Contractually Yours

9• Till death do us part

🔹️🔹️Crystal Hayes🔹️🔹️

D-Day.

Excitement, joy, the feeling of butterflies in the stomach, the rapid heartbeat... is what I fantasized to feel at my wedding.

But I felt none.

I stood in front of a long mirror, running a hand through the heavy white dress. The sweetheart net gown paired with a small diamond pendant made me look more beautiful than ever. My wavy hair was left open, letting it fall over my shoulders and a net veil pinned in them. Everything looked perfect until one thing ruined it. My hollow, emotionless eyes.

The stylists and the make-up artists were done with their work and had left me alone in the room while I waited for my que to go out. Saying I was nervous is probably an understatement. The count of the guests attending the wedding were in the hundreds. Adrien had informed me that there would be reporters and journalists too. I wasn't really ready to face all of this, but I had no choice.

Sitting on the couch in the dressing room, I kept scrolling through my phone when Hannah came in with a huge grin. Hannah, Ethan and Evan were the only people attending the wedding from my side. Mr. & Mrs. Johanson along with Megan had some important appointments due to which they couldn't show up.

Speaking of Evan, we had talked about the happenings. Evan promised me to not tell anyone about the deal of the marriage and I was more than thankful for it. In the past few days, I had been very fond of his presence and grew close to him. I found myself being lucky to have such a trustworthy friend like him.

"Oh My God." Hannah's eyes widened and she kept her palm over her equally widely opened mouth. She squealed and came running towards me while holding her asymmetric beige long dress and grabbed me by my shoulders. "You look gorgeous." Her eyes scanned me from top to bottom and the grin on her face faded into a smile.

"I am so happy for you. I always wondered if I would ever be able to see this day, considering how hopeless you are in relationships. But today, I am literally on top of the world." I squinted my eyes at her comment on my relationships but decided to let it go. "Aren't you excited? The love of your life is officially going to be yours." Her grin was back as she asked and held back a scoff. I just nodded with a fake large smile and she engulfed me in a hug.

She began talking about how she felt on the day of her wedding and thankfully, before a nerve or two of my brain would explode, someone knocked on the door. On receiving an answer, the door opened and Ethan stepped in, dressed in a gray suit.

"Hello, Ladies." He smiled at us. Hannah walked to him and kissed his cheek while he admired her look.

"What's going on outside?" Hannah asked.

"All the guests have arrived and are seated. They might call you out anytime now." Ethan looked at me. "You look beautiful." I smiled at his compliment but suddenly started to feel suffocated. I took deep breaths to calm myself down and seeing my nervousness, Hannah rubbed my arm.

"It's normal to feel nervous. It's a big day and you also have to face so many people. But don't worry, you will do great." I smiled at her attempt to comfort me. I looked at Ethan from over her shoulder and moved closer to him.

"Thanks, E. For walking me down the aisle. It really means a lot." It wouldn't just be awkward but also upsetting to me if I had to walk the aisle alone. Although this marriage does not mean anything, I respect it. I couldn't be more thankful when Ethan said he would do it.

"Crystal, believe me, it's an honor to do this. You are my wife's only best friend. I wouldn't let you walk the aisle by myself. Besides, It was Hannah's suggestion, so if you really want to thank someone, it should be her." He said with a smile and I hugged them both.