Chapter 28: Chapter 28
“You look lovely, Olive.” Sana cooed looking at her best friend in a wedding gown. She had never thought the day would come so soon when she would be getting married. She was just twenty one, and she hardly showed interest in someone. She even refused the blind dates Sana wanted to set for her. She was always so busy and now, she was getting married.
As fake as the marriage was, she could not help but feel emotional seeing her in that dress. Sana knew that only she was aware of the fact that it was a contract marriage and she had not told anyone about the secret. God knew, how much she wished it was a real wedding and real happiness for her lovely and innocent friend, but she could not control her life. It was her life and she had every right to decide for herself.
“Thank you, Sana.” Olivia smiled gratefully, “Sana, I am nervous. What if I make a blunder? What if everybody comes to know that this is all fake? My mom would not be able to take the humiliation.” She could feel the corners of her eyes mist. She was so worried. She had a big argument with Thomas after he dropped her to her apartment. She was so angry that he did not talk to his grandpa about the wedding. They both did not want such a lavish wedding, but he was silent throughout the dinner. He did not resist his grandpa’s wish at all. She could tell he was also scared of him. Otherwise, why would he be silent?
Thomas just told her that they had to go with the wish. They had no choice.
And so there she was, dressed in her wedding gown sitting inside a room in Thomas’s house since the wedding was taking place there. It was also one of the wishes of his grandfather. It was given as their house was not less than a mansion.
All the guests were outside where the ceremony would start any second. The grandpa had hired a famous wedding planner and true to his words, had invited almost every influential person in the wedding.
“Don’t overthink, silly. Nobody would know anything. Just go and have fun. You should enjoy the wedding while it lasts.” She winked making her chuckle.
She looked at her reflection in the mirror. The makeup artist sure knew how to do her job. She looked elegant just like how she liked it. Her hair was tied in a messy bun while the strands of her hair were let loose and touching her cheeks. She wore small earrings with sapphire stone and a necklace with the same design. It was the first time in years that she had not worn the earrings gifted by her mom. It was on the stylists’ profuse request because she thought they were not suitable for the wedding.
“It’s time to go.” The wedding planner came and informed making her heart skip a few beats in a row.
Sana made her stand up while she took a few deep breaths. Her mom entered the room with tears in her eyes. She was going to walk her down the aisle. She also felt her eyes wet. She could not believe she was going to be away from her mom for a while.
Thomas had already provided her with a nurse who would look after Amelia 24/7. But she was still concerned. It was not like she was not going to visit her, but she had never been away from her. And now, she was going to be away for a year.
“You look like a princess. You father would have been so happy to see you in this gown.” Amelia said wiping her tears. Olivia could not control her own tears. She hugged her mom and started weeping.
She had been crying herself to sleep ever since the date of the wedding was confirmed. James Walker called her mother and her home to decide on the wedding date just in a traditional way. He was not keen to meet her mom as he was still against the idea that his grandson was marrying a lower class girl, but thankfully, he did not say anything to offend her mom. Otherwise, she did not think she would have borne it. She could take any blow, but she could not take a single bad word about or to her mom.
So she had been drowning in her own misery. She had been crying every night before the sleep consumed her. She was scared. She was worried that her mom would feel lonely. But she had to drink the bitter drink if she wanted Amelia’s wellbeing.
“Hush! Don’t cry, my lovely princess. It is your happy day.” Her mom gently wiped her tears not to ruin her beautiful makeup. She looked so beautiful that she could not help but pray for all the evil eyes to be away from her.
She took her hand in hers and left the room while Sana went ahead with a flower basket in her hands, but not before giving her a look full of assurance. She smiled and mouthed ‘love you’. Having a supportive and sincere friend was rare, and she had that.
The gentle music was playing as they finally reached the back garden which was decorated beautifully. She had selected lavender and white theme for her wedding as the wedding planner wanted her consent. Since Lavender was her favorite color and flower, she gave her consent in favor of that color. From every scene of the wedding preparations, Thomas was out of sight. She was informed that he was so occupied with the office matters, but she doubted that. It was because of the fight-like-argument they had the other night because of the wedding issue.
She did not care. It was not like he was going to be her real husband. It was all for the show. She participated in everything because that was what James Walker had directed. Maybe, he was not as cold as he liked to show the world.
She could hardly look back at the curious looks the audience was giving her. All of them looked so powerful as they stood up to welcome the bride. Sana, her bridesmaid and the maid of honor, was throwing flower patels before them and the mother-daughter duo was walking behind. She had a soft smile on her face despite being nervous to no end. She was even worrying about tripping in front of them in her silver stilettos. But thank God, she reached the arch without falling on her face.
It was a beautifully arranged outdoor wedding set. Everything seemed so surreal as she looked at the person who she was going to tie the knot. She was in a daze as he stepped forward and took her hand from her mom’s hand.
He looked breathtakingly handsome. The black suit and his slicked back hair was making her feel strange things.
And Thomas? He did not know how he could perform while all he wanted was to keep looking at the angel that just walked before his eyes. The moment she was out of the door and walking towards him, he felt like he stopped breathing for a moment.
He was seeing her after a whole week. He did not help in any wedding related thing. He had an argument with James again telling him they did not want a big wedding, but he refused on his face. And there she was blaming everything on him.
He was used to being the center-of-attention and attraction, but she was not giving any of them to him. Instead, for every bad thing that happed, she did not hesitate before putting it all on him. She was tasting his patience again and again, but he could not do anything. If he said something, she would back off and leave him be on his own.
And he had made a promise to himself to help her mom’s surgery. She treated him with so much care and love that he could not help but see his mom in her. It was weird, but that was how it was. He could not let her die. He had to help them. He was never that emotional before.
“You look amazing.” He whispered while staring at her eyes. There was something about the way he was looking at her and the way he complimented her which made her cheeks flush and heart race.
She did not say anything as the officiant started wedding formally and narrated some verses from the Bible. He was still holding her hands and looking at her with unreadable emotions in his eyes. He cued for the couple to say their vows. She saw Thomas take a deep breath while not breaking the eyecontact even for a second.
"In the name of God, I, Thomas Walker, take you, Olivia Anderson, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until parted by death. This is my solemn vow."
Thomas said his vow first as directed by the officiant. Olivia felt like everything was so real. She was in a trance as she said her own vows.
"In the name of God, I, Olivia Anderson, take you, Thomas Walker, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until parted by death. This is my solemn vow."
Everything was for the world. Every word they uttered was for show to make it seem like they were actually a couple who was having their big day in front of everyone.
But why did it feel so real? Why did it feel so personal? Olivia’s heart picked up pace and her hands got a bit cold and they trembled as she kept staring at Thomas.
Thomas squeezed her hands in an assuring manner. She could just stare as the nerves got the better of her.