Chapter 5 This Is A Nightmare

Mia:

The early morning sun filtered through the drapes, spreading a golden glow across the room. I looked in the mirror at myself, dressed in a gorgeous white gown, ready to marry Lorenzo Knigthon, as if no drama happened last weekend at the Cafe where we signed the marriage contract.

Flashback to a week ago

I sat still as I watched this hot, beautiful lady with blonde hair come to our table. "Who is this bitch, Lorenzo," woow I am the bitch - I thought to myself.

"Hey Victoria, how are you doing, and what are you doing here?" Oh, he knows her was all I murmured.

Lorenzo, don't "How are you me", I thought we had a plan, and I thought you already agreed that this is all going to work out, remember, we are supposed to be married this weekend, - She yelled at him.

Mar-married? Is marriage a joke to him, and does he do this for business?

Victoria calm down, I'll explain this to you better, but for now - He said, as he dragged her outside to limit the embarrassment she was causing at our table.

Wait for me, I'll be back, he said to me as he left.

Woow, wait for him?? I thought, Is this even funny? I know this is a contract but he should at least keep to his word. We've not even left where we just signed our marriage contract, there is someone already claiming they were supposed to be married.

I picked up my already cold coffee to drink which was disgusting when I heard his voice again. "That shouldn't have happened, he said coldly" - Anyways, I believe we are done here, our contract has been signed already, and we're getting married next week.

"Next week? No explanation of what just happened?"

" I owe you no explanation, Mia", he said as he walked out of the Cafe, leaving me dumbfounded.

Emily, my best friend, and maid of honor, brought me back from my reverie as she walked into the room with a smile on her face.

"Are you ready to be Mrs. Knighton?" I still can't believe you're doing this. Getting married to a billionaire? This is straight out of a movie!"

"More like a horror comedy with a touch of drama," I said trying to vibe with her joke.

"Come on, you must be secretly thrilled to be the next Mrs. Knighton."

I faked a smile. "I guess I am."

"You've got this babe. You'll walk down the aisle like the goddess you are."

The violin strains turned into a melodious song, signifying my turn to take the stage. The petals littered over my path resembled a dream trail, taking me to an unknown future.

Ready? - Emily asked happily. " Yeah, let's do this, I replied nervously."

As I walked down the aisle with Emily behind me, my hold on the bunch of white roses weakened faintly. I felt the weight of Lorenzo's eyes on me as I moved. His emerald eyes pierced mine with such intensity that nervousness ran down my spine. It was as though he could kill me with that icy gaze without ever raising a finger.

I almost ran back, "This is a mistake" - I thought, but what do I do? I agreed to do this, and I won't go back on my words, I guess I'll teach him how to love me.

**************

"If anyone objects to this union, speak up now or forever hold your peace."

For a brief time, my heart skipped with the yearning hope that someone - anyone - would object and put an end to this charade. The hush that followed, on the other hand, was deafening.

The ring exchange was a frozen moment in time, a picture of unspoken emotions. I clutched the thin band, chilly on my fingertips, a symbol of a promise that felt more like a contract.

Lorenzo's normally opaque gaze met mine for a split second and a universe of complexities passed between us.

My voice held the weight of unspoken worries and unfulfilled hopes as I said my vows. The words seemed taught and scripted, lacking the enthusiasm that should have accompanied the celebration.

Each phrase slipped from my lips, whisked away by the breeze like dream pieces falling through my fingers.

"Do these words mean anything to him?" I couldn't help but think.

It was then his turn. As he kept my gaze, the quiet stretched, his features a pattern of unreadable thoughts. His hold on the ring was unyielding, a witness to his commitment to carry out this ruse. -

The officiant's pronouncement of our marriage resonated in my ears, but it felt more like a sentence than a celebration. I caught a glimpse of the guests, their grins and enthusiasm hiding the underlying tension in the air.

"Is this how it's supposed to feel? "Is this my happily ever after?"

The kiss that followed was merely a brush of lips, devoid of the passion that a freshly married couple should have felt. I closed my eyes as Lorenzo's lips contacted mine, willing myself to believe in the enchantment that love was supposed to produce. But all I could feel was his icy mouth against mine, a reminder that this was no fantasy.

I couldn't help but feel the weight of their expectations as we turned to face our visitors, my hand linked with Lorenzo's. In the face of my uncertainties, the smiles and congratulations seemed empty. Emily, my best friend, stood at my side, her supportive grin hiding her concern.

"You're doing great, Mia." - Emilly whispered, "You know, in movies, this is where they reveal the surprising twist."

"Yeah, like the groom being a secret spy."

We exchanged a chuckle, a momentary relief from the gravity of my situation. But as I looked across the room at Lorenzo with his father greeting their guests, a cold ran down my spine. His eyes were intense as if he could see through me to the thoughts and worries I frantically sought to conceal.

As if the day hadn't already been full of shocks, the lady from the other day arrived at the reception. Her presence was a stumbling block, a reminder of the tangled web that had become our marriage.

Lorenzo saw her and went to her straight, I could see from the movement of his mouth asking her, "What are you doing here"

She didn't even respond but walked straight to the microphone.

Emily's grip on my arm tightened, her comforting presence a wordless reassurance as we confronted this new turn.

"Ladies and gentlemen, if I may have your attention," she says loudly. "I have some news to share."

My heart hammered in my chest, the day's uncertainties culminating in this moment. The room became hushed as Victoria's words rang out, every eye on her.