The Unwanted Wife

CASSANDRA: I smiled faintly as I looked at myself in the mirror. Today is my wedding day. I was supposed to be the happiest woman alive because this was my special day. But no matter how hard I tried to force a smile, I knew deep down that I wasn't happy. I was marrying the man I loved most-- Cole Harris. Yet, I was fully aware that he wasn't happy marrying me because his heart belonged to someone else. It was Althea, my younger half-sister. But because I am the legitimate daughter and Althea is just Dad’s child from another woman, I was the one chosen to be Cole’s wife. It was all because of an agreement made by our mothers before my mom passed away. My mom saved Mrs. Harris's life during an accident. She used her own body to shield her VIP when criminals tried to kidnap her. Back then, my mom was a police officer assigned as Mrs. Harris's escort. When one of the kidnappers aimed a gun at her, my mom protected her without hesitation. As a result, my mom took the bullet and lost her life. But before she died, Mrs Harris and my mom made a promise. At my mother’s grave, Mrs. Harris made a promise. She promised that when the time came, she would marry her son off to my mom’s daughter, and that's me. Back then, Mrs. Harris was so kind to me. She treated me like her own real child. And even though Cole didn't like me, she still kept her promise to my mother. She made sure that Cole would marry me. I took a deep breath and forced a smile at my reflection. Everyone was waiting outside. Even though Cole didn't love me, I loved him more than anything. We grew up together, but he was always cold and harsh towards me whenever we met. I couldn't really blame him for not liking me. I was overweight, weighing almost 80 kilograms. I wasn't beautiful, and I never really bothered to dress up or fix myself. In fact, this was the first time I ever wore makeup. But no matter how decent I looked now, it couldn't hide the truth. . . I was still fat. “You can do this, Cassy. This is the day you’ve been waiting for. After today, you’ll be Mrs. Harris. You will officially be the wife of Cole Harris,” I whispered to myself, trying to gather courage. My own father didn't even support this marriage. He favored his illegitimate daughter, Althea, so much that none of them showed up today to walk me down the aisle or even just be there for me. They were really making it clear that I was all alone. The only ones on my side were Mr. and Mrs. Harris. As for Cole? He never wanted me. “Ma'am, shall we go?” I nodded at the staff who came to fetch me in the hotel room. Our wedding was going to be a private ceremony. I never dreamed of a grand wedding anyway. I knew deep down that Cole didn't want me as his wife, so I was perfectly fine with something simple and private. Just the thought of finally becoming his wife was enough to make me happy. ***** I couldn't bring myself to smile as I walked down the aisle. All the guests were staring at me, whispering among themselves. I felt so ashamed because I could clearly hear how they mocked my appearance. They were laughing at me and looking down on me. “Gosh, what was Cole thinking to marry this fat, ugly woman?” “Right? So many women are chasing after him, yet he ends up with someone so ugly and overweight?” “Do you guys really think he wants her? From what I heard, Cole was forced into this. He already has a girlfriend, but his mother is the one who decided who he would marry.” “Poor Cole and his real girlfriend. They can't be together just because of this fat pig. She’s so ambitious. Look at her body--the dress looks like it’s about to burst because she’s so huge.” I clenched my fists tightly, trying to hold back the tears. I wanted to run away and hide from their judgment. I was so embarrassed. But the thought that I was finally going to be Cole’s wife gave me the strength to keep moving forward. He was already there waiting for me. I knew he didn't love me. But I was determined to do everything I could to make him love me eventually. This was my only chance to be close to him and take care of him freely. If I became a good wife, surely, he would learn to love me in time. I forced a smile as I finally stood in front of him. As usual, Cole looked incredibly handsome in his all-white tuxedo. He was so perfect that any woman would be mesmerized just by looking at him. Even though his gaze was cold and his lips were set in a hard line, I still smiled at him. “Cole,” I whispered softly. He merely scoffed and walked straight past me towards the judge. I felt humiliated. He didn't even offer me his arm or guide me. I heard the guests chuckling, but I just smiled and followed him. “Don’t get too excited just because we’re getting married, Cassy,” he whispered harshly. “Even if you become my wife in name, I will never treat you as one, and I will never love you. Don’t get your hopes up. I will never love you or consider you as my wife. You should know your place.” I swallowed hard, trying to hold back the pain. “I-I know, Cole,” I answered quietly. AFTER the ceremony, we proceeded to the venue for the reception. But as soon as it was over, Cole left my side immediately and went to join his friends, drinking and laughing with them. "I’m sorry about Cole, Cassy. Soon enough, my son will learn to accept you. You are so kind and pure-hearted. Cole is just blind to see your worth. Don't pay attention to what other people say about you. I have watched over you since you were a child, so I know I made the right choice choosing you to be my daughter-in-law," Mrs. Harris said to me. I just smiled and nodded at her. Ever since Cole left me earlier, she was the one who stayed by my side. After all, I didn't know anyone else here besides her and Cole. "Thank you, Mommy. I promise you that I will take good care of Cole and I will never give up on him. I will do everything I can to be a good wife to him," I replied, making her smile and nod in approval. "I know you will, dear. I know you will be a great wife to my son. I just hope you don't get tired of him. I know he hasn't been treating you well. But if he ever does something to hurt you or crosses the line, please tell me, okay? No matter that he is my son, I will never tolerate him hurting you," she said gently, patting my head. I forced a smile and nodded. I could clearly see pity in her eyes, which made me feel even smaller. I knew Cole didn't love me and that we weren't a perfect match. But I loved him so much that I was willing to go through all this. I looked over at Cole, who was still busy drinking and laughing with his friends. "Cole, someday, you will love me too. I will do everything. . . just to make you love me back." I murmured on my mind.