The Secrets That Ruin Them

Chapter Two – Not a Happy Groom

What a mess the whole thing was, this was not something that he wanted, but what choice did he have. There he sat, at the front of the hall, an indifferent look on his face. He saw his family sitting in the front row, his grandmother was missing however. He had seen her get up, the moment that the time hit four o'clock and the bride had not yet arrived. He expected to see a woman in a white dress running towards him the moment the clock ticked over to the new hour, however, nobody had come. Everyone looked around confused and then his grandmother had gotten up.

He wondered, if he should take the chance and just leave, disregard the request of his grandfather and just throw it all away, not going through with the marriage. He was not a young man any more, but he was not old either. Yet they were so desperate to see him wed and start a family, that he was pushed into being up front today and waiting for some rich little b***h to stand before him, take his name and take his money.

That was what is always was, every time his grandfather proposed a marriage, it was because the bride was greedy and wanted money. He hated woman like that and would find any and every reason to create a bad image for the woman so then his family would not want anything to do with them any more. He was a man that could not be easily fooled or forced to do something. He did not have many friends, just two that were very close to him, a third who they spoke and saw every Friday night, but from there, he was a privet man who did not like the unexpected. He preferred a quiet and simple life, to work hard, make money, be alone and not have people bother him. He did not like messy things, he did not like people touching him or what was his.

Looking down he glanced at his left wrist which held his Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime, seeing that it was now twenty past four. The crowd were getting restless, whispers filling the grand hall, different suspicions about what happened to the bride. He was about to move, when a minute later a soft tune started to play in the hall. He saw his grandmother returning, a smile on her face.

“Nerves!” she said joyfully to all, then wave her hands in an upwards motion. “Come on, the music is playing, stand, stand everyone!”

They all did as ordered, listening to his grandmother, not messing with the older woman. The three hundred guests stood from their seats, all whispers silent as their eyes looked to the doors. It was only a moment after, in which they all saw the figure of a woman moving into the doorway. He glanced up, looking to the entrance of the hall. The dress was nice, A Pnina Tornai design, from the One collection. His own mother had picked it out, making sure to show off that this was still a marriage of wealth. Their family only knew the basic details of the woman and her sizes, but he could see that it seemed to be a perfect fit. Maybe a bit too perfect, he was not happy he was forced to do this, but the woman was going to be his now, his wife and he did not like the idea of other men looking at what was his.

The dress was single thin strapped at the shoulder, that widened out into a delicate floral lace frontage, slightly open down the middle with skin toned material hiding ones body. The top half of the dress where the floral lace sat was body hugging, showing her waist and reasonable sized bust. The bottom half of the dress, started at the hips, with some of the floral lace blending into it, with layers of chiffon flowing out to the floor in a lovely modified a-line style with a small train to the back of the dress. At the bottom of the dress, there was more flora lace attached, in different length, giving the look of a faded blended floral feel.

Seeing the wedding dress on the woman, he could see a number of guests look at her stunned, impressed, envious even. While this whole situation was not what he would want, he could easily say, that the woman was very stunning. She had creamy tanned skin that looked fresh and smooth, brown hair that was in a loose up style holding a lace braid on the left side, waves pulled into a loose bun at the rear and a delicate hair piece where the braid and bun met. She was not tall, the closer she got to the front, the easier it was to see she was around five foot three. She held her back straight, looking forward and not paying mind to the three hundred guests looking at her.

He did not know her, but he was glad she was not ugly. He would have been very angry if she was not even the slightest bit decent looking. Yet, the woman who was now standing before him, she was more then he had expected and he was grateful to his grandmother for finding such a woman. Though, he could imagine, the fact that money was involved, that the woman might be a beauty, but she may just have an ugly heart and that was what he hated the most.

Facing each other, side on to the guests, a minister ready to commence the ceremony, he was looking at her, he could see she had hazel eyes that had flakes of blue in them. They were glistening slightly, not from joy or happiness, but from what looked like tears. That did not sit well with him and saw as he kept watching her, he knew, she did not like him. He did not understand it, he was hansom and wealthy, all woman jumped at any chance to get near him, but she looked like she wanted to run away. He would not be surprised if she planned to marry, take the money and then run for the hills. If that was her purpose for doing this, if she was to make a fool out of him, he would not hold back, he would kill her.

He was Michal Goodford, a twenty eight year old CEO of the Goodford Enterprise, the first born son of one of the four oldest and richest families in their island country. Everyone knew him, everyone either wanted to be him, have him or kill him. He was untouchable, he was dangerous and even if he was bound to a wheelchair for the past three years and had a big long scar across his hansom face, he was still the most well known man of their country, the most sort out business partner, the most sort after bachelor.

He was about to get married.

But he was not a happy groom.