Dominik Mikaelson, the Second Name of Danger
1023 Words
"Ariel, you look absolutely stunning today," Jenna remarked as she skillfully applied makeup and later styled Ariel's hair.
"Of course, it's your wedding day, and you're going to be the most beautiful person in the world," Leo chimed in, gesturing towards her neck, where a noticeable love bite had appeared. "But, Jenna, you might want to help Ariel conceal this love bite," he said with a playful chuckle.
Jenna and Leo were Ariel's lifelong friends, growing up together with her in the orphanage.
Ariel's surprise was evident as she inquired, "What? Love bite?" She was well aware of what had happened last night, but she didn't realize the man who she had a one-night stand with would leave a hickey on her neck.
"Hey, you don't have to pretend it," Jenna said with an eye roll. "We know how much you love your soon-to-be husband, who gave you this love bite."
Ariel faked a smile. They thought it was from her boyfriend. But her friends didn't know she had a one-night stand with a male escort.
Ariel had been waiting for this day for three years, but what did she get in the end?
Betrayal!
Ariel got cheated on by the man whom she loved with all her heart and soul. Her boyfriend had been sleeping with many other women.
Jenna and Leo had warned her many times about her boyfriend's weird glances at other women, but she was blinded by her love for Adrian. That trust ended last evening when she saw Adrian getting intimate with another woman.
"Everything is done," Jenna said after fixing a love bite mark on Ariel's neck. She looked in the mirror and suddenly recalled the words of the man who called her stunning last night.
Both Jenna and Leo helped Ariel stand up. Jenna handed her the wedding bouquet and left for the grand wedding hall.
As Ariel walked down the aisle, everyone was captivated by her beauty. Her gown flowed gracefully around her, like a silk waterfall. The bodice gently hugged her, adorned with delicate lace, and her visible neckline framed her face. She looked absolutely gorgeous in that wedding dress.
However, people didn't know the tears she had been controlling; and the heartache she suffered.
Ariel had no option of escaping from this marriage because it was already a pre-planned marriage. The promises between her grandfather and Adrian's grandfather were what led to this marriage today. Also, another reason existed which forced Ariel to come to this wedding. Adrian's father was a dangerous man. If she called off the wedding, he'd ruin the orphanage she had grown up in.
She glanced at the altar where Adrian was present. His back was toward her. Anger welled up inside her. She wanted to tear off her veil and flowers to confront him in front of everyone.
Ariel kept her eyes on the man on the wedding altar, but something felt off. Adrian wasn't as tall as the person present at the altar. The suit he was wearing wasn't the one they had picked for the wedding.
How could someone change so much in a day? As Ariel approached closer, she attempted to look at Adrian's face. However, her attention was suddenly grabbed by the commotion in the wedding hall.
"What? The groom isn't here!" Someone exclaimed. "How can Adrian run away from his own wedding?"
"It is the truth. The groom is missing. It's a big embarrassment for the Marrimo family," another person chimed in. Soon, many voices filled the air of the wedding hall, which Ariel could hear clearly.
'Adrian... he really ran away?’ Ariel thought with excitement. ‘Am I truly free from that jerk?’ she wondered.
If Adrian had indeed run away from the wedding, then no one would blame her for not wanting to go through with the marriage. Was this an unexpected stroke of luck for her?
"I'm genuinely sad for the bride. She's already an orphan and has been in a relationship with Adrian for a long time," Ariel heard another voice, but she didn't care about it.
Ariel couldn't help but roll her eyes upon hearing their sympathy. 'Please congratulate me; I'm happy,' she thought.
Ariel was ready to run away from that hall like a free bird, but she couldn't show the people, especially the Marimo family, that side of hers. She remained calm, ready to turn to get down the aisle when the same man in front of her finally spoke.
"Please calm down, everyone. The groom hasn't run away. Please remain seated on your seats ready to witness the wedding of the century." The person pivoted on his heels and pointed towards the entrance, thus making everyone fall silent.
At that moment, everyone anticipated the groom's entrance.
Ariel felt her happiness was of mere seconds and she hung her head low in sadness. Why did Adrian have to return?
The only sound that could be heard was the rhythmic, deliberate tap of the groom's shoes hitting the floor. Each step resonated in the hushed atmosphere of the hall.
Everyone was stunned to see that the man walking down the aisle was not Adrian Marimo, but Dominik Mikaelson, who was the second name of terror and danger.
As Dominik advanced toward the altar, his shoes created a sense of curiosity and suspense with each echoing step.
No one understood why a Mikaelson, especially Dominik, was there. He had a deep-rooted dislike for the Marimo family. The big question was why he had been introduced as the groom.
Dominik appeared in a white tuxedo suit, exuding handsomeness. Many would fail in front of him when it came to looks. He finally took a pause and held Ariel's free hand, thus drawing her close to the wedding altar. All this time, Ariel had her gaze low. She was on the verge of crying.
Marcel, Dominik's best friend, who had announced Dominik as the groom, looked at the silent hall and chuckled.
"Why is everyone so quiet? Let's give a big round to the groom and bride," he said with a smile, followed by a loud cheer from the people.
- Writer
