Dressed in a simple white lace sleeveless wedding gown, with her blond hair loosely flowing down her back, Clara stood looking at her reflection thinking how differently she had envisioned this day would be for most of her life. She'd at least thought that Luca would like her and she would be head over heels in love with him.
"You look beautiful niña." Macy looked at her with affection and sadness. "I don't think Mr. Hawthorn intended for it to turn out this way for you, and he probably thought he had time to fix things."
"I know Macy. I don't resent his decision but I had anticipated a very different type of wedding day all my life." She said, resigned to the situation.
"Oh niña, I wish I could make the situation better for you." A tear dropped from Macy's eye as she hugged Clara tightly against her. She was the closest thing Clara had to a mother after her mama died in a car accident when she was three. Macy never married and didn't have children of her own so treated Clara like an adopted daughter. "Any man with half a brain would know that he'd been given a rare gift to have you in his life," Macy confirmed as any good mother would.
She smiled wryly. "It's OK Macy. I'll do what I need to and getting this wedding over and done with is the first step."
"I just wish it had turned out so differently for you niña." Macy lamented again.
"We can't change it now so let's get through this marriage so I can move forward." Clara marched determinedly into her father's office where Luca, and another man she'd seen occasionally, but not recently over the years, stood next to her father's lawyer and the marriage celebrant.
Luca dismissed her with a brief glance but the man next to him eyed her with curiosity and interest. Clara stepped up next to Luca and watched as her wedding proceeded. Their empty vows were spoken and ill-intentioned commitment sealed with rings, a chaste kiss on the cheek, and signatures.
"I'll be back later to consummate this wedding," Luca said to her as they left the office. She heard Macy's gasp behind her and an awkward cough from Luca's friend.
"I'm sorry for Luca's rudeness but we haven't met, I'm Gareth Brentwood."
Clara took his extended hand. "Yes I've seen you come by over the years but we've never been officially introduced. Nice to meet you. Clara Hawth...." She paused and corrected herself, "Clara Stefano."
"Perhaps we should have a round of drinks to mark the occasion?" Gareth hedged, looking between Luca and Clara.
"No, you and I have other plans Gareth." Turning to her he said, "I'll be back later."
Clara simply nodded and made her way upstairs while Macy followed behind. Luca had always been rude and dismissive of her but she never thought that he'd been intentionally cruel. The last couple of weeks had changed her mind and she thought back to the times he'd given her a careless glance as he'd pulled another woman into his bedroom.
"He will regret one day the way that he's treated you niña." Macy patted her on the shoulder as she helped her out of her dress.
"A few weeks ago I would have wished that were the truth but now I don't care Macy. I now know that I loved an image for so long I didn't see the man in reality. I had such delusional romanticism in my brain that it made me deny or excuse his behaviour." She said with resignation, every word emphasising her realisation.
"I'll get your things packed from your room and move them here tomorrow for you niña. I wish it were different for you. I thought that he would come around to the idea once he saw what a beautiful woman you'd grown into." Macy brushed her hair as she'd always done since Clara was a child.
YOU ARE READING
Unrequited
Romance"You've wanted me and you finally got me." He stalked menacingly towards her while unbuttoning his shirt, his eyes never wavering from her. "Does it feel satisfying to have a man who doesn't love or want you?" He taunted. "Are you happy that you'll...
