Chapter 4
1612 Words
Amelia
"We are gathered here to witness your intention to enter into the Holy Matrimony." The priest began.
I glanced at the crowd, the priest’s voice faint in my head, as they watched us with intent. The familiar scent from the burning of incense accompanied with the anticipation of guests. Their faces held with a mixture of unspoken questions and happiness. Each word uttered by the priest carried the weight of the marriage contract in the air.
The priest turned to Caden.
"Caden, Do you take Amelia Brown to be your wife? Do you promise to be faithful to her in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love her and honour her all the days of your life? The priest asked.
"Yes, I do." Caden replied without hesitation.
"Amelia, do you take Caden Miller to be your husband? Do you promise to be faithful to him in good times and in bad times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love him and honour him all the days of your life?
I inhaled deeply as my heart pounded in my chest. I felt overwhelmed. I was becoming a wife to a man who did not love me nor did I love. This was not how I planned my life to be, then again all my dreams had been washed down the drain since my father's heart condition. I could feel the nervous, inquisitive stares from Caden, his parents and the crowd.
I did the unthinkable and bolted out of the door, I ran as fast as my feet could carry me. I was desperate to go away from everything, everyone. For once, I wanted to think about what I really felt like doing. I kept running till I was interrupted.
"Amelia! Amelia dear." Someone called me and tapped me. I jerked out of my thoughts and faced the priest in shock. Was I day dreaming?
"Everything alright? He inquired.
Caden looked at me with what felt like reprimand in his eyes. I hated the look in his eyes. It made me feel like I was some helpless little girl. I blinked continuously and responded stoically.
"I'm fine."
"Complete your vows." He continued and I looked up to meet the patient gaze of the priest. His eyes urged me to go on. He went over the vows again.
"Amelia, do you take Caden Miller to be your husband? Do you promise to be faithful to him in good times and in bad times and in bad, I'm sickness and in health, to love him and honour him all the days of your life?
"Yes,... I do." I responded with a cold resolve. I felt Caden release a breath.
"With this, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may proceed to seek the blessings of your parents." I noted how the priest skipped the 'you may kiss the bride', Caden had obviously told him to skip that part because of his no Kissing policy. I was okay with it though.
I proceeded to seek my parents' blessings. They were both in tears. I understood how they felt. Being an only child meant that I was always in their thoughts and now I was married. It was hard to believe, even for me.
I moved to greet Caden's mom, Whitney Miller. Caden had told me about his family, his parents and brother, so I looked his mom up on google. Don’t get me wrong, I wanted to know who I was going to meet. She was a woman in her sixties. She was the true definition of class and old money. Her fashion sense was the talk of the town. For unknown reasons, she seemed to like me a lot because she kept going on and on about how I was good for her son. She gave me the special treatment and was a huge part of the marriage preparation.
She pulled me in for a heart crushing hug that almost knocked the breath out of my lungs. She finally released me after what felt like eternity. I regained my breath.
"Welcome to the Miller family, dear." She cooed.
"Thank you, Whitney." I responded.
"Oh, drop the formality dear. Call me mom." She said in a reassuring voice.
I smiled and studied her features for a few seconds. You could see the striking resemblance between Caden and his mom. She had the same blessed cupid bow lip with him. Her eyes were a warm shade of blue. Her lashes looked natural but they were long. She wore minimal makeup.
I watched how she moved gracefully toward a group of persons who seemed of high class too. With Caden's arrogance and Whitney's kindness, I released a breath. It was going to be an eventful coming year.
****
The ride to Caden's mansion was a painfully quiet one. There was stark silence. No one uttered a word to each other which was weird with the glances I was sneaking from Caden. I studied his side profile distinctively. He had his eyes closed but his jaw was taut indicating that he was awake. Could I ever learn to love this man for just a year?
Caden came down from the car, and went into the house without ordering a word. I came down from the car too and followed after him.
My feet came to an abrupt halt as I stood to take in the beauty of the house. The mansion that stood in magnificence. Every corner of the walls were beautifully carved and painted in rich white. A giant painting graced a corner of the living room. The chandelier's light illuminated the living room beautifully. As I admired the house, I recalled our house. It was not little but it was not exactly big.
"Welcome, madam." A voice laced with an Italian accent. I turned towards her with curiosity.
"I'm Martina, the housekeeper. Caden has instructed me to take you to your room."
"Amelia, you can call me Amelia." I offered with a smile.
"I'm sorry but I can not do that," She said with firmness. " Come, I'll take you to your room." She said and proceeded to climb the stairs.
I stood agape staring after her. I regained composure and followed after her. We stopped at a passage that had three different rooms. Each had rich mahogany doors. The marble floors were different from the one downstairs. Just how much money did Caden have?
We stopped at a door that was opposite another.
"This is your room, ma'am." I nodded. It was no surprise that Caden and I were not sharing a room. Where was Caden's room though? On cue, she answered my questions.
"Caden's room is the way," she pointed to the door opposite mine. I nodded.
"Everything you'll need has been available in your room, dinner at eight downstairs. Call me through the telecom when you need me." She bowed and proceeded downstairs. I stood in front of my new room door till I could no longer hear the faint footsteps of Martina.
I took a deep breath and took a deep breath. I gasped at the sight of my room. My room looked like an entire apartment. It was painted in a shade of pink and beige. I slowly felt the duvet that was neatly spread on the queen size bed. I moved to open a door and my jaw dropped. It was a closet that housed a variety of shoes, clothes,bags and other essentials. I walked back into the room and plopped down on the bed with my arms spread.
This was going to be my room for the next year. I felt a lone tear slip from my eyes and onto the bed. It wasn't long before I slept off in my wedding dress.
****
A soft knock was made on the door followed by Martina's soft voice.
"It's time for dinner, Ma'am. Please come downstairs." She said and I heard her soft footsteps fading down the hall. I changed into a two-piece loungewear which was a short and a cropped top.
I headed downstairs. The dining room was spacious and had a table crafted from rich, dark mahogany wood with intricate carvings. Soft candlelight illuminated the room creating a warm and inviting ambience. The chairs looked plush and comfortable beckoning me to take a seat.
The scent of freshly cooked meals wafted through the air, earning a growl from my stomach. I held on tightly to me. I had not eaten anything for the day and Dinner was already served on the table.
Soft footsteps echoed through the silent room and into the dining room. The chair creaked softly as Caden pulled it to sit.
"Welcome, Mr. Miller. May I serve the food now?" Martinar asked.
"Yes." His husky voice said. She moved to dish out the food which was a rich porcelain plate. The meal was creamy macaroni and cheese paired with crispy fried chicken. It looked mouth watering.
She moved to pour the champagne in the wine glass.
His eyes met with mine, propelling me to speak up. "H...i." I stuttered.
He nodded without saying a word.
We ate in silence. The only sound heard was the gentle clicks and scrape of utensils. After the meal, I stared subtly. I watched as he brought the meal to his mouth with grace and calculated time. He was a stark contrast to my slightly fast-paced eating. With every bite, his expression shifted from delight to content, savouring every flavour.
"So... uh... " I asked awkwardly. A part of me knew what was going to happen but I chose to stay in denial.
- Writer
