The Blackmail Bride

Chapter 35 Part 2

Someone gave me a review regarding this story. According to the review, the story is losing focus. I agree to a certain extent. Although TBB is still in the correct flow, I have added in a few things that were not necessary. They are a product of my stress so... let me try to fix it up. I like to tell myself the whole thing is unedited anyway.

*Wink wink*

Confrontations

"Let's greet the guests, Isla." Jace repeated when I stared at him too long silently.

I turned my head in Claire Smith's direction.

"What do you keep looking at?" Jace turned too.

Claire was gone. My eyes returned to Jace. He met me with a questioning stare.

She was just there. Didn't Jace see her?

It appeared he didn't.

Jace stood up and offered me a hand. I took it, glancing one last time at the empty space where the woman was. My mind almost believed she was a figment of my imagination. But she wasn't. She was there and she was taunting me.

Being tired and furious gave me ideas I knew I'd regret. It made me want to lash out at Jace away and make a run for it. It made me want to make a scene in front of four hundred people who bought this wedding for a joyous event. And before they could eat me up, I tamped the feelings down. I locked them up behind other pressing thoughts and clung to Jace's arm with a serene smile.

The first table was easy enough. We greeted Tristan and Vinn, Jace's friends. Strangely, beside Tristan was Sierra, Jace's assistant. In the same table, Denver Miller also sat across from his grandson and three more of the more respectable older guests smiled at us.

Vinn stood up, his whole face red, mortified. "I'm sorry! It came out all wrong. I'll tell the guests—"

"Yes, Vinn," Tristan laughed out loud, "Dig yourself a deeper grave. Why not? Need me to get you a script this time?"

Sierra rolled her eyes as she glared at Tristan, "You put the kid to it, didn't you? Shouldn't you be the best man?"

Tristan was grinning down at the lady beside him, "Do I look like I frequent weddings? Compared to Vinn—"

Sierra held out a hand in front of Tristan's face, "You have the worst reputation among you three. Who would want to listen to you speak. I agree."

They started to argue, forgetting Vinn who was still standing there. Everyone liked to call him a kid. Seeing him like this, I was reminded again. But his speech just now...

Denver Miller smiled affectionately at his grandson, "You keep talking about business lately, Vinn. If you want a position in the company—"

Vinn looked even more flustered now, waving his hands crazily in front of him. "N-No, Sir! I'm perfectly fine out of the management!"

Vinn's grandfather turned to me, inclining his head in apology. "His physical appearance fools a lot of people but my grandson's still a clueless impressionable child. Vinn is practically just happy to be included by his friends. If we're going to talk about mental maturity, you're decades ahead, Mrs. Black."

Mrs. Black.

I wouldn't get used to the title for a while. I was Jace Black's wife now. But maturity?

The sincere expression the old man had on his face seemed to soften something inside of me, "It's fine, sir. Though I'm not sure about being mature. I'm probably just as clueless."