Chapter Fourteen — Emerald Weds Brian

Emerald

I walked down the aisle with my dad's hand firmly wrapped around mine. My knees felt weak and wobbly with each stride I took toward my soon-to-be husband, who I could already see from afar with a neutral look on his face.

"I'm so sorry about this, Emerald. I hope one day you'll come to understand and forgive me," dad spoke, squeezing my hand softly. I wanted nothing more than to push his hand away from mine, but I would rather not create a scene, so I managed to remain calm even though I was burning on the inside.

I had the strong urge to cry because everything just felt so unreal, and I felt so suffocated, but I knew that this wasn't the time or the place for me to let out my emotions the way I wanted to. I could feel the numerous eyes and me, and I didn't want to cause any more trouble that would complicate things even further for me.

Soon we got to the altar, and I noticed that the expression on Brian's face was a little distant. It didn't come to me as a surprise because I knew he also wasn't happy to be marrying me, but I still have no idea why he's choosing to go along with it.

"Today, we're gathered here to witness the blessed union of two people who are about to be joined in holy matrimony," the priest started and my breath hitched.

It's happening. It's really happening. I was about to marry a man that I didn't love or care for and in the process, lose everything I'd worked for all these years. How cruel can life be? Why does this have to be happening to me?

All these things clouded my mind and I felt myself getting teary all of a sudden. I knew I couldn't afford to cry now, but it was getting harder and harder to resist the tears, and the thought of breaking down on the spot scared the living daylights out of me.

My chest got even heavier and my breath quickened when the priest placed my hand on the Bible and began to recite the vows.

"Do you, Emerald Dawson, take Brian Huxley, to be my lawfully wedded husband, your best friend and companion, to love and to cherish him, in sickness and in good health, in the good times and in the bad, to love and support him unconditionally for as long as we both shall live?"

I froze for a bit when I heard the vows, and my eyes got teary all over again. Saying I do would mean I'd be lying in a church and in front of God, and I hated that. I didn't love Brian, I didn't want to spend the rest of my life with him, I don't wish to be with him in good times much less the bad, and he's the farthest thing from being my companion.

"Emerald," Brian nudged me slightly, snapping me out of my thoughts, and I realized that I had no other choice but to say those words that meant nothing.

"I do," I breathed out shakily, as a teardrop rolled down my cheek.

I struggled to keep the rest of my tears back by biting on my lower lips as hard as I could.

"Do you Brian Huxley, take Emerald Dawson, to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love and to cherish, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, from this day forward until death do you part?" the priest asked Brian directly.

"I do," he answered almost immediately, and I couldn't help but wonder how he seemed to be fine with everything when I felt like my entire life was getting buried at the moment.

The priest goes ahead to ask the congregation if there was any objection to the wedding and for a split second, I wished that somebody would just get up and claim to be pregnant for Brian so that this marriage would be over even before it started, but of course, such wishes don't come true.

"I now pronounce you man and wife," the priest announced when no one objected to our marriage, and another tear rolled down my cheek. "You may kiss the bride," he added, and I almost let out a gasp when it dawned on me that Brian and I would have to kiss.

This part of the ceremony had completely slipped my mind and now, I had no idea what to do or how to even react without looking too stiff.

To my utmost surprise, Brian pulled me closer to him and in a swift movement, his lips were on mine.

The kiss was gentle and delicate, and anyone would definitely be fooled by how passionate he seemed. I had expected the kiss to only last briefly but to my surprise, he didn't pull away immediately and his next action took me by surprise.

Both his thumbs gently went on my face, my cheeks precisely, and it wasn't until a few seconds later that I realized that he was subtly wiping away my tears.

The fact that he was being so gentle with me and didn't seem to be upset that I was tearing up made my heart feel some type of way and currently, I don't even know how to feel.

He finally pulled away from the kiss and when I tried looking into his eyes, he avoided my gaze, almost like he was embarrassed and for a split second, I found his reaction cute.

"May your union be blessed in the name of the father, the son and the Holy Spirit," the priest blessed us and the congregation went into an uproar as everybody cheered happily.

I looked at my parents and unsurprisingly, they seemed to be the happiest out of everyone else in the hall, including myself. I felt slightly embarrassed by how excited they looked because anyone would think they were happy about their daughter getting married, but I knew that the only reason they were happy was because I was finally a member of the Huxley family, making them the family's new in-laws.

I looked over at my new in-laws and the look on Reina's face said it all, she was displeased, and I appreciated that she didn't bother faking a smile or trying to seem like she was happy that I married her son.

As for Brian's father, who I've surprisingly never spoken to, he had a more natural look of excitement on his face, and I couldn't help but wonder how and why he seemed so happy even when he knew that the marriage between Brian and me wasn't real.

As soon as the crowd seemed a little less excited, Brian took my hand in his and pulled me out of the hall and I didn't even bother to ask where it was we were going because I didn't want anything else than to be out of this place and away from the numerous eyes that kept piercing into my skull.

We arrived in front of a waiting car and when Brian pulled the door open for me, I didn't think twice before getting in. I expected him to get in as well, but when he didn't, I was confused.

"Aren't you getting in?" I asked.

He opened his mouth to say something and then shut it before getting in. The first thing he did was signal the driver to leave, which the driver complied with immediately, and I nervously wondered what it was he wanted to say that he even had to excuse the driver.

"Is there a problem?" I asked nervously.

"I can tell you're feeling rather emotional right now, Emerald, and since I would rather not feel suffocated sharing a car with someone who looks like she wants me to disappear, I'll give you a moment to get yourself together and snap out of it. But mind you, you only have ten minutes to cry. Nothing more, nothing less," he responded, handing me the box of tissues behind him and without giving me a chance to reply, he got out of the car.

I was speechless at first but after a while, I got over my surprise and in just split seconds, the tears that I had been fighting to hold back came rushing and at that moment, I no longer had any control of my emotions.

****

After a long drive, we arrived at Brian's home, which was now going to be my home as well.

I stepped out of the car tiredly and waited for Brian to step out as well, which he did a second later.

"Brian," I called out his name calmly and when he turned to look at me, I could have sworn that I saw a glimpse of worry in his eyes, but it disappeared just as quickly as it appeared.

"Yes," he answered.

"Thank you for today. For everything, including what you did during the wedding," I told him and I meant it.

I didn't expect that he would be the closest thing I would get to a knight in shining armor on such a tiring day, and even if he and I weren't close or anything like that, I still appreciated his kindness.

"Hmm," he responded uncomfortably.

"Go in and get some rest," he added, and even though I didn't understand why he looked uncomfortable, I didn't bother asking because I was too tired.

I managed to drag myself inside to wait for Brian to show me to my room, but as soon as I walked further into the house, I spotted an unfamiliar woman standing prettily at the end of the stairway and I immediately knew she wasn't a servant.

"Hello there!" she chirped excitedly as soon as she spotted, and I'm taken aback by how cheerful she sounded.

"H…hello," I managed to mutter. "Who are you?" I asked.

"Oh, forgive my rudeness, Miss. I'm Marlene, and you must be Emerald. Seeing how you're here, that means Brian is back, am I right?" she asked, and I'm even more confused.

How did this strange lady know who I was, and what business does she have here by this time of the evening? I wondered to myself.

"May I ask…," I was about to ask her why she was here, but I'm interrupted when she excitedly called out Brian's name, who had shown up behind me.

"Look who finally showed up. I've been waiting for you for hours," she said, as Brian walked closer to us.

"Emerald," he called out my name and for some reason, I thought he was about to explain to me who she was, but I was wrong.

"I'll get Nancy to escort you to your room. Have a goodnight," he bluntly informed me with a cold look on his face, and before I could say anything, he started climbing upstairs with the Marlene girl, who suddenly wrapped her arms around his. And seeing how he didn't seem fazed by how close she was to him, I could only assume that she meant something to him, and I doubt it was friendship.