MARRIED TO DECEPTION

Chapter Six

Ava stood in front of Ethan, looking at him intently as he said “I do”. He sounded like someone in love, someone who wanted to be there. He could have had her fooled.

She noticed the look in his eyes, indicating it was time for her to lie, to sound convincing like he had.

Lifting her eyes to stare at him, hoping she looked like someone who was totally in love, she repeated the same lines as him, adding a little smile that she hoped would also seem convincing.

She could hear the crowd cheering now, wondering what it was the priest had said, when Ethan pulled her closer to him, tilting her head in a way that would make the audience think they were passionately kissing, he leaned to her ear, whispering some words.

She wasn't listening though, she was thinking of when it would soon be over and she could finally leave the intent gaze from the people around her.

None were her family members, though she had invited her friends and some colleagues.

When they were done with their little display, she looked to the side. Camilla was watching her with sadness in her eyes, and a look that said, ‘I am ready to run away with you whenever you are ready’.

It had happened so fast, she couldn't even remember making preparations for this wedding. She could remember visiting him again to plan a date, and the next thing she knew she was at the altar saying I do.

It had not happened on the same day. If she was being sincere, it took a few days from that meeting at the office before the wedding, but it didn't seem like that.

She could remember how Camilla had reacted when she had told her how her first meeting with him had gone, and had gotten more mad that she had agreed to still carry on with the wedding, despite knowing how he was.

It felt like yesterday. She smiled sadly to herself, realizing it had actually been yesterday.

The church service was soon over, and it was time to head to the hall, where the rest of the wedding ceremony would take place

Whispering to Ava not to disappear while acting like he gave her a peck on her cheek, Ethan went in search of Ruby.

She had said she wasn't going to come to the wedding, that she couldn't show up for something she wasn't in support of.

He had thought she had been joking, but he hadn't seen her during the church service.

Ruby sat at one corner of the reception, at a spot away from the rest of the crowd. She had left the church early, so her brother would think she had kept to her word. There was no way she could have missed his wedding though, even if she didn't like his wife, and had said she wouldn't come.

Her grandpa had made her come, threatened her, said everything he knew he could say so she wouldn't miss the wedding, had also warned her not to cause a scene like he had read her mind.

She remembered how she had felt when she saw her brother kiss Ava, he had said he didn't love her, that he couldn't love her, why then had he kissed her like his life depended on it. Even when he had taken his vows, she groaned loudly, looking around at once to make sure nobody had heard.

She knew Ethan couldn't act even if his life depended on it, except if he had taken acting classes prior to the wedding.

She hoped that was the case and not that. Somehow, Ava had made him love her within days.

Sometimes she wished Ethan wasn't her brother but friends, and somehow they would end up together as couples, she remembered when she had a crush on him when she was younger, but had tried everything she could to kill it, because deep inside her z she knew the feeling was wrong, she had succeeded though, but she still didn't like it when she saw him be overly friendly with other girls.

He was her best friend, and she was scared that he would stop giving her all the attention if he fell in love with someone, so she had tried her best to make sure he hadn't. She had hoped somehow that they would both remain single and keep being best friends, or she would get married, but he would stay single and keep doting on her, because she knew there was no way the Davenport family would be okay with the idea of her not getting married.

And now he had gotten married. Before her, who would she run to when she was feeling sad and down or just wanting attention.

She knew some things would change, he would be more busy, and if he had fallen for his wife, he would try splitting the love that had been all hers.

She thought she had enough to be angry about when she remembered that her brother had been planning to move, something about not living in the same house with the family now that he was married.

She felt the anger and hatred for Ava increase, and she was also angry at her grandpa. He had been the one to make the decision, he had also ignored the fact that Ethan wasn't in support of it.

She stood up from the position she was in, she needed to stop her mind from the destination it was headed. She knew if she continued in the way she was going, it would be hard for her to leave the thought.

Ruby looked round the hall, praising the designers in her head quietly. They had done a good job in making the breakers more breathtaking and uniquely perfect than it already was.

She had wondered for a while who would fill the space in the hall when they had first booked it, more like requested for it.

She had thought the wedding would be more of a secret and people wouldn't show up, but she had been wrong.

The Breakers belonged to one of her parents' friends, so he had been more than happy to let them use the hall, something about them being like children to them, but Ethan had insisted on paying the complete fee.

Ruby had seen enough of the hall and was done admiring the decoration and wanted to be outside. She headed to the door that led outside that promised a view that was sure to calm her nerves, keeping her head bent and using the shawl that was wrapped around her shoulder to make her face less visible. She was hoping not to bump into Ethan.

She had gotten some miles away from the hall, glad she hadn't seen Ethan, when she bumped into someone, almost losing her footing.