Shadow

Chapter 22: The Wedding

My reflection stared back at me. Finally the D-day came, where no one can prevent the marriage between me and Gabriel.
My make up artist did the perfect job by dolling me up in the wedding dress Gabriel selected for me. Contouring, highlighting and the foundation, everything was at it’s perfect place.
But even after that, my face looked blank. As if make up was not enough for me, for the special occasion. Not enough to cover my tension lines.
Of course, I needed smile on my face. The glow of happiness, the touch of contentment and the finishing of ecstasy was still missing from my face.
I exhaled and relaxed my shoulders, trying to fix my high climbing expressions.
I felt this even after that night, where my shadower kept following me. But whenever I tried to approach him, either he fled or I was interrupted by some other person.
And most of the time, it was Gabriel who interrupted me. I just don’t know, how the fuck he knew every single time.
But other than that, he never contacted me. He remained in his own world.
Unbothered by me, he preferred to remain in his own shell.
The door unlocked and my mother’s reflection came on the mirror in front of me.

“Mum.”

I stood up from chair and turning back I hugged her, clinging to her body for my dear life. I missed her so much.

“Darling.”

In response, she patted my back.

“How are you doing?”

She questioned and I sniffed. I don’t know for some reason, moisture found it’s way to my eyes. Several emotions enraptured my heart like some case.

“I am good.”

My voice came out like a squeezed lemon. She held my face in between her palms and looked at me.

“Sydney?”

“I am good. I assure you. It was just my marriage and all got me emotional and tensed up.”

She looked at me momentarily, before worries enshrouded her.
A mother’s instincts, it never lies.

“If you don’t want this marriage, you can always..”

“..Mum, I already told you I want this. There is nothing wrong between me and Gabriel.”

She looked for some moment at me eyes, before she rubbed her palm on my face.
Yes! I tried to convince myself more than her. And she saw through it.

“You were always an amazing kid Syd. You never troubled us. I wish Lord of heaven provides with whatever is best for you.”

I smiled on her words. Words full of love and blessings.

“Everything happens for a reson mum. Just relax, it’s no big deal.”

She nodded her head, smiling and tears glistening eyes, threatening me to fall off the brim any given moment.

“Anyways. You look absolutely beautiful princess.”

She sniffed before holding my hand.

“Don’t cry, you will smudge your makeup on your big day.”

I smiled at her concern. She is so adorable.
Soon the time came and my father walked my down the aisle.
Every other eye down the lane was on me. And including his.
His blue eyes penetrated the thin layer of my fabric, giving feather tickles to my skin.
He examined every bit of me. From my foot to the curls of my hairs. And finally they landed directly on my eyes.
Those intense blue eyes holding the depth of ocean. His jaws clenched and fist tightened. But his eyes remained unshifted. They continued to crumble me under his pressure.
We walked near him and my father raised my hand for him to take.
But his eyes were too busy to inspect mine. A good minute passed and he didn’t took it.
My father cleared his throat, before he decided to pull him out of his delulu world.

“Gabriel.”

He finally came out of his line of thinking and looked at my rose hand.
Taking it, he ran his thumb on my fingers as if is touching silken embroidery, sending unknown sensations down to my core.
The officiants words finally broke our eye contact.

“Who presents this woman to be married to this man?”

My father replied with tears in his eyes.

“I do.”

The marriage ceremony begun and with our vows “I take as my husband or wife.” It proceeded to ring exchange.
A bright, Oppenheimer blue diamond ring landed on my ring finger.
Gabriel placed a simple peck on lips and stood straight back.
After the ceremony, dinner and
Dance started.

“You are looking beautiful today.”

He spoke in low tone, saturating honey in my ears. And rather than smiling, my expressionless face turned more dead.

“Thank you.”

We walked hand in hand across the hall.

“Least you could do is smile.”

I looked at him. I hurt him. Again.

“I..”

“I know you didn’t wanted this marriage, but I did. I was dying to marry you. Grandmother was just an excuse. Mind that.”

Saying his part, he left me right in the middle of the hall and walked away to the bar.
And his words, “I was dying to marry you.” Echoed in my ears.
Standing there, he talked to different guests, while having champagne glass one after the other.
And while having that, his eyes constantly found mine. Our gaze did collided each other’s, but immediately I turned them to focus on some other direction. I cant afford the heavy touch of his burning gaze.
Not now.
Soon the party came to an end and I knew what came next. Generally, couple leaves for their honeymoon the vary same night.
But couples, and we are just a newly wedded pair, not couples.
Giving excuse of my work, I got this delayed for now.
But what’s the use, now we will be travelling down to my house, with my intoxicated husband. Husband who looses his power to think straight when is under the influence of alcohol.
Before marriage, I asked Gabriel for a favour. And that is that we will be living in my house for now. I discussed my problem where I find it difficult to adjust under circumstances that is new for me.
And to my surprise, he promptly agreed to my condition. Hence we rode back to my house.
Gabriel’s chauffeur dropped us and went to park the Rolls-Royce in basement.
I fumbled through the lock and entered house, closely followed by Gabriel. He still didn’t spoke a word. I took it as a time to part our ways.
Turning back I smiled at him.

“I shall go and get myself changed. It was a long day.”

He still didn’t changed his expressions. His heavy lidded eyes hovered over mine. Touching and pin pricking me all over my body.
An awkward silence stretched it’s arms in between us. Without another word, I turned back to head in direction of my room.
But before I can take another step, he tugged my wrist from behind, and twirling me, threw my body effortlessly on his broad shoulders.

“Gabriel.”

I screamed on the top of the lungs. Has he gone mad or what. What nonsense is he thinking?

“Put me down this instant.”

I threw my hands free on his back. But did it caused any change on my condition where I was hanging upside down like some cloth drying in summer wind?
Well no. He kept his march on, in his own decided path.

“Gabriel, don’t you even think of crossing this line of yours.”

I screamed once more, as fear crept it’s way up to my heart. Something bad is about to occur.
Reaching for the knob of my room’s door, he unlocked it and threw me on the bed, where I bounced on it and my reception gown hiked up and collected itself near my thighs.
Gabriel’s eyes travelled up my legs on it’s own sloth like pace. Measuring every nook of my skin.
Finally done with his ogling, his eyes met mine, when was free enough to distribute his concentration from my exhibition legs.

“You are so beautiful.”

His voice stealth like velvet ticked down my spine. One corner of bed dipped as he tried getting on it with support of his knees.

“Gabriel.”

I tried going back on bed, but he held my ankle still bounded in straps of my pencil tip heels.

“Why? You don’t want this?”

His voice turned dangerously ignited like Pompeii’s lava, in seconds from silkiest royal fabric.

“No I..”

“You wanted time till our wedding. Don’t you?”

I did. But that doesn’t mean he can force his way on me.

“Yeah I did but..”

“..But you are still not ready?”

He completed me. His clutch around my ankle tightened. I knew minutes later we will hear my talocrural joint crackling.
But before that, he left it and stood up straight.

“I wish I had never committed that mistake.”

‘Mistake? What mistake is he talking about?’

But before I got to ask him about this, he turned back to leave the room. Getting off bed, I straightened my gown and ran behind him.

“Where are you going?”

I got hold of his hand but almost immediately he jerked my hand off his own, taking big steps causing me to almost run behind him.

“Far from you.”

“Listen to me. We can work on this.”

“I am done with getting things work out in between us.”

“Gabriel please.”

But before I get hold of him, he walked out of the house, slamming door on my face.
Soon my house turned still. Dampness enshrouded me like another layer of my own skin.
I looked down at my ring finger, where a blue diamond ring winked back at me.
Yes, my husband left his bride on the wedding night.


Hey my lovely readers,
I wish you all to be fine and healthy.
I hope you all liked the update. Next chapter is going to be something big. Let me know in comment section if liked this chapter.

Thank you,
Your author,,
~Galen_Yana...♡