Fated to Wed (English)

Chapter Thirteen

The wedding day is supposed to be one of the happiest moments in a woman’s life. But not for me.

I could feel the weight of every step as I walked down the aisle, my heart sinking deeper with each one. The gown felt suffocating, like it was wrapping me in chains instead of silk. My eyes found Theo at the altar, and for a second, I dared to meet his gaze. It was cold. Unfeeling. I quickly looked away. I didn't want to see him. I couldn't.

As I walked, I noticed the envious stares from the guests. They must have thought I was lucky, marrying someone like Theo Fontalva, the heir to a fortune. They probably thought I was happy. How wrong they were. If only they knew how hollow I felt inside. I glanced toward Linda, my cousin, sitting in the front row. She was the only one who could see the truth behind my forced smile.

The ceremony felt like a blur. Words from the priest floated in and out of my head, lost in the whirlwind of emotions I was struggling to suppress. It wasn’t until the priest announced us as husband and wife and instructed Theo to kiss me that I was dragged back into the present.

Theo leaned in, his lips brushing my ear. I held my breath, expecting the formality to end quickly. But then, he whispered in a low, icy voice, “You make me sick.”

It felt like someone had driven a knife through my heart. The tears that welled up weren’t from joy, as I’m sure the guests thought. They streamed down my cheeks, full of pain and heartbreak. My body trembled, not from excitement, but from the unbearable sadness crushing me. I caught Linda’s worried eyes.

“Are you okay?” she mouthed.

I nodded weakly and gave her a thumbs up, even though everything inside me was falling apart.

The reception ended hours ago, and I was still alone in the bridal suite, waiting for Theo to come back. Time ticked by, and each passing minute only deepened the ache in my chest. I should’ve known better than to expect anything different. It wasn’t like this marriage was born out of love.

I finally had enough. My heart raced with anger and frustration as I stood up. Where could he be? I left the room and started asking around. It wasn’t long before someone pointed me in the direction of a bar nearby. Of course, a bar. I should’ve expected this from him.

When I got there, the sight that greeted me made my stomach twist. There was Theo, sitting at the bar, his lips locked with some girl. My heart ached, but not with surprise. I walked forward, intending to confront him, but before I could, someone grabbed me from behind and kissed me.

I fought back, pushing the stranger away with all my strength, and slapped him across the face. The sound echoed, catching Theo’s attention. I glanced over at him, hoping to see some remorse, but his eyes were filled with anger. He glared at me, then slowly got up and stumbled toward me, clearly drunk.

He grabbed my arm, pulling me roughly out of the bar. We didn’t say a word to each other until we reached the room.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” I finally asked, unable to contain my frustration.

Theo laughed bitterly. “What’s wrong with me? You’re the reason all of this is happening!” he shouted. “Because of you, Liana left me! She said she doesn’t want to be anyone’s mistress.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. “Liana? The cheater? She doesn’t want to be a mistress?” I scoffed, shaking my head.

Theo’s expression darkened, and in that moment, I thought he was going to hit me. His hand twitched, but I stood my ground. “You want to slap me, Theo? Do it,” I challenged, stepping closer. “But just know that if you do, I will punch you right back. Remember that punch? I know you haven’t forgotten it.”

He hesitated, the memory clearly flashing through his drunken mind. Instead, he collapsed onto the bed with a heavy sigh, muttering, “I hate you, Delilah.”

I started to walk away, ready to leave him there, but his voice cut through the silence again, this time dripping with venom. “Maybe you liked it,” he sneered.

“Liked what?” I turned, confused.

“That kiss from the stranger,” Theo spat out. “You must’ve enjoyed it. Isn’t that what flirts like you do?”

His words hit me like a punch in the gut, taking the air out of my lungs. My hands trembled at my sides as I stared at him, struggling to process what he had just said. Did he really think that of me? Was that how little he thought of me, that I would enjoy being forced into something like that?

I wanted to scream at him, but instead, I just whispered, “You really think that about me, don’t you?”

Theo didn’t reply. He just turned his back to me, his silence speaking louder than any words.

“Delilah!” Theo’s voice yanked me out of the painful flashback.

“What?” I blinked, realizing I had zoned out.

“You’re bleeding,” he said, pointing to my hand.

I looked down and saw that I had cut myself while chopping vegetables. Blood dripped onto the counter, and I hadn’t even noticed.

Theo was already beside me, taking my hand and pulling it under the sink to wash off the blood. He worked silently, bandaging my wound.

As he wrapped the bandage, I noticed the small smile tugging at the corners of my lips. I hadn’t even realized I was smiling.

“What’s so funny?” he asked, his tone softer than usual.

I shook my head. “Nothing… It’s just that after everything we’ve been through, you still care.”

Theo didn’t say anything, but for a moment, his hands lingered on mine, and in that silence, I held on to that fleeting warmth.