𝐀𝐥𝐩𝐡𝐚 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠'𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐞

63. The Wedding: I

On a Saturday at midday, the Windsor family's lake house, which stood secluded from the eyes of the people and remained unoccupied most of the time, was bustling with the staff responsible for making the day special for the bride and the groom.

The bushes were well-manicured, and a white tent with luxurious chandeliers hung from the inside, perched on the property. Wooden chairs, white cloth on the table, vintage candle holders, and decorations using lush green leaves among pastel-colored flowers made the venue pleasing to the eyes and serene to the heart.

The wooden deck that extended towards the private lake had been adorned with a floral arch for the couple's photoshoot. A fireworks show was being prepared for later in the night.

The finest of all was the music—and the food! All were meticulously chosen by the best man and the maid of honor according to the bride and groom's tastes, which they realized were mismatched.

"... but I made it work somehow. Being the best man is a tough job, guys. I don't like it. I don't like it at all." Nate, sitting on the stairs, sighed theatrically as he completed his speech in front of five men, who had been clinging to his every word. They nodded in unison.

A scoff came from one of them. "Oh yeah? Why didn't you let me be instead, then?" asked Sean's best friend from high school.

Nate scowled. He stood up and took a few steps forward to tower over him. "Because Joshua, you thought Sean was going to marry that crazy Samantha. Do you want me to tell this to the bride and get you kicked out of the wedding?"

"What!" Joshua cringed. "I didn't even like Sam. I only tolerated her because she was Sean's friend."

Nate narrowed his eyes at him in suspicion. "You're on thin ice, Joshua. Remember that."

"Nate!" Mr. Windsor called from upstairs.

"Bye, girls," said Nate quickly as he made his way towards the groom's dressing room.

**~~~**

The veil, draped over the bride's head, fell gently to cover her face. When she closed and then opened her eyes, her curled lashes glided down and up, brushing against the fabric. The veil's transparency still allowed all those eyes on her to see the most stunning tiara they had ever seen—one of the Bennet family's heirlooms.

Not being part of the family didn't equate to not being part of the bloodline. The tiara, and several other ornaments, as well as the bequest of a hefty sum and lands, had been bestowed upon her as her rights.

Meanwhile, Alexa, the maid of honor, had been going through the photo albums she had secured with the permission of Mr. Windsor. She was in awe as she flipped through the pages of the last album.

"I can't believe the British Royal Family was at Sean's aunt's wedding!" She exclaimed, shaking her head as if she were still in denial, even after calling Mr. Windsor and confirming that these pictures hadn't been photoshopped.

She took the album to the bride and pointed with her finger, "Look at her getting ready. We're in the same room!"

The bride gave her a curt smile.

Aunt Bella had been near the window the whole time, talking to someone on her phone in a hushed tone.

The bride had tuned out the chatter around her.

She continued to observe herself in the mirror, with frequent camera flashes on her face and the sound of shutters clicking in the background.

How was she supposed to do what she was about to do?