Her Peculiar Husband

CH 1 || Unfortunate Destiny

Olivia

****

"Dress."

"Check."

"Stelatoes"

"Check."

"Makeup Artist"

"Check"

"Hair Stylist"

"s**t!" I cursed when Mia asked about the hairstylist. I had forgotten to contact the hairstylist.

"See, I told you I am forgetting something. Now, what will I do? How did I forget to contact the hairstylist?" I panicked.

Like I had predicted I messed up pretty bad. I started pacing back and forth in my office cabin while hurling curses at myself in mind.

"You need to calm down, ok. We will contact one now." Mia said.

"Do you think we would find the slots now? The marriage is tomorrow." I was supposed to do a commendable job but my luck didn't help me.

"We will, don't worry," she assured me.

Her comforting words were powerless in succouring me.

My first cousin Ava, daughter of my father's elder brother Alex, was about to get married. Ava and I didn't share any cordial relationship, just a formal one.

Moreover, she always had disliked my presence while I was always oblivious of the reasons. At first, I used to feel bad but later on, I got used to the fact that she hated me. I used to appease her every damn time but with time I realized no efforts of mine could make her like me so I stopped.

Her bridal responsibilities were given to me, obviously, not by her but by her mother, aunt Alicia, who always adored me.

I did everything for Ava, made sure that everything was best for her big day. But in the end, I forgot to arrange a hairstylist.

"I called Maggie. Her slot isn't empty. She isn't free." Mia informed me. Maggie was the stylist Ava wanted.

"Holy s**t! I am doomed." I held my head in my hands feeling frustrated and stressed and sat down on my chair.

"I am gonna die now."I was cognizant the moment Ava would be made aware of what I had done she would kill me without giving a second thought. I wasn't scared for myself as I could easily handle her wrath but Alicia Aunt had trusted me with her daughter's big day arrangements. I didn't want to let her down at any cost.

"Olivia, you need to relax. If you would act like this nothing would get better." Mia was right. I had to act instead of worrying so I let the horses of my mind run in the direction of an attainable solution.

"Can't we hire someone else?" Mia suggested.

"We can't. She wanted Maggie only."

"Ms. Olivia." I heard my assistant's voice from the intercom.

"Yes, Lia."

"Miss Ava is here. She wants to see you." My eyes widened. Mia and I were startled when we got to know Ava was in the office.

After contemplating in my mind what to do, I asked Lia to lie."Tell her I am in a meeting and I can't see her now."

"But she left, already." That was another problem of Ava. She used to do whatever she wanted to.

"Oh, God! What would I do now?" I was on the verge of crying when Mia said, "Olivia, listen, act natural. You are good at this. We can fool her. Remove the lines of stress from your face ok and take deep breaths."

I nodded hearing her and did what she asked me to.

"Breathe in."

"Breathe out."

"Breathe in."

"Breathe out."

I followed the breathing pattern my best friend suggested.

After two minutes, I could hear the noise Ava's pointed heels were creating, in the hallway. Just like Mia suggested I started to act.

Thankfully my best friend worked in my office. She always used to have my back whenever I needed it. We started talking about a client meeting when the door to my cabin opened.

"Hi, Olivia." Ava's not-so-sweet voice reached my ears. She plopped on the couch in my cabin and breathed heavily as if she had run a marathon a while ago.

"Hi, Ava. What are you doing here? I thought you must be resting. After All, tomorrow is a big day." Mia started the conversation giving me time to prepare myself to lie.

"Hi, Mia. I didn't notice you were here as well. Sorry, but your skinny figure didn't come into my sight." As always Ava mocked my best friend. She not only hated me but also the people I was close to.

"Her skinny figure is her charm. Haven't you noticed her always leaving a long-lasting impression everywhere? She is beautiful." I took my best friend's stand as politely as I could.

Ava rolled her eyes and was about to comment something nastier. that's what I perceived from her expression, but I interrupted. "What brought you here Ava?"

"I wanted to know whether you are doing a good job or not because as far as I know great is not your cup of tea."

"Everything is arranged. Olivia has done a great job." Mia added before I messed up in anxiousness by telling her about the hairstylist.

"Well, she has to. Otherwise, she knows I won't spare her if she messes up on my wedding day. Right, little sister?"

"Don't worry. Everything is according to your taste, just like Alicia Aunt instructed me."

"Cool but I need a change."

"What change?" Mia questioned.

"I was before thinking of making a bun out of my hair but not anymore. I want to go with the curls." Ava swung her hair as if it was the most alluring thing.

"I want you to cancel Maggie's appointment and appoint Ray instead. She is trending with her new hairstyle trends. I hope it can be done."

"Of course," I said. I was just praying for the slots with Ray to be empty and even if it wouldn't have I would have put all the blame on my evil sister for all the last-minute changes. For the very first time, my sister was of my help.

Ava got up and was about to leave but she turned around when reached near the door.

"Olivia, I had one more favour to ask."

"Anything." I would have agreed to anything at that moment as she had indirectly helped me. But I forgot her evil mouth was only capable of spitting venom.

"Don't wear that red dress you have bought. Mom showed me the pictures. She was so mesmerized and when I saw the picture I almost puked." The smile from my face vanished. The dress Ava was talking about was the most exquisite and elegant anyone could have.

"Don't mind me but you looked like a w***e. Please wear anything but not that red dress. I hope you don't mind. I will not like it when the guests on the wedding day would give my sister nasty looks." I fisted my left palm. Mia was about to say something but I held her hand from my right hand. She took my cue and didn't utter any words.

I knew why Ava didn't want me to wear that red dress. Apparently, she was jealous of how I could look better on her wedding day.

"You would listen to me, right?" she tried to confirm. I hadn't said anything and she herself declared what my answer would be by saying, "You have to, after all, it's my day."

I controlled myself from tearing out and swallowed the lump before replying, "Of course, I won't wear that dress."

"Ah! Thank God. See you tomorrow, I need to go meet Noah. He must be waiting for me in the cafe." she said dreamily about her fiance and left.

"What the hell is wrong with her? How could she utter those words?" Mia yelled.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"It's ok, Mia." I started looking for Ray's number to call.

"It's not okay. She called you a...." Mia stopped in mid before continuing further, "I can't even say that word and she just said to her sister. How could she?" She was hurt. If I wouldn't have stopped her I was certain Mia would have scratched Ava's face.

"That's how she is. I am glad she will leave Amsterdam after getting married." I said trying to control my broken voice. The pain Ava had inflicted upon me all my life was easier to bear than the ones my family members used to inflict except for Aunt Alicia. It wasn't a big deal for me.

"I wonder what Noah saw in her?"

"He might be the same as hers otherwise who would have wanted to have her as his wife."

"I have heard he is an egoist jerk."

Mia kept on rambling and I kept on sinking deep into my grief. Sometimes I used to feel ashamed of myself for not being able to take my stand in front of Ava properly but I had my reasons, reasons which might sound unreasonable to others.

"Olivia, I am talking to you." Mia shook me harshly.

"Hmmm. Yeah, yeah what were you saying?" I wiped my tears and sat down on the chair.

"Nothing. Why are you hurting yourself? You should have answered back." Mia took a seat on the chair kept beside mine.

"I didn't want the dirt on me," I replied, not meeting my best friend's gaze.

"Still, she needs to know her place. She isn't a queen."

"She is a queen, everyone's queen and I am nothing." Ava indeed was a queen and I was nothing but an ordinary girl. Ava was everything, had her own identity, a famous fashion designer and travel blogger but I, I was nothing without the Parker surname.

"Olivia," Mia called. She tried harder not to bring pity but her voice was pitiful. I hated when anyone used to show that emotion for me. But I didn't have the power to change anything. I was powerless and was well aware I could never dodge my Inescapable Unfortunate Destiny.