When The Heart Already Given Up

Chapter 4: The Wedding

The day of the wedding.

"My lady, you looked beautiful." Anna said, while crying.

"Thank you, Anna. I'm going to miss you." My only family.

As the Count instructed, I am going to move out without bringing anyone. Because the Duke will provide for anything I need.

"If only, I could go with you, my Lady."

"It's okay Anna. I'm going to be fine."

Although it's merely a political marriage in aristocratic society, I was a bit happy to marry someone I sincerely loved...Even if he doesn't love me. I was hurt when the Duke treated me coldly during our previous meeting. I don't blame him because it's my father and brother's fault, their debt is so high that they can't afford to return the borrowed money. And now, he is going to marry someone like me. I started walking on the isle, our wedding was held at the garden of Rose Palace. It was a grand ceremony with His Majesty the King as the guest of honour. I saw him standing near the priest. The sun was shading his face, making it difficult to see his expression.

I married him and became the Duchess of Haze. The two of us happily watch our children, who resemble Duke Reinhart's with blue eyes. We come to Laguna Island every summer to play in the flower fields, and Duke Reinhart smiles brightly and sits next to me. A picture of the future unfolded in five seconds in my mind. It was a picture of me living happily by his side forever. Imagination spreads its wings very quickly. But the wings were soon cut off. He didn't really care about me.

I found out that he already loves someone. But it seems that his father didn't agree to it. Even though I'm only standing here today as a payment to the debt my family has. I am still a daughter of the Count, and my position seems favourable to the previous Duke so he had given his approval to this union.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness and bless the union between Duke Reinhart Haze and Lady Caecilian Nova."

"Through the power vested in me, I bless you, so that you may have the strength to be faithful, to each other forever, and assume all responsibilities of a married life. And so, in the presence of God, I ask you, do you take Lady Caecilian, to be your wife?." Asked the priest.

"Yes," said Reinhart without much care.

"Do you Lady Caecilian, take Duke Reinhart as your husband?"

...

"Yes, High Priest." I said.

"May the God in his kindness strengthen the consent you have declared and graciously bring to fulfil his blessings with you. In the sight of God and these witnesses I now announce you husband and wife."

We're married. I'm a little bit nervous, we're going to spend our first night together as a couple.The maids help me prepare, bathe and dress me. And here I am waiting for Reinhart to arrive. Even if he doesn't love me, if we don't spend the first night together, people will misunderstand. Although it was only a forced marriage, I will respect, loved him and spend our entire life as a married couple. Or so Caecilian, thought.

Thud.

The door of the room opens, and Reinhart enters, he seems to have a darkened expression.

He looked at me.