Bound By Lies

Two~

CARMEN’S POV

Aaron and I arrived at the engagement venue right on time. While Aaron wanted us to mingle and say Hi to some of his friends who were present at the party, I prefer we find somewhere and snuck in. Aaron reluctantly agreed to this, but I know it's just for the moment.

Interlocking my fingers with Aaron’s and resting my head on his strong shoulders, I admired the exquisite decorations, giving the Ronald home a magical aura.

Indeed the Ronalds mansion was magnificent. It was a big house decorated with white roses and gold embellishments that reminded me of fairy tale weddings. Even the chandelier was adorned with silky white and blue ribbons.

I caught a glance of the groom to be already. He was standing with a group of young and handsome men whom I guess were his friends.

The sweet melody from the violin made everyone look so alive as they all sat up with wide smiles. A few people swayed their heads to the smooth flow of the spectacular cadence, the rich sound uplifting their moods. It made me so excited: it gave me butterflies in my belly.

“ Good evening ladies and gentlemen,” Mr Ronald, Trish's father, said with joy lacing through his voice.

Everyone looked towards the little stage that was beautifully decorated with balloons and had a nice-looking cushion there which I assumed was meant for Trish and Carl.

“ Thank you all for honoring our invitation on such short notice, we appreciate every one of you.

As you all know, we are here to witness and celebrate this amazing union between Trish and Carl, permit me to invite the latest lovebirds in town to come and share a little part of their love story with us,” Mr. Ronald added as he welcomed his daughter and her fiancée to the stage.

Everyone applauded and looked back when the doors to the hall where the party was taking place opened. I couldn’t help but admire Trish's dress in awe.

She was wearing a sky-blue dress and it was a gorgeous, otherworldly spectacle.

It was made with lace and silk, hugging her small build. The deep V line on the dress almost reached her belly button, and I loved the extra details, like the sparkles that caught every eye. Her designer outdid herself.

Trish smiled as she took slow steps toward her old man.

“Barbara is killing it in that dress,” Aaron whispered beside me as he caught a glimpse of Barbara, standing a bit far from Trish.

I rolled my eyes in annoyance and said, “That’s my cousin, Aaron,”

“Sorry, I was only compl…

“ Shhh,” a mature lady who was seated behind us cut him off.

“ Sorry,” I apologized to her but she ignored me.

We sat in silence for the next few minutes. Carl joined Trish on the stage and her dad beamed at everyone, walking back to the seat at the table which was reserved for him and his family.

Trish fixed the wireless microphone on her dress and started addressing the guest. Carl didn’t even look at his fiancée’s face for once, not even a glance.

“ That’s cold,” I whispered to Aaron.

What?” He asked, barely paying attention.

“ Carl didn’t spare Trish a look,”

“ Well that’s because he’s going to be seeing more of her,” Aaron replied.

I was not convinced, “ Have you noticed how still he is?” I whispered again, staring at Carl who hadn’t smiled since He joined Trish on the stage.

“ He is probably nervous, I would be if I were in his shoes. In a few days, he will be tying his soul to one woman.” Aaron said and I tried not to be bothered by his last comments. We’ve only been together for eight months, and I don’t know if I should be offended by his words.

“ Is anything wrong with that?”I asked, raising my eyebrows at him.

“ No, of course not,” Aaron said and sealed his words with a thin smile.

I studied his expression for a while before returning my gaze to the stage.

The party was going on smoothly and it was time for Carl to take over the speech from Trish. Aaron was already bored and kept himself busy with his phone. I found it disrespectful but I guessed this wasn’t his type of scene.

Trish looked pretty and her skin looked smooth and shiny from here. She said sweet things about Carl with so much joy but he kept on looking at her with a blank expression. He looked like he wanted this engagement party to be over as soon as possible.

Is this an arranged marriage or what? I brushed my thoughts away and focused on the couples.

When it was Carl's turn to address his guest and say sweet things about his fiancée just like Trish did a few minutes ago, silence consumed him.

I nudged Aaron and pointed at the couples with my chin, “ He is tongue-tied.” I whispered.

“ Now this is getting more interesting,” Aaron says up straight and puts his phone away.

“ Thank you for inviting me to this engagement,” Aaron added and paid rapt attention to the couples.

Trish seemed to be scared; she called his name but he looked void like nothing mattered to him.

I wondered how Carl’s stoic expression managed to make him look like a model, posing for a photo.

I mentally slapped myself for having such a thought in my head.

Trish smiled at the guest like she wanted to tell us everything was okay, no need to panic.

She tried to surpass the fear surging through her as she got closer to Carl. Her hands shook, gripping one of his hands. She appeared so tiny to him as she stared at his face.

I watched with keen interest as she spoke to him softly but with clenched teeth.

A lady stood up and walked to the stage. I assumed she was Carl's mom from the resemblance. She whispered a few things to him and returned to her seat with a nervous grin.

Trish was trying to get her fiancée to say something but his expression said he’d rather be anywhere than here.

After a whole lot of panicking, Carl finally spoke,

“ I’m sorry, Trish. I can’t do this.” Carl said aloud, making everyone go quiet.

“ What are you talking about?” Trish asked with a frightened voice.

“ I don’t want to hurt you, but we can’t go on with this wedding.”

Everyone gasped. I didn’t though, but laughter overwhelmed Aaron.

“ You find this funny?”I asked Aaron, giving him an incredulous look.

“ Yes, it’s like a comedy show. I should have brought some popcorn.” Aaron added he did not sound as if the lady in question was my sister's best friend.

I shook my head at his lack of empathy and stared at the couple.

“ Why?” Trish asked, already crying.

“ Why?! What did I do, Carl?” She screamed.

“ You didn’t do anything. I’m sorry… I just can’t.” He stepped back, freeing his hand from her soft grip.

The guest started murmuring again, but this time around, it was louder.

“ Carl, what are you doing?” The beautiful lady I assumed was his mother shouted from her seat.

The girl beside her looking sixteen, tried to calm her down.

“ I’m in love with someone else, and we have been seeing each other for six months now,” Carl admitted.

Another gasp was heard from the crowd.

Trish crumbled on the marble floor and Barbara my cousin, rushed to help her up but she wouldn’t let her.

I was quite amazed that Amy knew Trish but never said a word about it.

“ While you were dating my daughter?” Trish's mom stood up with tears in her eyes, she looked so fragile.

Her husband held her back when she tried to approach the young couple. I wished he’d let her go, so she could slap the devil out of Carl for ruining her daughter's life.

“ I’m sorry, but I can’t leave her. Not when she’s carrying my baby.” Carl dropped another bombshell.

The whole guest was in an uproar after Carl’s confession.

Trish was crying her eyes out, smudging her mascara and eyeliner. She could have taken precautions and used waterproof makeup instead. I mean, I wasn’t implying that something like this always happened but one was bound to cry a bit on such occasions. I felt so sorry for her.

“ Wow,” I mumbled, staring at the asshole, who still looked relaxed like he hadn’t caused havoc in front of everyone. But, at least, he was confessing, right?

“ Who is she? What does she have that I don’t have?” Trish screamed, hitting his long legs with the flower that was meant to beautify where she and Carl would sit.

Carl appeared emotionless as he watched her cry- as if he never wanted to get married in the first place.

“ She is everything I ever wanted, and she is here.” Carl smiled immediately after finishing his sentence.

He must love her.

There was a sudden silence in the building. A silence that could detect the slightest sound. Trish stopped and looked at the whole guest, everyone started looking around, even me, I was curious. I mean, how could his lover attend his engagement? Did both of them plan this?

My cousin, Barbara seemed confused as she stared at Trish, not sure of how to help her.

“ Stand up, you slut!” Trish yelled.

“ show your ugly and shameless face! How dare you show up at my engagement?”

To be honest, Trish looked crazy. But who wouldn’t lose their sanity after hearing that from a man they were about to tie the knot with?

“ Where is she?!” Trish screamed at his face again.

Carl looked at the crowd and everyone followed the movement of his eyes, I did the same too.

Is his lover here? Who can it be?

He left the stage and took steady steps down the hall. The silence in the hall made his footsteps loud. All eyes were on his every move like he was a magnet.

“ She is really here,” Aaron said close to my ear, almost freaking me out.

Carl kept walking to the back and I was starting to think he wanted to run away. Or, was his lover, one of these grannies behind us?

Our eyes met and he didn’t look away. There was this weird chill I felt when our eyes collided. I couldn’t explain it, and it scared me. I quickly turned my gaze away from him before people thought I was the one.

“ He's coming here and he’s looking at you,” Aaron whsipered and my eyes whipped toward Carl.

“ What is he doing?”I turned to Aaron but he was giving me a weird look as if he was trying to figure out who I was.

I opened my mouth to say something but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to say as I tried to fathom what was happening.

I hope Aaron was not suspecting anything about me being the groom's pregnant lover. How was that even possible, I barely know this guy in person. I looked behind to check for any person behind me besides the two grandmas who were already staring at me with disgust.

I returned my gaze to Carl, and he was already standing next to me with a charming smile, I wanted to scratch off his handsome face. It couldn’t possibly be me.

“ Hi my love,” He said with his hand extended towards me.

“ What the hell?!”