Marriage with 'The Beast'

Chapter 28 - Is this really necessary?

My legs felt like noodles when I stepped out of the limo and saw City Hall.

I held my breath as we entered the wedding registration office. 

I can't believe that this is what my life's come to now. 

"Mason Wilson and Sarah Rai?" The man behind the desk asked looking up from a stack of papers. I nodded and so did Mason. "You're our last appointment. We're ready for you right through there." He pointed to his left. 

I noticed my hands shaking and squeezed them together in front of me. So hard, that my engagement ring was painfully digging into the fingers beside it. 

Our witnesses, Mike and Tracy stood a couple steps behind us as we stood in front of a middle-aged woman with a soft voice. "We are gathered here to join this man and this woman in matrimony, which is an honorable estate and is not to be entered into lightly but with great reverence and discretion. From this day forward, you will belong entirely to each other. Together in mind. Together in heart. Together in soul." She paused for a moment and looked at me. I didn't notice that there were tears in my eyes. I guess I just hadn't imagined my marriage to happen like this, without my family, and with a man that was blackmailing me. 

"She's just nervous and is missing her parents," Mason answered coolly. I looked down in shame. Mason was making a spectacle of such a pure and beautiful relationship. And I'll never forgive him for that. 

The woman cleared her throat before continuing again. "Together in heart. Together in soul. For all eternity. Mason, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?" He'd already opened his mouth, before clamping it shut when he realized there was more. "Do you promise to love, honor, and protect her in sickness and in health till death do you part?" She looked him in the eye. 

I turned to look at his cold, stern face before looking away, "I do." 

I closed my eyes, I wanted to laugh. Now he was lying. To the government along with everyone else here. Even God.

"Sarah, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to love, honor, and protect him in sickness and in health till death do you part?" 

I swallowed the large lump in my throat, convincing myself that even though I didn't want to marry Mason, it was happening. So I would have to do my part. I would not lie. 

"I do." 

She smiled, "do you have the rings?" 

I honestly didn't know, so I stared at Mason who looked confused for a second until Mike turned up beside him. "Here," Mike mumbled before pulling out two bands, both in two tone gold.

Mason held my left hand delicately before sliding a band right above the ring from our engagement. They slide together into one perfectly, like they were purchased as a set. It had a row of diamonds all the way around with the two tone gold behind it. 

My heartbeat quickened as I held onto his ring. It was quite similar to the engagement ring I'd picked for him, with just one diamond in the middle, but thinner. I slid it on his ring finger as well, glimpsing at how nice it looked along the engagement ring. 

I felt the world halt to a stop as I heard the woman's voices sound more like whispers even though she was right beside me. I just wanted to relish in this moment. He wasn't going to be my fiance anymore. I was getting married. We were a unit now. Two bodies, one soul.

However; I didn't get to enjoy my alone time to myself because suddenly I heard, "... I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."