Three Months To Disappear

Chapter Two

HAILEY

___

I stared at myself in front of the mirror with tears rolling down my cheeks, ruining my makeup.

I had just snapped out of my temporary memory loss, and I realized I was in a big mess.

Bexley was gone. And the marriage proposal she has been avoiding has suddenly become mine. And now, I'm her alternative. I'm trapped in this proposal.

I don't want a man who doesn't love me or will later break my heart as he did to Bexley.

Turning back is not an option right now.

There are hundreds of guards who have surrounded this building and they would capture me even before I take my fifth step.

Everything the bodyguards were saying earlier started making sense. The respect. The ‘Mrs Kingston.’

So they knew Bexley had been kidnapped?

I stared down at myself in the overflowing wedding dress again for the umpteenth time.

The door burst open and my father walked in. His smile was big as he moved closer to me. I quickly wiped off my tears.

My heart started pounding fast. What if he blamed me for being the reason for Bexley's kidnapped?

“Thank you for making me proud.” He muttered and I gave him a smile to conceal my fear.

Did this man even know his daughter is missing? I screamed in my head.

“I was worried you won't come back. I thought you were both traveling out of the country.” My father muttered, still keeping his smile.

I stared at him. How did he know Bexley was travelling out? I could remember how we sneaked out of the house last night without him knowing.

“Dad. I need an expla…”

“Let’s go. Your groom is waiting.”

That word hit me like a hammer. My groom. He offered his hand which I shakily took as we both proceeded to the main hall where the wedding would take place.

___

“Do you Hailey Redd take Thiago Kingston as your lawfully wedded husband. To have and to hold you from this day forward. For better or worse. In sickness and in health.”

The voice of the priest came again, for the third time. The whole hall was watching with wide eyes. For three minutes, I couldn't form a word.

The hall was as silent as a graveyard as people waited eagerly for my answer.

This was against my will. I never imagined it could be me standing here on the altar with this beast of a man. The annoying part, my father is on his feet with demanding eyes trying to cajole me to speak.

Camera flashes kept coming on my face as the media captured this historic moment.

But I knew what acceptance meant. It meant giving up my quiet life. It meant seeing this cold stone face each day as my husband.

My eyes reached Thiago beside me who stood, calm and composed. His gaze was locked onto mine.

He then started inching closer. The gap between us was slowly being filled up.

“Your response doesn't matter.” His cold voice came behind my ears.

He then caught my lips in a light kiss.

I tried to break the kiss but he held my hand tightly. He kept kissing while I didn't reciprocate.

Seconds later, my heart melted into the kiss uncontrollably and I found myself kissing back. The kiss gradually became intense. Our tongues sliding in and out of each other's mouths.

The audience was stunned. We kept kissing, oblivious of the people watching us.

The media did their job, capturing every inch of the kiss.

The kiss was becoming too intense when I snapped out of it. I quickly broke the kiss.

I pinched myself silently in disgrace and I kept my head low.

The priest took my reciprocation of the kiss as a yes and proceeded to the last part of the ceremony.

The exchange of rings.

I was given a ring but Thiago wasn't. I also found out that Thiago already had another ring on his ring finger.

I acted like I didn't see it while i slid the multi-million diamond ring into his finger. Now he has two rings in his ring finger.

Not like I care about who gave him. Not like I care about his rings in my finger.

No claps. No cheers. Nothing. Everything seems creepy and strange. Nobody was smiling as though they were forced to be here.

To crown it all, there's a woman in black in the front row. She has been staring at me like I owed her something.

“Is there anybody who doesn't want these two souls together. Signify now or hold your peace forever.”

The hall fell silent again.

I swallowed emptiness desperately expecting someone to signify.

One minute passed. Two minutes. Nobody.

My last hope fell as we were pronounced husband and wife.

It seems everyone was expecting the pronunciation section of the ceremony because as soon as we were pronounced a couple, people started dispersing.

Well, since everything has come to an end. It was normal they started leaving.

I looked back and I saw Thiago walking out with the two bodyguards behind him.

I bit my lips in shame. It's like I'm just bearing the wife title for the media and for everyone to see.

Then I saw her walking up to me. A woman old enough to be my mother.

I already pictured her face earlier from the audience because she stood out. She was the woman who wore black while everyone was wearing white.

A snicker formed on her lips as she moved closer to me.

Judging from her looks, she looks like the wicked type.

“Let's see if you'll survive past three months.”

She whispered past me and walked away.

TBC