Chapter two
1432 Words
She woke up earlier than usual and took a quick glance at the clock. Today was her wedding day, and the thought excited her, making her feel both anxious and nervous at the same time.
Soon, she would be called Mrs. Theresa Liam, and the thought made her heart swell with joy. Her phone vibrated with messages, but she decided to check them later after the wedding.
She headed down to the bathroom, excited, but what she saw there sent a shiver down her spine.
**************
"We couldn't find Ms. Theresa in her room, so we ended up doing only Ms. Maya's makeup," the chief makeup artist said as she was about to leave.
"What did you say?" Danville repeated, trying to confirm what she had just heard.
Maya rushed down, saying, "Mom, I went to give Theresa her tiara, but I couldn't find her. I've asked the guards to search the whole compound, but she's nowhere to be found. Her phone is not reachable, and her device is switched off."
Danville sat down, speechless, her mind racing with worry. What if something bad had happened to Theresa, and they were unaware?
"Mom," Maya called out, holding a brown envelope in her hands. Simultaneously, the door swung open, and her dad entered.
The two stared at each other, waiting for Maya to speak, but she remained silent, staring at the brown paper in her hands.
Written on the paper were the words Theresa had left before the wedding. Maya brought it forward to her parents, who read it aloud.
Theresa confessed her love for another man and expressed her readiness to be with him forever. She urged Liam to find a woman who deserved his love and trust.
As Danville finished reading the letter, she couldn't hold back her sobs. Liam's parents walked in, asking about Theresa.
"She eloped with her new boyfriend. She found someone who loves her better," Danville said, tears streaming down her face, as she handed Liam's mother the letter she had tightly clenched in her hands.
"Thousands of people are waiting, billionaires and honored guests have come to grace this occasion. What are we going to do?" Liam's father asked, addressing no one in particular.
An awkward silence filled the room as nobody knew what to say. Maya's parents and Liam's parents stepped outside to have a discussion. Maya felt lost and decided to call her boyfriend, Junixe, to ask if he would still come to the wedding. He didn't answer, and Maya didn't insist, staring at her phone in disbelief.
The door suddenly swung open, and the silent room was taken aback as Divallie walked in. She was walking towards Maya, who didn't notice her as her gaze was still fixed on her phone.
"Maya!" Divallie called out as she picked a stool and sat on it. "Would you marry Liam?"
The question hit Maya like a dagger aimed directly at her chest. She stared at her mother and thought she must be hallucinating.
Divallie clearly knew she had a boyfriend and had even met him several times, so there was no point. What she heard wasn't real.
"Maya dear," her mother called to her as she touched her delicate arm. Maya had soft white skin and brown hair that cascaded below her back.
"Please marry Liam," her mother repeated, and this time Maya reacted sharply. She swung her mother's hand away and the latter's hand went back to her.
"Mom, how could you tell me to marry Liam? He is my sister's fiancé, not mine. Besides, you clearly know I have a boyfriend, even if Dad isn't aware," she said and turned her back against her mother while facing the window.
"Maya, you have to do this for us. You know we love you and cherish you a lot, but..." Divallie hadn't continued her statement when the door swung open forcefully, even though it was locked.
"Divallie, do something," he said as he fixed his gaze on his younger daughter who stood right in front of him.
"Maya, please marry Liam, save our reputation, and don't put us all to shame. We are all looking up to you. Please, Maya," her dad ended the sentence and she cried profusely, washing down the makeup that was once glued to her happy face.
Angelo's family was one of the top 5 billionaires in the city, and their reputation was held in very high esteem. Just one single mistake could tarnish and ruin it all.
"Maya!" her dad called her name solemnly. She absolutely loved and trusted her dad. He always wanted the best for both her and her sister.
But why? Why did Theresa have to run away from her own wedding, leaving her with no other option than to marry the man she had never dreamt of?
“Dress her up," her mom ordered a makeup artist as she came into the room with the shining wedding gown Maya had ever seen.
Yes, beauty can't be hidden. It was something that would be worn and keep eyes staring. Maya took a quick glance at it before wearing it. She, however, wished it was worn on her own wedding day.
Quickly, Maya put on the dress as the makeup artist did her face. She looked extremely beautiful like the stars of the movies. She was going to be married; she had no choice.
Her father was taking her down the aisle and different roses were poured on her before getting to the point where the groom himself was standing.
Her father kept smiling, but the bride herself wasn't. Thankfully, the veil was covering a wide portion of her face that hid her tears.
Maya stood in front of Liam as the priests began:
"You may hold the bride," the priest said and Liam stretched his hands cordially, and Maya slowly tucked in her hands.
"Do you accept her as your lawfully wedded wife, to love and to honor till love do you apart?"
"Yes, I do." That was Liam's response as he dropped a faint smile.
"Ms. Do you accept him to be your lawfully wedded husband in sickness, health, wealth till death do you apart?" There was a stern silence throughout the whole hall.
Neither Maya nor anybody said anything. Liam tapped her and she jolted back into reality: "Yes, I do," Maya responded as her voice croaked, which was barely audible.
"You may kiss the bride," the priest's voice rang in her ear and Liam unveiled Maya's veilband planted a feather-light kiss on her chin.
Her tears attempted to fall as she looked at the man who stood in front of her who is now her husband. He was handsome but not as handsome as her junior.
Junior was tall, light. He had broad shoulders, and he was… she was about to complete the thoughts in her head when Liam held her hand and they walked through the hallway.
That touch left electric shivers down her spine. She had a quick glance at the man who held her. He wasn't smiling a dime, probably he was also shocked that his girlfriend could leave him for another man.
"Maya!" Theresa's mother called out to her and she starred in the direction, Divalie took away her tiara and the veil, allowing the beauty of the gown to come into exposure.
"Go and dance," she looked at her mother with an emotionless expression. She should dance when she isn't even happy with the marriage. She should dance when the whole marriage is based on compromise, and she couldn't even marry her heartthrob.
"Theresa, I hate you," Maya muttered as a streak of tears carefully dropped down her left eye. She looked like someone that could burst at any moment.
Divalie got the signal and left Maya alone, Liam's chauffeur was already around as he drove them back home. Neither of them said a word as the driver kept driving.
Finally, the Mercedes halted, and they looked at the front of a beautiful house as Liam stepped down followed by Maya, who looked worked up already.
The maids bowed down at the sight of the youngest madam of the house, though she looked all worked up and her makeup seemed smashed and muddy, her beauty couldn't be hidden.
Maya had gotten into the room, without bothering to take a shower, she fell on the sofa and drifted off to sleep.
Maybe when she woke up, all that happened would turn out to be a dream. She never thought something so drastic would happen to her.
"What the f**k!”
- Writer
