𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘨𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘴 , charles leclerc

⇢ 03. a broken vow

a/n: for the sake of not translating every piece of dialogue in this chapter, just assume that everything is spoken in french with bits in italian. <3

TWO GHOSTS.
03. ❛ a broken vow. ❜

THE MORNING SUN BATHED the Villa Ephrussi in a golden glow as Monegasque, Italian, and French guests bustled with excitement. Today was the day that Charles and Sofia were to be married, bright and early on the 15th of November. There were so many guests from both sides of the couple that the excitement was all over the place. The venue had been adorned with colorful flowers and ribbons, creating a vibrant atmosphere to celebrate the joyous occasion.

Inside the villa, Sofia was putting the final touches on her wedding gown, a masterpiece of delicate lace and silk. She hummed a sweet melody to herself while her closest friends and family, adorned in their finest attire, offered their assistance and blessings.

"Sofia, you look absolutely stunning!" her best friend and long-time family friend, Aurora Spencer, exclaimed, holding back tears of joy. "Charles won't be able to keep his hands off you today, that's for sure. You'll have his heart racing faster than his cars."

"Thank you, Ro," Sofia replied, her voice carrying a mix of excitement and anticipation. "I can't believe today is finally here."

As she stood before the mirror, adjusting her veil, her heart skipped a beat, feeling the tingle of nerves. It was a mix of anxiousness and eagerness to see Charles waiting for her at the altar. She took a deep breath to calm herself and looked out the window of her room; she could see the nine magnificent gardens overlooking the Peninsula of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. She was going to have an outdoor ceremony in the garden surrounded by palm trees and flower beds.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Charles' best man, Pierre Gasly, walked into the room, a big smile on his face as he took his Sofia's appearance, "There's the bride to be. I didn't know you could clean up like that."

"Oh, shut up, Pierre," Sofia scoffed and playfully hit his chest, a smile playing on her lips.

"Just kidding, just kidding." Pierre laughed, fixing his tie, "Your father asked me to check on you. He's already standing by the door trying to hold back tears."

Sofia's eyes lit up as she looked up at her friend, "Is it really time?"

Pierre grinned, nodding, "Almost. I'm just here to grab Grand-mére Fleur first to guide her to her seat."

Charles' grandmother looked up with a smile as she slowly got off the couch, hooking her arm with Pierre. "Oh, thank you, Pierre. You always were such a gentleman."

Sofia snickered as her fiancé's grandmother pinched Pierre's cheek. The man pursed his lips as a blush coated his cheeks before he left the room.

"I'm getting married!" Sofia suddenly squealed as she turned to her four bridesmaids, jumping up and down in excitement.

One of Charles' groomsmen and Charles' older brother, Lorenzo, approached the women, knocking on the doorframe as they entered. Lorenzo smiled as he greeted Sofia's bridesmaids, "Ladies, you guys look beautiful." He then turned to the bride, grabbing her hands softly as he examined her, "Sofia, you look absolutely amazing."

Sofia smiled and looked up in his eyes, "Thank you, Lorenzo."

Lorenzo smiled with a nod and squeezed Sofia's hands before he turned to face her maid of honor, "Aurora?"

"Yeah?" Aurora turned to the man, pushing back her brunette hair.

"Can Louis and I talk to you outside for a minute, please?" He asked a bit worriedly and gestured to the hallway outside of the room.