Finnigan stood in front of the full-length mirror, a mix of emotions flooding his mind as he adjusted his wedding suit. It had been a challenging few months of their engagement, with limited time spent together and frequent small arguments during their rare meetings. Finnigan often chose not to escalate their disagreements, not due to a lack of argumentative prowess but because he saw no benefit in winning trivial battles that only heightened tensions. As he let out a deep sigh, a gentle knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. Opening it, he was surprised to see his future father-in-law waiting outside. His smile was genuine as he invited the older man into the room. "Are you ready?" her father asked. Finnigan nodded with a small smile, "I am ready, Uncle Mark," he replied. The older man chuckled warmly, "Call me dad. You're going to be my son-in-law in just a few minutes." Finnigan nodded again, saying, "Sure, dad. It will be my pleasure to call you Dad." Her father then reached out and affectionately touched his shoulder.
Finnigan noticed that something was troubling his soon-to-be father-in-law. "What's the matter, Dad?" he asked, observing as the older man wiped tears from his eyes. "Soon, all the responsibilities of caring for Brielle will fall on you. I hope you can take care of her. Please be patient with her. I know she has hurt you in the past few months, and I can see how sincere you are about my daughter. I just... Thank you, Finn," he said with teary eyes. Confused, Finnigan responded, "Thank you for what, dad?" The older man replied, "Thank you for being willing to marry my daughter and fulfil our wishes to bond these two families. I know you've sacrificed many of your feelings to make all this happen. I believe that one day, Brielle will accept you."
Finnigan couldn't help but wake up with tears himself. "It's nothing, Dad. You don't have to thank me. My parents have sacrificed a lot for me, so doing this isn't enough to repay what they have given," Finnigan said, smiling through his tears. Mark then embraced Finnigan tightly. "You are a great son. I am fortunate to have you as my son-in-law," he said, gently patting Finnigan's back. "Anyway, I must get ready to walk Brielle down the aisle. I'll see you there." They parted from the embrace, and Finnigan nodded, wiping away his tears. "Okay. See you there," he said, watching his soon-to-be father-in-law leave the room.
At that moment, his closest friend, Michael, strolled in. "All set, buddy?" he asked, beaming. "Yeah, ready to go," he replied, and together they made their way to the altar. As they arrived, he noticed the numerous guests who had already taken their seats. The wedding was held in his parents' lush backyard, the scene lovingly arranged by both of their mothers. The music began to play, and with his eyes fixed on the aisle, he eagerly awaited seeing her and her father. His breath caught as he saw her - Brielle, in her exquisite wedding attire, looked like an ethereal being. Overwhelmed with emotion, tears filled his eyes. On the other side, Brielle struggled to maintain composure as she walked down the aisle, grasping her father's arm tightly. "You'll be fine, princess," her father reassured her quietly. She mustered a smile, though deep down, her heart belonged to another. As she glanced at Finnigan waiting at the altar, she acknowledged his charm, but her heart longed for someone else.
As they approached the altar, Brielle's father placed her hand in Finnigan's. Steve tenderly grasped her hand as they both turned to face the priest. "Shall we begin?" the priest inquired. Both nodded in agreement. "Now, face each other," the priest directed, and they gazed into each other's eyes. Finnigan looked at Brielle with an unmistakable expression of love, but Brielle's eyes seemed distant and vacant.
"We are here today to commemorate one of Today's most profound moments—the union of two hearts—and to honour the value and splendour of love. Let us extend our heartfelt wishes to join the words that will bind this couple in matrimony," the priest began the wedding ceremony.
"Is there anyone who objects to this union?" the priest's voice echoed throughout the chapel, and Steve held his breath, praying for no interruptions. The priest continued, "Today are witnesses to these two lives. For them, amidst the ordinary, the extraordinary has unfolded. They found each other, fell in love, and they cement it with marriage today."
"A successful marriage is a creation. It entails the simple actions of holding hands regardless of age, daily declarations of love, and the understanding that being the right partner is just as crucial as marrying the right person."
As Finnigan stood at the altar, he couldn't ignore the unease in Brielle's eyes as the priest spoke solemnly. It was no secret that their love was one-sided, with only Finnigan harbouring deep feelings for her. However, he couldn't shake off the memories of conversations with Brielle's father and their last meeting in his room. When the priest asked, "Do you, Finnigan Lee Byrne, take Brielle Elise Murphy to be your lawfully wedded wife?" Finnigan gazed into Brielle's eyes and confidently replied, "I do," with a warm smile. The priest continued, "Do you promise to love, honour, cherish, and protect her, forsaking all others and holding only unto her?" Once again, Finnigan affirmed, "I do." The priest turned to Brielle and asked, "Do you, Brielle Elise Murphy, take Finnegan Lee Byrne to be your lawfully wedded husband?" Brielle hesitated, exchanging a meaningful glance with Finnigan before slowly uttering, "I do," bringing immense relief to them and their families. "Do you promise to love, honour, cherish, and protect him, forsaking all others and holding only unto him?" Brielle nodded softly and said, "I do," prompting a bittersweet smile from Finnigan, who understood that her agreement was a struggle.
The money nt had arrived for the exchange of rings. Finnigan's best man solemnly passed the wedding rings to the priest, who then spoke of the rings as an unbroken circle of love symbolizing the union of the couple's marriage. The priest then handed the ring to Finnigan, who took it and gently slid it onto Brielle's finger, proclaiming, "This ring is my sacred gift, with my promise that I will always love you, cherish you, and honor you all the days of my life. With this ring, I thee wed." Brielle took the ring from the priest and slid it onto Finnigan's finger, repeating the same heartfelt vows. "With my power, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride," the priest declared. As Finnigan and Brielle kissed quickly, the priest announced, "I present to you our newly married couple." The guests erupted into applause and cheers as Finnigan and Brielle, beaming with joy, faced their loved ones and graciously bowed to express their gratitude for their well-wishes.
As the ceremony concluded, they joyfully walked down the aisle to greet their guests and proceed to the wedding reception. The day unfolded precisely as they had envisioned, and Finnigan was incredibly thankful that everything had gone smoothly without any disagreements.
YOU ARE READING
The One
RomanceBrielle Murphy's world shatters when she is forced to marry Finnigan Lee Byrne, a man she doesn't love, as per her parents' wishes. What Brielle doesn't realize is that Finnigan was her childhood friend before she had to move away with her family. U...
