Dominic’s Wife

CHAPTER3

~Dominic

After she was escorted out of the mansion by one of my men, I finally allowed my legs to give out and landed on the sofa. My men hurried to me but I waved them off with a hand. I loosened my tie and allowed air to fill my lungs fully.

I was still recovering from my five years of unconsciousness and it had been a risk to go out and do what I did today. Yet, I knew that it was well-executed enough that Miss Foyer would have no choice to concede to my terms.

My lungs and muscles burned with exertion but the coolness of my satisfaction could quell all the heat.

I had no qualms about using the woman in this way. Despite everyone that had done things against she still chose to remain blind to reality. If my fool of a brother could play her so well, I guessed that I would have my way as well. The difference being that not only I would gain from the arrangements but she would as well.

I could say that she was attractive enough, even in her current state that with the right hands, she could even look beautiful. She would be a perfect arm candy, one that would get enough attention to rile Liam up.

I recalled a time in our childhood, when Liam had destroyed an action figure and had tossed it aside and as an innovative child, I repaired it and made it mine. When my brother had seen this, he had been filled with so much envy he had demanded it back. When I refused, not only did he go back to destroy my other toys but he threw a fit so bad he ended up getting a fever.

One would have believed that it was not an issue but that was when I saw a devastating flaw in his character.

We had always had a terse relationship from the beginning but it took a while to realise that he despised me. His actions as we grew proved that. If I so much as breathe near to anything he believed belonged to him, distressed him.

I recalled an incident during high school involving Amelia, a girl who Liam had publicly humiliated after she confessed her feelings for him. Yet, the moment it got out that she had gotten over him and was dating me, it became a problem. I ended up with a broken arm and a ruptured spleen.

Still that was not the main reason for this marriage. My marriage to Miss Foyer would bring forth more than just the satisfaction of annoying my step-brother. It would be the beginning of an empire. My phone rang and I picked it up.

"Grandpa?"

"Dom, I got a strange message from you this morning." His voice wavered with the confusion that he felt. "A wedding?"

"Yes, I am getting married tomorrow."

There was a drawn silence on the other line before he spoke again. "This is because of the condition I gave. I know that it's not your fault your step-brother squandered the company shares so I'll understand if you need some time and I'll give you time to find a nice lady to like. There is no need rushing into this."

"I have been inactive for five years of my life, I need to get back on track. Faster it is, the better. I know you would like it if I settled down and had some kids."

"Kids would be nice." I knew him well enough to know that mention of great grand kids would soften him.

"So, by eleven then?" I asked.

"I'll be there."

___________

~Danielle

It was late and I knew better than to bother her with my situation but I just could not muster enough restraint. I knocked on the door and in less than a minute, the door was opened.

Mellie stood there at the other side, when she recognized me her mouth curled into a pleasant smile. "Ellie, dear."

She was the only one who called me by the nickname and hearing her so happy to see me, I let the dam break and I began to weep. She took me into her arms and guided me inside. After she shut the door, she made me sit on her couch and left me. When she came back she had a glass of water with her.

"Here, drink this." When I was done downing the glass, she let me cuddle up to her and cry. She smelt and felt like home even though she was not a relative. My only relatives, I could not even call family. In more ways than one she was all I had. She was what I believed my mother would be like if she loved me enough to stay.

"Are you ready?" She asked me after half an hour had passed.

I nodded and she still let me cuddle up to her as I narrated all that had happened and when I was done, silence reigned. I waited, knowing that she was also pondering on everything I had told her.

"Ellie, are you ready to spend the rest of your life with someone?" She asked after a long while.

It was a loaded question especially to me who had just been betrayed by fiance. "I don't know." I answered truthfully.

"I'll ask another question. Do you want to have someone by your side? Someone who will protect you? Who will respect you."

I thought about Liam and about the times in the past when we had rough patches in our relationship. The times he put me down, the one time he had cheated, the times he had let his friend disrespect me. Back then it was all relative since my father had done far worse to me that I had not really read into Liam's actions. I had let him get away with everything he had done to wrong me. I wanted to believe that I had gotten a fair deal but after everything that happened, I realised only now that his actions reached their c****x, now I know that the man I loved was almost as bad as my father, if not worse.

Yet, I still craved all that I had been denied all my life. The protection, the respect and companionship.

"Love is a lot of things, dear. It is painful, it is compromise and it is sacrifice yet it is so rewarding because in the end you are never truly alone."

"Most of all love is not easy or quick. It takes its time and it can come from the most unexpected of places."

I understood what she was implying and I looked up to see her face. "Are you saying I can find love with this man? That man was not kind."

"Yet when the man you loved and wanted to marry betrayed you, he was the one that came to your rescue. It seems to me that he has gotten the first step."

"Which is?"

"He protected you."

I turned it over in my head and recalled the relief I felt when he had smiled at me and picked me up. Still I did not feel at ease, I was even more confused.

"I loved a man once and maybe I always will but he hurt me in ways that will forever stay with me." Her voice was solemn, her eyes distant as though staring into a far long memory.

Mellie never spoke about her family for as long as I had known her and had made it obvious she did not want to speak about them.

"When you live as long as I have in this world, you start to feel things. And I have a feeling that this marriage will lead to somewhere on expected but that might depend on how you approach it."

I still could not comprehend her words but for whatever reason, I felt more at ease just them my phone pinged.

When I checked, I realised that it was a message from an unknown number.

"This is Dominic Lancaster. My workers will be at your apartment by seven sharp to get you prepared before you will be transported to the church." The message read. Why was I not surprised that he had my contact?

I showed the message to Mellie who gave a small smile afterwards before she told me to go home and sleep.

_________________

We arrived at the church and the limousine door opened. A steward held out a hand for me to hold as I stepped out. The first person I was when I got out was Mellie. She was dressed in a simple blue dress and she had a loving smile on her lips.

The sight of her reduced my dread. She would walk me down the aisle today. She was the only one that deserved that right. She put out her arm and I hooked mine in. When she stood together, facing the church entrance, she whispered, "You are a beautiful bride, my dear."

My knees threatened to buckle under the weight of emotions but instead I took a step forward and Mellie walked with me. The door of the church was opened and we passed the threshold. I saw Mr Lancaster waiting for me at the altar, the rest of the small crowds turned their heads to look at me.

There were whispers and gasps but I tuned it out. Among the crowd of unfamiliar faces, I walked towards the one I knew.

I stood before him and he took my hands gently. I could not meet his eyes and I waited as the priest said the vows.

"I… do…" I managed to say just as the doors of the church slammed open. Through my veil, I made out the seething figure whose eyes had also found mine. My heart dropped into my shoes and my blood ran cold as I stared at my father.