Chapter Two
1662 Words
LUCAS
My eyes wandered about the hall for a moment, with all the smiling faces watching my every move rather too closely.
Not until I heard them announce the bride did I fix my eyes on the golden door. Her face remained lowered to the floor as she walked in with her father, who was wearing a big smile on his own face.
I could sense the wariness in her as she walked and not until she got to the altar– standing right in front of me– did she wear a sad smile. It was not too obvious that it was sad, and I flashed her a smile I was sure didn't reach my eyes.
Too many eyes watched us too closely and one mistake would destroy everything for us.
I took both of her hands in mine as we both stood in front of the priest to bless our new beginning. A beginning I was sure neither of us wanted.
Our vows were said, all through she remained in front of me with averted eyes.
She said ‘I do’, still not looking me in the eyes, and I said mine as well. Cupping her face in my hand, I leaned forward and planted a gentle kiss on her lips.
She kissed me back, though I wondered why. Was she expecting more than a peck from me? Did she hope I would deepen the kiss?
If she wasn't slow witted, she would know that I could never marry a woman like her if it weren't for the circumstances and now, all I was doing was putting on a show to fool the crowd.
I could feel everyone's eyes on us as we kissed, their cheers engulfed my ears and the sound of their applause.
Everyone believed we were in love with each other as they watched us. A few murmurs about how wonderful we looked together caught my ears when I was there.
Standing there hand in hand with her, I managed a smile on my face as I stared back at the cheerful audience. A smile no one could ever believe was fake.
“This is so beautiful!” Dian said as she walked towards us with a broad smile on her face. Dian was Denise's mother. “Everyone can tell just by looking into your eyes how in love you two are with each other. It makes me want to tear up.” She wiped away an invisible tear from her eyes.
Denise's head fell, avoiding her mother's gaze. I couldn't tell whether it was embarrassment or anger that caused her cheeks to burn brightly with red.
I gave the woman one of my best fake smiles. “Thank you. We truly are in love with each other.” I said as I tightened my grip on Denise's hand.
The press swarmed us like bees on honey and flashes erupted in the hall. We were definitely going to be at the top of the trending news before the end of the day and the news would be one to last for quite some time.
Denise finally managed to raise her head up to please the hundreds of flickering camera lights and soon, she turned to face me with a bright smile, almost as bright as the sun. Almost.
It was hard to tell if it was a fake or a true smile from the way her eyes glimmered like two beautiful gem stone pieces.
I was only left wondering how a woman could fake such a smile but managed to hide the look of curiosity from my face, also to please the hundreds of ever still flickering camera lights.
A young man raced to the front of the cameras and fell on one knee. With a microphone held in one hand and a camera in the other, he questioned with watchful gazes. “Miss Castillo,” his voice called out, “how do you feel about getting married into the Benjamin family? Any thoughts on what your future together might be like? Any words to describe how you are feeling at the moment?”
His questions poured out like a free ocean.
Denise's smile broadened out of nervousness I supposed as she remained silent for a moment, probably thinking of an answer to the flood of questions.
The event of the day was yet to be over but we were already crowded by reporters, all wanting to be the one with the best details of the wedding if not the first as well.
Yet I wasn't surprised because I had expected this much to happen, after all, it was a marriage between two wealthy families.
Denise hugged closer to me with her head resting on my chest, the act had taken me by surprise but I managed to hide a reaction.
She stared into my eyes with the stars glistening in hers, a smile unbelievably real spread on her face before she looked back at the reporter.
“Happiness… even that word is not enough to tell you how I am feeling right now. I am literally over the moon as I am speaking to you,” she said with a slight chuckle.
“Is it weird that I am a little bit nervous? I love my husband very much, I can't help but think about our future together and I only hope I can be a good enough wife to my dearest husband. I know this when I say it… nothing else in this world can ever make me forget this moment and how happy I am.” She ended with a gentle smile.
Her words felt like they were the honest truth even though I knew they weren't. I would have been surprised– though I was a little taken aback by her acting skills– but I knew her reasons for trying to make it sound like we were truly in love with our selves.
With our families merging together as one, business will sky rocket and the company will be raised to the top. More investors than we could handle would come piling in at the doorstep of our company which was why it needed to look more real than ever.
I placed my hand around her waist and pulled her closer to me then planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. She hugged me with both of her arms and a light giggle left her mouth.
The flickers became more louder than before. It seemed to have been a beautiful pose for a picture.
Letting the kiss last a few seconds, I pulled away but not too far from her.
The reporter who had questioned her jotted down a few things and when he was done, looked away from his note and back up at me. “Mr Benjamin, any words from you about your glamorous wedding? The public are wondering if there is something special you have had planned out for your lovely wife and are wondering if you could share them with us.”
I smiled briefly, not as if a smile ever left my face except this was a longer smile. “If I told you about my special plans for my wife then it would no longer be a surprise for her. All I will say is, we will be sure to keep you posted about everything we do together and I will let you know how we plan to savor the moment.”
“Then will you be going for a honeymoon? A vacation or something?” Another reporter questioned.
My hand fell into the depth of my pocket. “I am afraid that is all I can tell you for now. Thank you.”
With a gentle nod, I signaled at the security team and they began hurrying the reporters away from our presence.
There was nothing I wanted more than to get the night over with but heaven knew we could have remained there till dawn answering all the questions from the reporters.
It was finally time for our first dance as a married couple.
Without wasting any more time, I pulled her to the dance floor and we began swaying to the music with our hands wrapped about each other.
I leaned in closer to her ear, “Who knew you could blow my mind like that?”
She looked confusedly up at me, “what do you mean by that?” Her smile never left her face as she asked.
The dance floor was now occupied by other couples who wanted to dance with the man and woman of the hour so I tuned down my voice a little to avoid being heard by others.
I leaned in even closer to her and spoke softly into her ears. “I was surprised by your words earlier, I didn't know you could act so well and I must give it to you because you managed to fool me into believing we were a real couple.”
A soft laugh left her mouth, the only honest one since the beginning of the day I was sure.
A few reporters managed to sneak their way back inside and we both fell silent as they took pictures of us dancing.
I pulled her in closer for the camera but pretended like I hadn't even seen it. As soon as the security team had them vanquished from the hall, she started to speak.
“I don't know why you would be impressed, after all, we are both trying to make it all look very real as if we are in love. This marriage is strictly for business purposes and I hope it is as clear as it is to me to you why we are doing this.” Her voice was a little stern as she spoke.
Her parents came and requested a dance with us and we switched partners.
“Let's get this over with already...”
- Writer
