Loveless union
KAYLA BROOKS
13TH OF JULY, the day I never wanted to come, was finally upon me, unwelcome and uninvited.
The wedding bells tolling, taunting me like a mournful dirge. Even though I was draped in white, it still felt like I was awaiting my death. But am I wrong, marrying a man like him, is it not the same as getting stabbed in the gut?
There as no love. No even an ordinary acquaintance. I was literally strapped to him. Like a prisoner trapped in a web of obligation.
I wanted to escape. Fling a champagne bottle at the priest. Do anything at all to sabotage this dreadful wedding.
‘It's either you succumb to my will or strip my name off yours!’ father's statement rang in my ears for the millionth time since.
I sighed deeply.
It had become a haunting echo. In fact nothing felt right anymore.
The compliment, ‘You make a good and beautiful bride’ now felt like a mockery and a heartless reminder of my prison.
Who finds beauty in a loveless, forced union?.
I blinked a few times, not wanting to ruin the makeup I was wearing.
If I am going down j might as well go down looking sexy.
A faint smile escaped my lips.
“The bride is coming in now!” someone announced from the church, abruptly interrupting my euphoric moment.
‘Bastard’ I cursed. The way he called out those words like he was referring to something beautiful. I left my couch incline and found my way to the aisle. Everyone was staring, teeth open like the fooled sheeps they were.
“Be careful not to step on your gown and also not to let the ring fall while trying to slip it into your groom's finger.” my chief maid whispered to me from behind.
I’d never met her until two days ago when dad brought her to replace my best friend who texted about being out of town and unable to attend my wedding as my supposed chief maid.
“I'm not dumb." I muttered coldly.
She rolled her eyes at me.
I contemplated spanking her with the wedding bouquet but I knew it was merely a silent reflex. My tantrums had exhausted her. She had no more words of encouragement for me.
She knew now that no amount of words could quench the pain in me.
Being forced into a wedding to help my father's company from bankruptcy?.
Given no chance to further my career in fashion designing?
Having aborted dreams of the best and happiness-filled wedding?
Or being on the verge of living with a ruthless stranger forever?
The list went on and suddenly I found myself wondering which one hurt the most.
“You're pretty, Smile.” the chief maid spoke from gritted teeth.
I rolled my eyes this time.
‘I’m the one going through shit here. Stop transferring your aggression to me’
Applauses and cheers from the large crowd filled my ears I walked up to the altar.
Dignitaries were present, including the state governor and that's solely because of the influential status of my groom's family.
I took another step forward, increasing the tightness of my grip around my flower.
My veil obscured my view but I could still notice my groom standing near the altar in his white Armani suit which fitted him perfectly.
He scoffed right in my face. I gtit my teeth, wishing I could punch me.
“Kayla Brooke, do you agree to take Jonathan Rock as your lawfully wedded husband to be with him in both good and worse days till death pulls you apart?"
‘That is if he doesn't do it first’
“Kayla Brooke.” The priest recalled my name
I let out a half hazard “Yes”.
I sucked in a breath, taking one of the rings in the tall altar stool before proceeding to slip it into his fingers.
“Don't rip my finger off”
I froze. The scron shocked me. I dragged the ring out of my hand and wore it himself.
I was stunned and somewhat embarrassed because some of the audience had witnessed that action.
Like, what the hell!
I glared at him. He gloated at his achievement.
Last night while I wrote in my diary, I was convinced he didn't want this wedding but I guess I was wrong.
Jonathan, the handsome chiseled featured, hit red lipped bastard thought this was amusing.
‘Well, at least’ I sought for some words of consolation. ‘At least he's not a cripple but a rich heterosexual billionaire.’
“I do”
His words jolted me out of my thoughts and made me realize he had sealed the union too.
He slipped the ring into my finger and all the while, my brows didn't stop scrunching up.
His expression wasn't even an option to detect his true emotions.
“You may now kiss the bride" the priest's words instantly ruined my vow of giving my first kiss to the man I love.
With a smirk, Jonathan unveiled me and slowly lowered his lips to mine. My whole body instantly shuddered for reasons I couldn't tell.
I had no choice at that point.
‘Don't mess the wedding up’ Dad had strictly warned.
“Fuck whoever made up the idea of having a kiss at one's wedding" I cursed inwardly, forcing my damn eyes to close as I expected the feeling of his lips on mine.
However, it never came. Instead, he spoke.
“Stressing myself to stop the wedding is unnecessary and I really can't spend my precious time on something irrelevant."
My eyes flew open immediately.
What the hell did I just hear?
“You're worthless to me." he spoke again and before I could retort, he made our lips touch, disrupting the flow of negative emotions in me.
Well, my ability to curse wasn't disrupted, I did that without hesitation in my head.
‘You must be insane. What makes you think you're valuable too.’
I bit his lips, that was a bad idea. I agitated him and he wanted revenge. His hands circled my hips, pulling me closer. He forced his touch into my mouth.
I heard gasps. The intimacy was intense. My struggle completely swallowed by his strength. He ravaged me a little before his lips broke me free. I shoved him
“Bastard.” I glared, cursing dad at the same time for being the cause of all these.
He smiled dangerously, wiping his lips
“Try and brush you teeth more.”
He muttered again and this time, apart from the anger in me, I felt my tears on the brink of dripping.
Did I just vow to be with this man forever?
This monster!
My fists folded tight while the priest's words fell on my deaf ears.
And then, everything began swimming into my mind.
Every single detail.
Devastating memories of how it all began.