Chapter 4 Ariana the last minute Bride

Ariana POV

When I stepped outside the dressing room, I found women resting on the couch. She was indeed beautiful, and I could say that she was the mother of that stranger, my soon-to-be husband, because he got those brown orbs and handsomeness from her.

Knowing my presence, she stood and approached me.

"Thanks for helping us out." She exclaimed with a beautiful smile and took me in a warm hug. I smiled back at her.

"You're looking gorgeous." She caressed my cheek, and I smiled shyly.

"Let's go. My son is waiting for you at the altar." She took my hand, and we were about to go when a man in his 50s entered with a warm smile.

"Thank you." He put his palm on my head in care and exclaimed.

"I'll take you to the altar as your father." Tears formed in my eyes, and he side-hugged me.

Then we moved towards the altar, and my face has covered with the veil. As I was taking steps towards the altar, my heartbeat was crazy.

I stood in front of my stranger, who was going to my husband. I saw only his shoes under my veil.

The priest approached us and started our marriage ceremony.

He asked him to take his vow.

"Do you take Ariana Mason as your lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you apart?" the priest asked.

"I do," he replied curtly, looking at nothing in particular as his eyes void of any emotion he felt because he was also emotionless.

The priest turned to me and asked,

"Do you take Ryan Walter as your lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you apart?" my heart skipped a beat before I responded in a crooked voice.

"I do,"

I felt like I had heard this name before, but where I didn't know. I was in my thoughts when the priest exclaimed, "In the name of the Holy Spirit, I now solemnly declare you husband and wife. Let no one put asunder those that had joined today in the presence of almighty God. You may now kiss the bride." the priest pronounced.

I closed my eyes with a beating heart.

My stranger husband moved to me slowly and lifted my white veil a little. He leaned his head on my right side, and I waited for his stiff lips on my, but a gush of air passed through my face.

I quivered and opened my eyes to know what was delaying him, but to my surprise, he left me alone at the altar, chastened.

I looked in the direction he went, but his back was mocking me.

Why did he leave me alone without kissing? I was his bride, and this was the ritual, but he left me alone. Why? Just because I have replaced or something else. He asked me to marry him himself, then why he left me alone, embarrassed in front of many people. Tears formed in my eyes, but his mother came to me.

"Don't mind him. Let's go. I have to introduce you to some family friends." I smiled before nodding my head. I followed her, and she introduced me to some family friends.

I just passed a smile to them, and then I called his mother.

"I'm not comfortable here. Can I go back to the room?" She looked at me before a warm smile curved to her lips.

"Sorry for your inconvinence." Then she called someone and a man nearly my age came.

"Damien, take her inside. She is not comfortable here."

"Let's go, Ariana." He called me by my name, and I looked at him in disbelief that he knew my name.

"Don't be so shocked. Everyone here knows your name because now you're Ariana Ryan Walter."

I faked a smile because my stranger husband, who accepted me not so long, left me on the altar, and I didn't know where he went. I nodded and followed him to the lounge.

"You can rest here because no one would come here. I'm also here with you. So, rest assured." Saying this, he sat on the couch, and I also took a seat in front of him.

"You didn't ask me my name." He made a cute face before raising his brow.

"Um, what is your name?" I felt embarrassed.

"Alright, I tell you. My name is Damien Devon, and I'm the best friend of your not-so-good husband." He shrugged his shoulder before joining his palm.

I didn't like his calling my husband not so good but who I'm to say anything.

"Well, we can also become friends." I instantly looked at him.

"Normal friends, because you won't have time to see anyone here besides me. That's why you don't have any other choice." I liked him. He had a jocular and carefree personality.

We chatted for a while, and soon we became amiable, and I laughed at his jokes. I beamed with happiness and enjoyed his company, but the fear of a new start and the Aunt was still crawling in my spine. I didn't know what I did was the right decision for me or not because my husband left me just after taking vows.

Ryan's POV

I was waiting for her on the altar with mixed emotions. I felt rage and agony because of what Amaya did. She betrayed me and cheated on me almost for 14 years. How could she fake for such a long time?

Soon, my bride Ariana came with mom and dad.

The wedding dress I brought for Amaya was looking gorgeous to her. She carried it gracefully. Maybe Amaya would look exactly like her, or even more graceful.

Subsiding my thoughts, I diverted my attention to her when my dad gave me her hand. Now she stood in front of me, and I could feel her nervousness.

The priest asked us to take our vows, and we did.

My emotions were nothing more than a mixture of fury and rage. Today my expected bride was Amaya, but now the bride standing in front of me had replaced her.

Ariana was standing before me, taking her place, but in my heart, no one could take her spot because what she was for me, no one could become. Not especially after the betrayal I got from Amaya.

When the priest told us to kiss, I moved towards her and lifted her veil. Her eyes were closed, and her lips were quivering. She looked tempting to me, but no, I can't kiss her. She was my bride but replaced, a last-minute bride only to save our reputation in front of the world.

I leaned on her right side only to show that we kissed, but soon I left from there because seeing her standing in place of Amaya broke my heart.

I moved out of the mansion without thinking about what people would say or my bride.

I drove off to the bar I owned to gulp down my sorrows or calm myself because right now; I was an injured lion who was ready to attack anyone.

I was gulping down the scotch when Damien called me. I lifted his call after a continuous call of five minutes.

"What the hell is with you? Stop irritating me." I yelled at him.

"Don't you know that now you have a wife and today is your first night? It's already 9 pm. Come home fast. She is waiting for you."

"What the fuck? Why is she waiting?" I gulped another glass down my throat.

"Stop acting like a fool. Don't you know why Ariana is waiting for you?"

"Whatever, I'm coming." I ended the call and moved to my car.

When I reached the mansion, it was already 10 pm. I had nothing from yesterday, so my stomach was growling. I moved to the kitchen when my mom reached there. "Where were you?"

I opened my mouth to say something before that she smelled my alcohol.

"I know what you're feeling right now, but it doesn't mean you'll ignore her. Who she is and how you made her agree to marry you everything you have to explain tomorrow."

I nodded and later she served me dinner, and I had it.

"I left her in your room, and I'm sure she is waiting for you. Behave yourself with her."

"Mom, I know what I have to do with her, and please stop this. I'm going to my room." I walked towards my room with mixed emotions, but those feelings were because of Amaya, and what I had to do with the girl in my room. I knew very well.