♥♪ "Serendipitous Love Trails"♪♥

Chapter 4: The Wedding Ceremony

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**Ariah's POV:**

I was shocked to see him. Ehsan, my male best friend, the only person I had ever loved. I didn't know whether to be happy or sad. A whirlwind of emotions and questions clouded my mind. There was an awkward silence between us, so I spoke first to break it.

"Gi, what do you want to talk about?" I asked, my voice trembling.

His response made me weak. I was already traumatized, but his words made me feel helpless. He said he was forced to marry me, that it was just a deal for him. I too was forced into this marriage and had hoped my spouse would understand. But now, everything had changed. Ehsan was the person I had admired all my life, the only man I had ever loved. I couldn't bear the thought of him being forced into this.

He offered to break the marriage if I didn't want it. I whispered, "Don't," thinking about my family's reputation. His next words broke me to my core, even though I had known it from the beginning. He said he still loved his first love and that even after marriage, I would be unloved. Unknowingly, tears flowed, and muffled sobs escaped from my lips. Our conversation was interrupted by footsteps approaching us.

I saw Nyal and Lilly coming towards us with their kids. I tried to wipe my tears from behind my veil. Lilly sensed something was off. Without seeing my tears, she sensed I was crying. She angrily looked at Ehsan and spoke.

"I know, Ehsan, that you are going to marry her, but you are not allowed to hurt her."

Lilly then turned to Nyal, "Nyal, you can talk to our brother-in-law later. Now we have to take back our bride, our Ariah. Her parents are calling her."

Nyal responded, "Yes, you can take our girl back first. I will join you in 5 minutes. I want to talk to our soon-to-be brother-in-law."

As Lilly, with my little munchkin, and I made our way toward the dressing room where my parents awaited, a mix of anticipation and anxiety filled the air. When I approached my mother, expecting a moment of shared emotion as I donned the bridal attire, she gripped my arms.

Her grip wasn't one of consolation or admiration. Instead, it carried a weight of disapproval, punctuated by harsh words that shattered my already tender heart. Most parents would be emotional seeing their daughter in a bridal dress, ready to embark on a new chapter, but my mother's concern was about any potential embarrassment I might cause.

She interrogated me, "Ariah, what new stunt have you pulled that the groom had to call you for a last-minute talk?"

Her words pierced deeply. I yearned for a moment of acceptance before leaving their home. Was it too much to ask for love and trust at this juncture? I attempted to reason with her, pleading for her trust in my intentions.

"Mom, trust me. I haven't done anything. He just wanted to know whether I am forced into this marriage..."

Yet, my attempt was interrupted by another accusation, cutting through my defense.

"Oh! Then you might have insulted us in front of our soon-to-be son-in-law. You might have already told him to cancel this marriage, proving us as the worst parents, didn't you?"

Before the interrogation could escalate, a familiar voice, my little sister Zara, intervened unexpectedly, offering a timely distraction. Sensing the tension, she cleverly diverted attention, pretending to seek our mother for a trivial reason, saving me from further anguish.

As Zara spirited our mother away, leaving me alone in the room, thoughts of my recent conversation with Ehsan echoed in my mind. His words about being coerced weighed heavily on me. Restlessness gripped me. I couldn't bear the thought of his distress. Desperate for a solution, I swiftly reached for my phone and messaged Nyal, my trusted confidant and partner in my ventures.