Escaping The Past (Agreste Series #1)

PROLOGUE

In the heart of the city, the old church stood as a testament to timeless beauty and reverence. Its ancient stone walls, adorned with ivy and delicate stained glass windows, echoed with whispers of countless ceremonies past. Today, the sacred space hummed with an air of anticipation and grandeur.

Inside, the pews were lined with the elite: powerful politicians, celebrated artists, and magnates whose wealth was matched only by their influence. Though the crowd was carefully curated, there was a palpable energy, a hum that was neither too quiet nor overwhelming. Cameras flashed intermittently as media personnel captured the event, eager to document the union of two celebrities whose love story had captivated the world.

As the murmurs of the attendees began to settle, the soft, melodic notes of a piano drifted through the air. The song was familiar, a cherished anthem for moments like these. The melody of "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls began to play, its haunting lyrics filling the hallowed space.

"And I'd give up forever to touch you 'cause I know that you feel me somehow..."

With the first notes of the song, the ceremony commenced. The groom stood at the altar, eyes fixed on the entrance. The guests turned in unison, anticipation brimming in their eyes. The heavy wooden doors at the back of the church creaked open, revealing the bride.

She stepped forward, resplendent in a gown that shimmered like a cascade of moonlight. Her veil trailed behind her, a delicate whisper against the stone floor. Her beauty was undeniable, a vision that seemed almost ethereal against the ancient backdrop. But as she moved down the aisle, the brilliance of her smile faltered. Beneath the veil, her eyes betrayed a deep, unspoken sorrow.

"And I don't want the world to see me 'cause I don't think that they'd understand..."

Each step she took was measured, each glance carefully controlled. The congregation watched, enraptured by the spectacle, yet oblivious to the subtle undercurrent of sadness in her gaze. The piano continued its soulful serenade, weaving the song's poignant lyrics with the gravity of the moment.

"When everything's made to be broken I just want you to know who I am..."

As she neared the altar, the groom reached out, face a mixture of joy and concern. The ceremony was about to begin, a celebration of love under the watchful eyes of the world. Yet, for the bride, it was a moment suspended in bittersweet reverie, her heart weighed down by the silent truths hidden behind her radiant facade.

As the bride reached the midpoint of the aisle, the music began to fade, the final notes of "Iris" lingering in the air before surrendering to silence. She paused, her gaze drifting over the sea of faces, searching for someone amidst the throng of onlookers. Her heart raced, eyes darting from one familiar face to another, seeking the one whose presence she yearned for in this pivotal moment.

The groom stepped forward, closing the remaining distance between them. Noticing the bride's searching eyes, the groom gently took her hand, the grip firm yet tender. The bride's eyes, filled with a mix of hope and uncertainty, met the groom's steady gaze.

"The one you want to see," the groom whispered, voice soft and filled with reassurance, "is right here, in front of you."

Their eyes locked, and for a moment, the world around them seemed to fade. The guests, the church, the grandeur—all dissolved into the background. In the groom's eyes, she saw a reflection of unwavering love and dedication. The weight of her earlier sadness began to lift, replaced by a dawning realization.

When the bride realized something after hearing the voice of the groom, "You've always been here," she whispered back, her voice barely audible but resonating with a new clarity. The sadness in her eyes was replaced by a mix of emotions, with surprise being the most prominent. Her expression shifted to one of astonished joy, as if she could hardly believe it.

The groom nodded, a small, understanding smile playing on the lips. "Always."

As they stood there, hand in hand, the congregation held its breath, sensing the gravity of the moment. The bride's earlier sadness began to transform, her smile becoming genuine, the spark of true happiness returning to her eyes. She realized that the one she had been searching for, the one who had been by her side through everything, was the very person standing before her, ready to share a lifetime together.

With renewed confidence, she took a deep breath, feeling the strength of the groom's love envelop her. The ceremony was about to begin, not just as a union of two public figures, but as a genuine bond between two souls who had found solace and strength in each other.

As they turned to face the altar, the silence in the church was replaced by a gentle murmur of approval from the guests. The ceremony proceeded, a testament to their journey and the love that had brought them to this sacred moment.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the sight of God and in the presence of these witnesses to join together Natalia Caelestis La Reionell Rivas and Raziel Himer Leong Agreste in holy matrimony." The priest's solemn words echoed through the ornate chapel, filled with the hushed anticipation of guests and the unrelenting scrutiny of the media.

Natalia's breath caught in her throat as she heard her name. She turned to glance at her groom, whose sudden gulp betrayed nervousness. A flicker of concern passed between them, unnoticed amidst the formality of the ceremony unfolding around them.

As the ceremony progressed, Natalia found herself consumed by a torrent of thoughts. The weight of this momentous decision pressed upon her, standing beside her groom at the altar, each word uttered by the priest drawing her closer to a future fraught with uncertainties. Happiness called, yet fear, like a persistent shadow, cast doubt upon her resolve.

"Natalia and Raziel, you have chosen each other out of all the world, to love and to cherish from this day forward. Before we proceed, if anyone present knows of any reason why these two should not be joined in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace." After hearing those words, unconsciously, Natalia and her groom glanced back for a moment.

Her heart clenched as she spotted someone familiar in the crowd. It was someone who made her realize that chaos could erupt at any moment. The groom sensed her unease and gently grasped her hand. Natalia could only gulp, seeing the man's nod from afar, before returning her attention to the ceremony, her thoughts and emotions in turmoil.

"Do you come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage? Will you love and honor each other as husband and wife for the rest of your lives?" The priest's voice cut through Natalia's tumultuous thoughts, demanding a response.

"We will," Natalia replied, her voice betraying a trace of anxiousness. She sensed the priest's slight surprise at her singular affirmation, a fleeting moment of discord in the otherwise meticulously orchestrated event. Yet, bound by duty in the presence of the media and the expectations of the assembled guests, the priest continued without pause.

With each passing moment of the ceremony, Natalia's heart pounded louder in her chest. Uncertainty gnawed at her, a relentless adversary amidst the grandeur of the occasion. She felt as though the world was closing in, her desire to halt the proceedings growing with each passing second. Essentially, she just wanted to be swallowed by the floor at that moment.

"Natalia, do you take Raziel to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish until death do you part?"

"I-I do," Natalia said, her voice trembling with fear as she looked at the groom with sorrow in her eyes, a war raging inside her.

"Raziel, do you take Natalia to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish until death do you part?" The priest's words hung in the air, making everything stop and everyone fall silent.

Seconds passed. Everyone inside the church, along with those watching the wedding, waited for the groom's answer, making Natalia's heart pound even more. She realized that any moment now, everything could be doomed. Her dreams, her reputation, and her image could all be shattered if this moment were to be messed up.

"Raziel, I'll ask you once again, do you take Natalia to be yo—" the priest started again, but the groom interrupted.

"I'm not Raziel, but if I could, I would, Father," the groom replied, leaving everyone shocked.

At that moment, Natalia could no longer contain her emotions and fainted, causing everyone to panic. Her ‘groom’ wanted to assist her but was paralyzed by the shock of the situation. As the crowd erupted into chaos, medics rushed to Natalia's side, attending to her with urgency. Meanwhile, the groom was forcibly dragged out of the church by Raziel's mother, their departure adding to the growing intensity of the scene.

"What the f**k are you doing, Zariel! Where's Raziel? Where's your goddamn brother?!" Zahara screamed in rage at Zariel. "Answer me, Zariel! Where-is-your-goddamn-brother?!" They are arguing now with no one around.

"He's gone, Mom! He's gone!" Zariel shouted back, voice tinged with desperation.

"Oh god! You guys are unbelievable! What the f**k did I do to both of you to end up being a disappointment?!" Zahara continued her rage, disappointment evident in her eyes.

After that moment, Zariel and Zahara couldn't speak anymore due to conflicting emotions and the gravity of the situation. "I'm sorry, Mom," was all Zariel managed to say, clearly struggling with what had transpired. "Please, let's just respect Raziel's decision-"

"No, Zariel! You've brought shame to this family, and now Natalia is in the hospital because of both of you!" Zahara angrily interjected words adding to the sorrow etched on Zariel's face. "I will never forget this. From now on, as long as Raziel is missing, you will remain confined to Casa! Do we understand each other?"

"But, Mom! You can't do this to me! Natalia is important to me! I at least need to go see her!" Zariel pleaded.

"I know Natalia is important to you, I know you're friends with Natalia, but in everyone's eyes, because of what you and your brother did, you should no longer exist," Zahara declared firmly, words crushing Zariel's heart. "I need to show everyone that I don't know you, that no one knows about you, that you're just someone pretending to be Raziel, and that something bad happened to Raziel, so our reputation won't be ruined."

"You might as well confine yourself to Casa again, just like you were locked up there for years because Raziel is all I need," Zahara added.

As Zahara's harsh words echoed in the air, Zariel stood in stunned silence, feeling the weight of guilt and abandonment settle upon Zariel's shoulders. The tension in the room was palpable, a testament to the fractured family dynamics and the unresolved anguish that now defined Zariel's existence. With Raziel's absence casting a shadow over Zariel's life, Zariel realized that Zariel's world had irreversibly changed, leaving Zariel to navigate a future fraught with uncertainty and sorrow.

But where is Raziel now?