The Wrong Bride

The Family

Everyone was there waiting for our arrival. Damianos's father, mother and his elder sister.

Upon our arrival, Damianos's mother got up from her place, came towards him and hugged him. "Hello darling, how are you? Look at you, it's only been a week since I last saw you and you look so pale. There are bags under your eyes. Is everything okay?", she said and looked at me with malice as if implying that I'm the cause of it.

My heart sunk. So, looks like his mother does not like me.

"I'm fine mother, don't be so concerned", he said dismissing her concerns.

His mother didn't meet me, just went back to inform the servants to prepare our room.

His sister also greeted him but like his mother ignored my presence.

After they had left it was only Mr. Costas, Damianos's father left. He greeted his son.

"Come here", he said to me after greeting Damianos.

I went to him. He made me sit next to him. "Ignore my wife and daughter. What happened has already happened and there is no need to keep it in our heart and create malice. So Eleanor, welcome to the Costas family. You are now a part of it. Every happiness and sorrow of this family will be yours too".

I smiled, so relieved that at least one family member has accepted me.

"And Damian", he continued, " take care of my daughter in law. She is your responsibility now", he said smiling.

"Will do", Damianos replied but as usual his face was a mask.

We were shown our room. It was the same room of our wedding night. I remembered our kiss. And my heart sank remembering that.

That time feels like a distant dream. And Damianos too was so different and sweet then. I turned back to look at him. He was still standing at the door. One hand on the knob of the door.

And he was scowling at me. His eyes had an accusing look. I wanted to talk to him, apologize.

"Damianos I...", I tried to talk.

"Save it", he said in a deep voice. Then turned around and left.

#*#*#*

It was around seven when I heard a knock on the door. I opened the door and a maid came inside.

"Good evening Mrs. Costas. The party will begin at 8:30. So, I'm here to help you get dressed".

"What about Damianos?", I asked.

"Mr. Costas will get dressed in the guest room so that you can have your privacy", she said.

I knew the reason for Damianos's absence is not my privacy but his unwillingness to see me. I don't know how long he will behave like this. Or is he ever going to change.

I quickly took a shower and dried my body. I came out of the bathroom and wore the green dress. Then Suzi, the maid who came to help me did my hair and makeup.

I applied red lipstick, eyeliner and mascara. Suzi applied some black smoky eyeshadow on my eyes.

I then took out a diamond necklace that was my mom's. It was a simple chain with a small diamond studded pendant. Along with it I wore earrings that was in the shape of a tear drop. And on the left hand I wore a gold watch that was also my mom's.

I then turned around to look at myself in the mirror. I was looking elegant. And so much mature than I usually looked. Suzi had given my hair a side bun look and a lots of tendrils were flowing from it. My dress was looking perfect as if it was stitched specially for me. A little of my cleavage was also showing making me look so alluring.

I hope Damianos likes my dress. And maybe, fingers crossed, he will be civil to me from now on.

#*#*#*

I was sitting in my room waiting for Damianos to come and take me down.

After some time, Suzi came and told me to go downstairs as Mr. Costas will meet me there only.

So, he was not coming. Why am I surprised? It's not like I can expect anything from him. I suddenly did not want to go downstairs. In fact, I don’t want to stay here. I wanted to go home.

But propriety expected me to go downstairs.

So, I gathered myself and went downstairs.

The main hall was decorated and it was where the party was held. As I descended the stairs, I felt every eyes on me. Looking at me with appreciation, critic, judgment all at the same time.

I became conscious. I'm not used to being the center of attention. Amongst us, the center of attention was always Maria. I tried not to let my nervousness show on my face as I descended.

Mr. Costas, Damianos's father met me at the base of the stairs.

"Oh my, Eleanor, you look enchanting. My son is indeed very lucky", he said with a wide smile.

"Thank you Mr. Costas", I said.

"Oh, call me Santos, enough with the formalities"

"Sure, Santos and you can call me Elly", I said. My mood slightly improving.

"Elly let's go find that husband of yours and meet the guests", he said taking my arms in his and moved around so that I can meet the guests.

I got tired of meeting and smiling at the guests. But I was still enjoying. Santos is a real gentleman, seeing that Damianos was still not here, he remained with me for the whole time, not leaving my side even once.

When he left me by the drinks counter to meet some old business friends of his, I saw Maria. She was dressed in a stark red gown that had a slit on one side. It was sleeveless and the gown clung perfectly to her luscious Breasts. Her neck was covered with a beautiful diamond necklace. She had a perfect makeup and her hairs were falling perfectly on her bare shoulders.

She looked straight out of a magazine.

She came towards me and said, "Oh hi, Elly".

"Hi Maria, how are you? I wasn't expecting you here", I said confused at her presence.

" Well I was invited and besides a lot of unexpected things are happening here. I thought I’d just join the game", she said. I noticed the tone in her voice. She continued, "I must say you have changed after marriage. You were such a nun that you would never wear anything that will show even your collar bones let alone your cleavage. You have become very daring", she said with a venomous tone.

I wanted to ask her why the sudden change in her demeanor? It's not like I stole her husband or did all this on my own. Neither did I had a choice in the matter. It was all for her and now she was behaving like this? But just then Damianos's sister, Sofia came there.

"Hello Maria, it's so nice to meet you. You look gorgeous", she said totally ignoring my presence.

"Don't ignore our little Elly too, she is trying her best”, Maria said laughing, referring to my slightly simple dressing sense.

They started laughing and talking among themselves. I was thinking why was Sofia nice to Maria and not to me. Maria was also an equal partner in the crime.

Since I was not even a part of the conversation. I tried to look around looking for Santos as he was a better partner than these two. But then my green eyes fell on another eyes.

But these eyes were black. And they were looking directly at me.

Damianos was standing at the entrance, wearing a dark brown tuxedo. He looked gorgeous. His suit was fitting his tall, muscular body perfectly. As usual he was looking apart from the crowd.

Oh, how nice it would be if he could me all mine to talk to, to laugh. Speaking of which, I have not seen him laughing since our first night.

Right now, he had stopped in his place, his eyes roaming all over my body.

I, for once didn't feel conscious. I wanted him to look at me. To admire me. I wanted him to come closer to me. Right then a phone came on his cellphone, he picked it up, said something on the phone and cut it. All this time his eyes never left me.

But then his lips turned in detest and his jaws clenched. He then turned around and walked towards his father's study.

And I was still standing dumbstruck at my place.

What was all that about?

"Obviously", came a malicious voice of Sofia, "with the dress you are wearing you should consider yourself lucky that he just left and didn't do anything more. In this kind of party, you wear a classy dress that makes you look beautiful rather than tying a piece of cloth around your body and exposing your boobs. This is not your cheap fraternity party. This is a party of class. You have embarrassed Damianos".

"Don't blame her. She hardly ever attended the fraternity parties let alone one like this", Maria said in her overly sweet voice.

I was listening to that. But I did not turn back to reply. Because I just couldn't. My eyes were filled with tears. I wanted to run away from here. I couldn't stay here for one more second. I looked for the way to escape and I saw the front door.

I didn't think anything and just headed towards the front door. I took a cab and left. Not to Damianos's house but to Eddy's apartment.

I kept on sobbing on the cab. I will never go back there. I knew I couldn't fit in there. I will stay at my old place. I don't want to see their faces again. I kept crying.

Soon I reached Eddy's place and I knocked on the door.

He opened the door.

"Elly, what is the matter? Why are you crying?", Eddy said shocked at my state.

"Come inside Elly", I came inside, "sit here". He made me sit in the couch and sat beside me. " What is it Elly?"

#*#*#*

I went to sleep in my old bedroom wearing a borrowed t shirt of Eddy. I did not tell him the reason for my crying and after much persuasion he agreed to let it go.

I have made up my mind that I'm not going back to Damianos's house again. I'll simply file for divorce and find a job.

I lied on bed thinking whether Damianos has even noticed my absence. Since there is Maria to entertain him now. Oh, how he must be regretting marrying me and not Maria.

I did not want to cry because I rarely ever cry, but ever since Damianos came in my life, I have been crying a lot. Just like I am crying right now.

#*#*#*

"Eleanor wake up", I woke up from my sleep due to a soft shaking.

I was groggy from my sleep, I looked around to find myself in my old room. I saw the source of the hand that was shaking me.

It was Damianos.

"Eleanor wake up", he said getting up from my bed where he was sitting now.

"What do you want?", I was not in a mood to take his nonsense anymore.

"I want you to get up from the bed and come home", he said losing patience. "And I don't want to repeat it".

"I'm not going anywhere with you. Not today, not ever. In fact I'll file for a divorce", I yelled at him.

"What did you say?" he said, his voice venomous. "You want a divorce?"

He grabbed my arms and shook me, "divorce huh, so that you can make fun of me? Just like you did on my wedding day? You and your geeky boyfriend. You think I'll let you do it?

I'm not someone who entertains these tantrums remember. One wrong step and I'll file a case of fraud against you and that friend of yours.

That friend to whom you come running all the time and walk around half naked", he gave a detested look at my bare legs.

"You cannot do that", I cried.

He came closer to my face and said, "You very well know that I can".

Eddy must have heard our yelling so he came inside. But before he can say anything, Damianos gave him a venomous look.

Damianos then turned to me and said, "five minutes", and walked outside.

"Elly what happened last night, did he hurt you?", Eddy asked me after Damianos left.

"No. But I don't like living with him. Oh, Eddy he is very rude to me. His whole family is nice to Maria but not to me as if I was the cause of all this. And Maria was behaving strangely too".

"I know Elly. Maria has changed. She has not talked to me since that wedding incident. In fact the last time she talked, she was rude to me. And she was saying some nasty things about you too", he said with an apologizing face.

"I don't know what has happened to my life. Oh, Eddy I don't know how to deal with it", I said tears flowing through my cheeks.

"Elly, hey look at me", he said taking me into his arms, "don't cry. You are such a strong person. You have taken much bigger blows in your life. Then why are you crying like this?", he whispered slowly in my ears while his hands were slowly patting my back.

He continued, "I have never been this helpless in my life. I want to help you. But fighting Damianos is so difficult", he said his voice turning bitter, "but hey, remember I'm always here for you", his hands smoothing my hairs gently, "I promise I will never leave you alone in this crisis. Now stop crying, hmm?".

"If your touching reunion is over, can we leave?", came a deep dark voice.

Damianos was standing at the entrance of the room. His face was red with anger, his veins protruding.

How long has he been standing here?

#*#*#*