Her Peculiar Husband

CH 8 || The Wedding With Peril

Olivia

******

For the third time in the last four minutes, my wretched self made me question Maggie, the make-up artist about the time, “What time is it?”

“Seven minutes to go,” she replied, smiling faintly. I was agitated, jumpy. My anxiousness had soared so much that I wanted to puke.

I wondered whether all the brides felt the same but then realized, not all get to know about their wedding just a few hours before the decided time and not all become a substitute bride.

“Calm down,” Maggie said, trying to calm me down.

“I don’t think I can,” I replied while I was pacing to and fro. A few seconds later ray entered the room who had gone to see if my friends had arrived as they weren’t picking up the call.

“Are they here?”

“They aren’t. I looked everywhere but they aren’t to be seen.” Her reply left me dejected.

“Did you call them again?” I hoped for an affirmative answer but couldn’t receive one.

“I did, but no response.” Nothing was in my favour. To worsen my condition there came security men of Parkers. One of them informed me, “Miss Parker, it’s time to walk down the aisle.”

I wasn’t ready. My friends weren’t there and I needed someone close to me. My hands were shaky and so were my legs so I didn’t move and held the knob of the window of my right for support.

All words went to my deaf ears and I thought I would just give up until I witnessed a bird on the nearby tree, struggling to fly. She was afraid, had no one with it. She tried but failed. She attempted once more but couldn’t have her wings spread.

She and I had everything in common. She was a loner and so was I. Her fruitless attempts had only motivated her more and then she flew. The moment she was in the air she got acquaintances who might have been waiting for her to break through from her old self which was holding her back.

Marrying Noah wasn’t my choice but I could easily use the matrimony to my advantage of setting myself free. I took a deep breath before I turned around. The Parkers men were waiting for me and I decided to not give up the chance.

******

I walked down the aisle, all by myself. It was weird but not that much as I had been used to being alone. Walking down the aisle amidst the people who didn’t know much about me except that I was Oriana and Jack’s daughter was still better than being around my fake family who didn’t care to walk me down for the sake of a show.

When I reached my destination, I looked up only to find a pair of Egyptian blue eyes staring coldly at me. His eerie vibe gave me goosebumps.

Hand in hand with the blue-eyed stranger I stood on the aisle. His menacing, expressionless demeanor threatened me to the core. He didn’t look like the one I had met a few hours ago.

 Both of his sides that I witnessed were nothing less than any vicious being. I tried not to meet his gaze, not because I was scared but I somehow felt guilty for putting him into the situation he would never have wanted to. 

The one he was in love with, was my sister in his eyes. I was certain he would hold grudges against or might despise my presence but then the care he showed for me when he caught sight of my bruised cheek had left me bewildered as well.

I was in the reverie, comparing the multiple personalities of him when out of the blue I heard the priest’s voice.

“Do you Noah Miller take Olivia Parker to be your lawfully wedded wife?” Noah’s blue eyes turned a shade darker, his grip on my hands had strengthened, hurting my fingers. 

He was punishing me for a crime I didn’t even commit. He kept staring at me, as if was peering into my soul.

I had to bite my inner cheeks to not hiss in the pain he was providing me. But soon enough my expression changed. My fingers had started burning in pain. He had an icy look but from his actions, it was apparent a volcano had erupted inside of him.

His unresponsiveness to the priest’s question had ensued the wedding venue into distinct chatters. Through the corner of my eyes, I eyed the guests. The first who came into my sight was Oriana Miller, my mother who looked disinterested in her surroundings and was busy with her phone. My foster father, Jack, was nowhere to be seen, very much to my contentment. Alicia Aunt was furious while her husband, William, was busy typing something on the phone, he was the only one who seemed perturbed a bit, which I knew wasn’t for me. He sure was trying to track his daughter.

A few guests mockingly looked at me while Noah’s parents looked troubled.

The pain and the distinct whispers had made me embarrassed. I had become the object of scorn.

“Do you Noah Miller take Olivia Parker to be your lawfully wedded wife?” The priest asked again. 

“I do,” he replied, losing his hold on my hand. I knew he was hurt but hurting me would never bring back the lost happiness in his life. 

“Do you Olivia Parker take Noah Miller to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

“I do.” Reluctantly, I replied. Later, we both exchanged our rings. Even the ring wasn’t my fit as it was meant for Ava, not for me. The ring was studded with diamonds and in between the one in a larger size, a typical Ava’s choice.

“I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.” The priest said after the ring exchange ceremony.

Noah came closer, bent down to my lips. His eyes peering into mine. I didn’t want the kiss, to be honest, I wanted to run away. His breath fanned my mouth, I closed my eyes. For a tad, I felt something soft on my lips and he soon detached himself from me.

He had slightly pecked me very much to my relief. The venue boomed with the sound of joyful applause. Although none of them were happy. They were either poking fun at me for being the replaced bride or showing pity.

News of the absconding of Ava had already flared up like flames and was sooner going to fall on the ears of the media personnel who were waiting outside to have the glimpse of Mr. and Mrs. Noah Miller.

After the wedding, the first to congratulate us was Noah's parents, who seemed genuinely happy or maybe were pretending to maintain their social image.

“You look so pretty. I was mesmerized when you both were taking holy vows,” said Nina Miller, Noah’s mother. She embraced me, smiling before she asked Nicholas, her husband who was standing beside her, “Don’t they make an awesome pair, honey?”

“Of Course, they do. But not more than you and I.” Nicholas flirted with his wife while she slapped on his shoulder. After Nina, it was Nicholas who hugged and congratulated me before doing the same to his son.

“I hope you guys can leave past whatever happened and work together to walk towards the lane of blissful marriage. I know everything for both of you started on the wrong foot, still, you guys can make things work, right?” With a frail smile, I nodded, there was no way I could work on the marriage whose basis was a deal. Noah didn’t give any response. He stayed there beside me, for the sake of formality. 

“Oh, I forgot. I have a gift for you.” Saying this Nina took out a tiny box from her clutch bag. Opening it, a small ring was exposed. It looked simple yet ethereal, apt for my taste.

“This is yours.” Nina tried to hand it over to me but I hesitated, “No, I...I can’t.” 

“Don’t be shy.” she took hold of my hand, attempting to make me accept it. Mistakenly she held my bruised fingers and I hissed in pain.

Nina held my wrists and took a closer look at my fingers, which were red, seemed burned to the eyes.

“Oh, dear, what happened?”

“I...I burnt my fingers while getting ready.” I lied. I knew Noah would have been feeling content if he by any chance would have caught sight of my fingers, the result of his disciplining.

“You burnt your fingers? How? You were fine a few hours back.” Nicholas seemed concerned too. He asked me a legit question but I couldn’t think of anything at that moment to lie. Nicholas and Nina waited for my explanation.

“There was a candle in my room and…..”I had started to weave a chain of lies but Nina interrupted me, “It’s ok. I will send in the ointment for you by staff.” She smiled affectionately at me. I guessed, she might have sensed my discomfort.

 “Noah will take care of you from now on,” she added further. The irony of her statement was her son was the reason for my pain.

Excusing, Noah had left from the sight. He might have been feeling suffocated like me, I thought. The only difference was he had the leverage to leave while I didn’t.

I was tied to a man who was nothing but peril.