Entrapped

Chapter 19.

The door of her room burst open with a loud sound that startled Tiara who was quietly sitting on her bed, making sure that her wedding gown would not get any caressed line as she waited for the ceremony to begin and to be called out.

“What the hell are you trying to pull at the last minute, Tiara?” Luca snapped at her as soon as he entered inside and saw her sitting gracefully with a calm demeanour after creating such chaos at the last minute.

“What did I do?” she asked, recovering from her startled state and processing his words. She could not understand why he had come to her room.

“You refused to walk down the aisle with your father and you still have the audacity to ask such a question? Do you think coming with such tantrums could save you from marriage now?” he questioned, irritation was clear in his voice.

Tiara heaved a loud sigh and rubbed her forehead slightly before opening her mouth as the hot-headed man in front of her was making a scene out of nothing and was blaming her for something she really did not intend to do.

Luca on the other hand was completely done with Tiara and the bullshit she was at. He knew from the start that she was not really planning to marry Xavier and was now pulling such tricks like a child to avoid the wedding that was to start shortly.

He was with Xavier and Noah getting ready and having a conversation like brothers. Xavier was happiest today as he informed both of his friends that his date with Tiara went great last night. Luca had never seen Xavier smile so genuinely that too for hours and he was really glad that after all these hurdles his friend was happily getting married to the woman he loved.

Noah, although still had his doubts about Tiara because her change of behaviour was something that did not fit quite well to him but Xavier still defended Tiara however, when a maid came knocking at their door the happiness in Xavier’s eyes seemed to fade away replaced by insecurity and a fear.

“Mr. Black.” She bowed down to him, “Miss Jenson has refused to walk down the aisle with her father.” The information that the maid had brought left Xavier in complete shock because he was not really expecting any troubles from her side considering the fact that it was her who wanted this marriage to commence today no matter what.

Xavier wanted to come and talk to her about it but restrained himself as it’s considered a bad omen to see the bride. He was not superstitious and did not believe in any of this but when it comes to Tiara, he wanted to be careful because luck recently got on his side and he did not want to invite any bad omen when their past was hideous enough.

“I am not throwing a fit. I just refused to walk down the aisle with him.” She said with a straight face while she looked at her hands.

“And why is that?” he furrowed his brows at her and then raised his left one in a questioning manner.

“that’s none of your business!” she hissed at him.

“Well, it is because it concerns Xavier and I have a right to know because he doesn’t hide anything from me anyway. I am his second trusted man and his close friend as well.”

“And I am the woman he is going to marry in a few minutes therefore, I am not to tell you anything!” she retaliated, being done with answering around and following everyone’s command. No one deserved to know anything anyway.

Luca was taken aback by her remark, he had known Tiara for a long time as he was the one who stalked her as per Xavier’s order. He knew she was a kind hearted girl and had never been witty but the girl that stood in front of him was not her. She was the same even by appearance wise but he could still notice some difference. She still had that innocent face but he could no longer feel that aura around her. She was gracious but her demeanour seemed rather powerful. Luca shook his head because he knew his thoughts were not making any sense.

“He is your father, Tiara!” he reminded her, he knew how hurt Dante looked when Xavier summoned him to come and meet them to know what had really happened. The old man looked defeated and vulnerable when he admitted that his only daughter had cut her ties with him, he was in despair being abandoned by the only family he had.

“How could you keep doing this to him? First, you claimed that your loved ones are dead to trap that man and then now this!” Luca shouted at her, losing his calm at the irrational woman who had been trying to cause nothing but trouble.

“What did you say?” she whispered with wide eyes and took her steps forwards, slowly decreasing the distance between them, her body shivered slightly at the said accusation, “I trapped him? I trapped him!” she raised her voice, her eyes burned with the fire of anger and she grabbed him by his collar.

She glared at him with the intensity that Luca could not have ever imagined her with, “I loved him! I loved Mason with all my heart!” she corrected him, seething with anger. None of these people deserved to even say his name, they had killed him for no reason and she would make sure that Xavier pays for it.

Luca scoffed at her and held her hand in a tight grip and freed himself in a swift move and pushed her figure away with little force, “love huh? You lied to him about who you really are, you kept that man in shadow and you still have the audacity to claim you loved him?” he taunted and clicked his tongue and shook his head right to left at her disapprovingly.

“I-I loved him.” It was hard to tell if she was trying to convince herself or him but one thing was sure that Luca’s word had managed to drown her in guilt and made her question herself.

“Well, if you really did love him like you are claiming, which by the way I did not believe you did but anyway,” he spoke in a boring tone while straightening his suit jacket which she had crumbled minutes ago and continued but this time with an obvious mockery, “well, then congratulation because you have not only betrayed Xavier but your late husband as well.”

“I guess it has become your specialty, breaking the trust of the men who love you.” His words were like a tight slap for her that knocked up some realization in her brain that had been busy cursing at Xavier lately.

She knew she had lied to Mason about everything. Everything she uttered in front of Mason about her background was nothing but made-up stories but despite all of that she had always been her true self around him that she had lost long ago but he had somehow managed to bring that out without even trying and she had loved him for that.

She had loved him for believing in her so blindly. She had loved him for the support he had given her without even knowing her. She knew he was oblivious of her background but yet he had managed to know her like no one before. He had made her laugh, had taught her that life was not something that you could plan but rather a bliss that came in spontaneously.

She was not sure why he had loved her though, there was nothing special about her. She was just an ordinary girl who was trying to follow the path that had been set for her but one glance at him made her forget all about herself and the moment he smiled that carefree smile at her she knew she was doomed.

“You staying silent is only proving me right.” Luca’s voice brought her back to reality and she looked at him with tearful eyes and smiled softly at him.

She chose to stay silent because his opinion about her did not matter. She was only obliged to defend her love against Mason because he was the only one who deserved to have her say something and clear out all the lies but since she could not do that, she chose to save it for the day when she would meet him in the afterlife.

Luca’s phone rang and he pulled it out from his pocket and giving a quick glance to Tiara he answered it.

“Yes, everything is fine.” He turned his back towards her, “she is still refusing to walk down the aisle with Dante.” He listened to what another person was saying and turned back to her.

“Xavier wants to talk to you.” He forwarded his phone which she took slowly and pressed it against her ear.

“Tiara, are you alright?” She heard his voice, he did not sound angry like she had assumed him to be after seeing Luca's outburst but rather found his voice laced with concern for her.

“I am, don’t worry.” She replied slowly and her gripe on the phone tightened as she felt a sudden feeling of guilt in her chest, “Xavier” he hummed from the other side and she slowly clutched her beating heart.

“I-I am not trying to deceive you.” She exclaimed, she hated that word so much and she did not want to be called one, “I really want to marry you.” A helpless sob escaped from her mouth, she was feeling down like she was the only person who had wronged everyone and she did not want to feel like this because it was very painful.

Xavier panicked as soon as heard her crying hysterically that too on their wedding day. He wanted her to be happy but could not think of a way to do that from afar apart from comforting her through phone.

“I know, Tiara.” he spoke up trying to help her calm down, “just don’t cry.”

“I-I am r-really not trying to escape, t-trust me.” She cried harder and fell on her knees, forgetting that it was the man she had sworn to ruin, that he was the same man she was opening her heart to and was trying to seek some comfort from.

Tiara despite her hatred for Xavier knew that he would always be there for her. He would understand her and protect her no matter what because she had seen the intensity of his love for her in his grey eyes. His love was so strong that it could compel him to forgive her even if she would kill him.

“Tiara, I trust you. I do, don’t cry, baby.” Xavier urged, her every sob pierced his heart causing pain to run down his spine, “if you don’t want to walk down the aisle with your father then you don’t have to, just pass the phone to Luca.” His voice was lingering with determination that granted her instant assurance that he would not make her do anything she did not want and handed back the phone to Luca as Xavier had asked but not before showing her gratitude which was honest this time, “thank you.”

“Yes Xavier?” Luca asked, pressing the phone near his ears while his eyes were fixed on her weeping figure.

“I want you to walk her down the aisle.” Xavier said after thinking for a minute because there was no one else who could do that.

Luca’s eyes widened, not believing what he had heard just now, “what? Why me?” he was startled by his sudden demand because there was no way he could replace Dante like that, “asked Noah, he will do that.” He suggested his alternative because he had no guts to say that only her father should do it because the way she had cried, Luca was sure that Xavier was whipped and would only think about her and not anybody else. he wouldn't care if he was doing wrong to Dante by snatching that right away from him.

“Noah is my best man and I don’t trust anyone else with Tiara like I trust you.” That was indeed true because even back in her high school days Xavier had given this task to watch over Tiara to Luca despite him being a playboy because he trusted Luca that he would not touch his woman.

“Fine, I will do it!” Luca agreed because that was the least he could do for Xavier’s wedding to go smoothly and with that being said he disconnected the call.

“Pull yourself together and fix your make up.” He told her and stretched his hand out for her which she took with hesitation and with a swift tug he pulled her up on her heels.

“And Xavier had asked me to walk you down the aisle to him.” She kept looking at him for a few seconds, trying to grasp the given information and then nodded at him.

She did not say anything after that and moved closer to mirror and began fixing her make up as best as she could while Luca plopped down on the nearby couch waiting to be called outside and almost after thirty minutes later, they were asked to come out,

He took his position behind the closed wooden door of the church with Tiara on his left side, feeling excited to do such an honourable gesture in his friend’s wedding. He was happy for Xavier because his friend was finally getting what he had always desired and that was Tiara as his.

“I am glad you chose to marry Xavier by putting your past aside.” He smiled at her Tiara and offered her his left arm to grab.

“There will be many people, right?” he nodded at her, it was Xavier’s wedding and it had to be grand.

She slipped her right arm around his left and clutched the bouquet tightly in her left hand and turned to look at Luca who had an unreadable expression and her next words made the ground under him disappear.

“wouldn’t it be humiliating for Xavier if her bride rejects him in front of all those important people?”