazing Keelan Mason Mars has arrived!” the familiar voice of the seemingly unyielding pest – aka Jordan Kale's best friend – resonated round the eerily silent and gloomy office.    Like always, the thick black curtains that shielded the floor to ceiling windows in his office, were drawn together to keep every ray of sunlight from entering, as well as to prevent any of the thick and heavy atmosphere of the room to seep out through the glass and affect the hustle and bustle of the busy streets of the great Manhattan below.   “Oh my goodness! Why is it so stuffy and freezing in here?” The slam of the door coupled with his unnecessarily exorbitant voice were the only sounds perceived in the otherwise, mum room.   As expected, the lone figure in the dark corner of the room paid no heed to his best friend's presence; not even a slight movement was made by him where he sat still in

▬▬▬▬▬●●▬▬▬▬▬ “Pa? Are you feeling any better now?” Oriana asked her father, who laid awake on the hospital bed. “Any aches or pains anywhere? I could always go get the doctor,” she pushed, watching as her mother replaced the lid back on the rim of the water bottle before adjusting his pillows so he could sit comfortably. “Ana bear, calm down.” Peter, her father chuckled, “I assure you, I'm perfectly fine. I have no idea why your mother panicked and deemed it necessary to call you all the way down here,” her mother shot him a glare at his words. “What do you mean by that? She's our daughter, she has every right to know.” Doris, her mother frowned with her arms crossed. Oriana rolled her eyes and sat back in her chair, settling herself for the drama that was sure to spring up between her parents. “Not what I meant, darling. I was just trying to say that it was just a mild accident. No need to over–exaggerate and make it seem like it was a severe issue,”

▬▬▬▬▬●●▬▬▬▬▬   Sitting in an almost trance–like state, Emerald stared unblinkingly at the light purple card she held so dearly in her hands. Her gaze shifted to the purple coloured flowers lying vibrantly on her office desk as her delicate fingers brushed softly against the intricate designs on the wonderfully scented card.   Thinking back to the numerous amount of cards which laid haphazardly in the drawer of her nightstand, a beautiful smile graced her face. Today marked the fifteenth day Jordan had been sending her flowers, cards and really delectable meals and she had to admit that it had now become a norm for her to the point where her heart never failed to thud with anticipation at the start of each day as she always timed the arrival of the deliveries.   Letting her eyes come to focus on the view of the flowers, Emerald allowed the surprise and awe she truly felt to show on her face. Since the first day where Jord

“Auntie, I really love your hair.”   From amidst all the little voices that surrounded her, vying for her attention, Emerald could make out the petite voice of a little girl. Before she could turn around to see and thank the owner of the little voice, she stopped short when she felt a light, feather-like touch on her hair.   With a suppressed grin on her face, Emerald decided to pay no attention to the soft fingers coursing stealthily through her strands as she continued to chat animatedly with the energetic kids around her, trying all her best to give them all equal and undivided attention, albeit that task was proving to be a tad difficult.   Few minutes and a earful of Disney princesses talks and Marvel characters rants later, the hesitant fingers of the little girl had turned more intrepid as she literally ran her hands through Emerald's golden locks and all Emerald could do was mentally thank Oriana for the half up