Marriage Of Secrets

His unexpected request

Karla was seated before the mirror, rocking her wedding gown in silence. She could hardly imagine how her life would be as soon as she signed those marriage documents. How the hell would Anderson even treat her? She fidgeted with her fingers, feeling anxious. There was so much she wished she knew, and just like her mum's life, she felt lost. Everything was making her anxious. Everything was making her feel out of place. Her phone rang, and her eyes darted at it. It was Gabriel's call. A drop of tears fell from her cheeks, and she immediately hung it up. This sent his call to the previous ten missed calls she ignored.

"Are you ready?" The make-up artist asked as she walked back into the room. Karla nodded and stood up in her wedding gown. "Alright, come with me."

The lady led her out of the room, and a bodyguard escorted her to the exit. Her phone was ringing nonstop, and she kept hanging it up.

"Who keeps calling?" The driver asked in suspicion.

"Nothing," she smiled weakly.

O! God! This was what she got for telling Gabriel about her marriage. She was only trying to be transparent and nothing more. She freaking told him it was a compromise, and she did it for her mother. Why wasn't he understanding? Why was he troubling her so much? She reluctantly turned her phone off and placed it in her silver purse.

Her eyes stared out of the window, and she felt a bit uncomfortable. She had an odd feeling she couldn't explain. Perhaps her heart didn't want to get married. Well, whatever the case may be, she wasn't taking back her decision.

The trumpet sounded as she stepped her legs out of the car, and there were so many servants hovering around her. She felt like a literal princess. Flower girls poured flowers on her pathway, and different cameramen took photographs. This caused her to feel anxious, and made her grip her gown tightly. Was this all a dream? How come so many people adored her this much? She has never gotten that much attention before. The choir began the hymns, and she walked straight to the altar by herself. Anderson stood in front of the pastor waiting for her. She buried her nervous thoughts and kept walking. There was mumbling, and the sound of a spinning fan sunk into her ears. But she didn't let that stop her. As soon as she was before the priest, she turned to face Anderson. They stared at each other. Anderson looked very nice in his cream suit and gold dangling chains. His hair was nicely cut, and his pink lips shone as if he had used lip gloss or something. Wow, he did take his time to prepare himself that day. Karla was so focused on his looks that she didn't notice his constant stare at her. He hadn't looked away from her and this felt disturbing. Why the hell was he piercing his light blue eyes into hers? She didn't understand. Or does he wish to take out his camera and snap her in the middle of the wedding? As if he realized his stares were disturbing, he looked away and ran his hand over his pointed nose. Alright, perhaps he felt just the embarrassment she felt. The wedding went on smoothly. And when it was time to take the vows, the pastor called for anyone who was against their relationship.

That was a waste of saliva! Who the hell would be against a private wedding?

"She is my fiancée!" Gabriel screamed from the entrance. "There is no way I am letting you marry the love of my life! This makes no sense! She is my damn girlfriend!"

Karla's eyes widened in shock, and she gazed at the entrance. How the hell did Gabriel track them down?! She told him about the wedding, but not the venue. Karla felt anxious, and sweat dripped down her forehead in embarrassment. Anderson's guards hurried to grab Gabriel and kick him out, but Anderson gestured to them to stop. He gave Karla a look of disappointment, before leaving the altar and joining Gabriel.

"Tell me the full story," he ordered Gabriel, with his arms folded. Karla knew she was in trouble. Her breathing began to quicken and her hands trembled.

"That lady at the altar is my fiancée," Gabriel explained. "I promised to marry her, but never gave her a ring yet. I wanted to propose as soon as I got my promotion. But she had to be a backstabber! She had to be a betrayal. You cannot trust her, Anderson. She is a gold digger. That lady standing there cares about no one but herself!"

Anderson had heard enough. He tapped Gabriel on the cheek before whispering something into his ears. Everyone was confused about what was going on. What the hell were these two men murmuring to each other? Gabriel turned to stare at Karla one last time before leaving. The guards hadn't bothered to throw him out. He just left voluntarily. This caused Karla more tension. What the hell did Anderson tell her boyfriend? Why did the guy take it so lightly? There was no way she wished anything bad on Gabriel, but how the hell did he make Anderson react so calmly?

There was no way Anderson would want to marry her still! The marriage was as good as gone!

Anderson gazed into her eyes, still disappointed, before standing in front of her at the altar.

"I knew I should trust you," he said with a look of hatred. " You are someone that should be put at arm's length because I believe you are evil. All this while, my gut feeling warned me against you. You have been so meek and humble, but I never wanted to believe it. My gut feeling was right. You had the confidence to treat your own boyfriend as trash. If you could treat poor Gabriel like that, I wonder how you would treat your husband. Perhaps you would kill him in his sleep at night just for wealth."

Karla felt like a defamed woman stripped before an entire town. She clenched her bouquet of flowers, trying so hard not to cry. None of this makes sense anymore. This guy was constantly attacking her, and she couldn't help but wonder why? What the hell had he researched about her and Why does he hate her so much?

"Continue with the wedding," Anderson ordered the pastor. The pastor didn't have a good feeling about the marriage anymore. Karla was looking mentally drained, and the pastor saw it. But since he was paid, he had to go through with it regardless.

After the exchange of rings, they both thanked the guests and got into the car.

"I am sorry if I seemed harsh in church," Anderson apologized. "But I do not like you very much. You give me a bad aura and remind me of someone I hate."

Karla rolled her eyes, as she cleared her tears.

"That's why you researched on me, and promised to help my mother," she connected the pieces together.

"You are right," he agreed with a nod. He poured himself some champagne. "You do not have to pretend anymore. Just show your true colors. Your eyes light up at the sight of shiny things."

She scoffed and turned away from him.

"That's what you all think. You wealthy people do not have shame. You think that, because I am poor, I do not have a reputation of my own. I have my own morals, Anderson! I do not want your wealth! I hate it with passion. What I want right now is to help my mother! I have said it so many times! Why would you judge me based on a girl who freaking hurt you a long time ago?! I am not even a freaking lady!"

"I never said a girl hurt me, but okay," he dropped the glass of champagne. "If you are doing this for your mother as you said, I am sure you told your mother about my help and about us. I am sure you spilled the entire truth of what I did for her." There was silence. Karla got stuck since she knew she didn't. But she had done that to protect her mother, and nothing more. Why was this guy twisting the whole truth? His eyes pierced into hers, and he drew closer to her. Her heart raced against her chest as she drew herself away from him. "You told her about me, didn't you?"

Karla nodded, unsure of what else to say. She couldn't say otherwise, else he would judge her for it as well.

"Fine," he adjusted his suit and focused back on his drink. "I want you to arrange a meeting with her soon when I am free. I wish to see her in person. Perhaps after my conversation with her, I will see if you are telling me the truth or not."

Gracious Lord! What the hell could Karla do? How could she tell her mum that she had married someone else and not Gabriel?! The lady was already planning a virtual wedding in her head. And the doctor warned Karla about shocking her mother.

"Can I have some?" Karla asked as she grabbed the champagne to pour a drink for herself.

"Whatever makes you keep plotting in your head," Anderson wasn't making things better.

She poured a glass before gulping it in. The taste was horrible but what does she care! She was in big trouble!

Dammit!