TTM #1: Devoted to a Contract

Chapter XIX || Just one dance

>>> Warning: Extremely slow and boring chapter ahead <<<

Jasmines P.O.V

Today I'm marrying Nathanial Valencian.

Today I'll walk down the aisle with my arms hooked with my father's as he hands me to my soon to be husband. My father would tell him to take good care of his little princess, to which my fiancè would look at me with adoration and declare that he would treat me like a queen. We would look into each other's eyes with so much love while we exchange our vows, and my husband will gently kiss me as the priest pronounces us husband and wife. Everything will be perfect!

Except none of this is going to happen today.

I'm not my father's little princess, and the devil I'm marrying will definitely not treat me like a queen.

But a girl can dream, right?

Or maybe I can run away from this place with my family before he finds out I'm gone. I can still go through my plan to run away to Alaska and change my name to Harper. Kristen could be Isabella. Vivian could be Olvia and Scarlett could be-

"You are thinking of running away aren't you?" Clarissa asked with a gloomy look on her face.

"What no! Why would you think that?" I lied, but it didn't seem very convincing.

It's depressing how I can't lie even to save my life.

"You look ready to jump out of the window." she mused.

"Oh, I'm just nervous. You know wedding jitters. I'm sure I'll be fine."

"I have seen so many brides in the last 15 years, honey. I know when the bride has wedding jitters and when she wants to run away. I also know the look on your face doesn't say wedding jitters." Clarissa denied.

Okay, this lady seems to be a professional...

I remained silent, knowing that nothing would probably make her buy my lie. Taking my silence as approval, she continued.

"I know Nate can be kind of arrogant sometimes, but that's just a facade, honey. He is a really amazing guy. He was hurt before, dear. The woman he thought he loved betrayed him. I wish I could tell you more, but it isn't my place. I'm sure he'll let you know himself when he trusts you. Just know that he is a good man Jasmine."

Hurt before? What does she mean?

I decided not to press further on the matter and just gave her a meek smile.

"Jasmine, do you know how I met Nate and the boys?"

I simply shook my head, indicating that I didn't know.

"I was 18 years old when my father sold me at an auction. Nate's father had bought me and brought me to the mansion. He told me I'd look after his sons and his mother. Nate was just a five-year-old child. At first, he hated me cause he thought I was going to replace his grandmother. But slowly, he started to like me as well and would always stay with me. When he was ten, he asked me what I wanted to do in my life before coming to the mansion. Weddings always fantasised me- the happiness and joy related to them. So I told him I wanted to work as a wedding cosmetologist and later maybe start my own wedding boutique someday. He didn't say anything and just left silently. The next day I received a job offer as a wedding cosmetologist. Nate had convinced his grandmother to let me do the job I've always wanted to do. Generally, when a servant loses their job, they would have to leave the mansion, but Nate let me stay cause he told me that I wasn't a servant but a part of his family. He was an adorable boy who was always kind. But everybody change, right? He went through a lot of dreadful things, which made him into what he is today. But you need to know that behind the cold demeanour of Nathaniel Valencian, there is the five-year-old Nate I had first met." she was in tears as she finished her story.