Chapter 2 The wedding

"Bianca Lionel, do you take Lucas Campbell as your lawful wedding husband? For better and for worse, for rich and for poor till death do you apart?" The priest asked.

"Yes, I do," Bianca answered.

"Lucas Campbell, do you take Bianca as your lawful wedded wife? For rich and for poor till death do you apart." The priest asked again.

"Yes, I do." He mumbled.

"You may now kiss the bride." The priest smiled.

Lucas pulled Bianca in for a hug instead of a kiss.

The celebration went on till night. Lucas introduced Bianca to all of his friends from the army which made Bianca convinced Lucas was in a bad mood the other day.

They both went into Lucas's house. The day Bianca has finally been waiting for. To finally get married to her childhood friend.

Bianca had had her shower and had worn the silky nightwear her naughty friends got for her. Lucas came into the room and rushed into the bathroom to shower.

Bianca lay on the bed right lateral position. Lucas came out of the bathroom, changed into his nightwear and left the room.

Bianca stood up from the bed.

"Lucas! Lucas!! Where are you going?" She asked.

"Staying away from you." He glared as he turned to look at her.

"What have I done to deserve this ill treatment from you? You were not like this before." Bianca said.

"I hate you Bianca and I don't want to be anywhere near you. I've told you I married you because of my parents so don't expect me to fulfill my duties as your husband." Lucas yelled.

Bianca summoned up all her courage and walked into Lucas's room. He was sitting on the bed. "Lucas," she said, her voice quiet and tentative. "It's time to consummate the marriage. It's your duty, as we just got married. It's what we agreed upon." She swallowed hard, her eyes fixed on him. "I know you may not feel the same way about me as I do about you, but this is the way things must be."

He stepped forward, his face contorted with rage. "How dare you come here and demand that from me," he spat, his voice seething with contempt. "You're nothing but a worthless, pathetic excuse for a woman. I deserve better than you. I deserve someone who loves him, not some scheming little gold digger like you. Not some woman who sleeps around and marries someone just to strengthen her own business. And if you think I'm going to consummate the marriage with you, you're delusional. I hate you. I'm disgusted by you." Lucas yelled.

Before Bianca could react, a loud doorbell rang through the silence of the room. Lucas whirled around and stormed out of the room, his fists clenched and his face still burning with anger. "Who the hell is it?" he muttered under his breath as he made his way to the door. He threw it open, only to find another woman standing on the other side, her face pale and drawn, her eyes wide with fear. "Oh Charlotte?" he exclaimed, his rage quickly turning to shock. "What the hell are you doing here? He raised his brow.

Lucas took a moment to compose himself, his anger slowly dissipating as he realized that it was Charlotte who was at the door. He was happy, at least she would lighten up his mood. She was wearing nothing but a scrap of cloth that barely covered her modesty, her long, dark hair cascading down her back in dishevelled waves. Her eyes were wild and her breath came in short gasps, as if she had been running. "What's wrong?" Lucas asked, his voice gentle and concerned. "Are you hurt?" The woman shook her head, her eyes still wide with fear.

Lucas scooped the woman up in his arms, cradling her against his chest with surprising tenderness. "It's okay," he murmured, his voice low and reassuring. "You're safe now." He carried her through the hallway and into his room, kicking the door shut behind him. "Just relax," he said, laying her gently on the bed. "Thanks for coming over." The woman sat up, her eyes darting around the room as if searching for something or someone. Lucas sat down beside her, his hands resting on his knees.

Bianca stood outside Lucas's room, her face flushed with rage and jealousy. She had heard the sound of footsteps and a door slamming, and she had followed the sound to Lucas's room. Her fists balled at her sides as she pounded on the door, her voice shrill and insistent. "Lucas!" she cried. "Open this door right now! I know you've got that woman in there with you, and I won't stand for it!" She sobbed, her tears running down her face as she remembered Lucas's harsh words from earlier.

She started hearing moans and whimpers coming from the room.

"Lucas! Stop that now. This is our wedding night and I won't let you disrespect me in my matrimonial home." Bianca yelled as she banged on the door.

"Lucas! Lucas!!" She cried but got no answer. Instead, the moans grew louder and louder.

Bianca was hurt. Her childhood friend and her boyfriend since high school was treating her like trash. "What's going on? Why did he change all of a sudden?" Bianca was left confused. She didn't know what else to do again. The Lucas she knew was madly in love with her. He was caring and always there for her. How did he change to this annoying nonchalant husband?

Bianca stormed off, her heart heavy with pain and confusion. She stumbled down the hallway, her mind racing as she tried to make sense of what was happening. "Why?" she asked herself, her voice breaking with emotion. "Why doesn't he love me? Why doesn't he want me?" She collapsed on the bed in her room, her body wracked with sobs. She couldn't understand why she had been rejected by Lucas, the only man she loved most in the world. She buried her face in her hands, her tears soaking into the pillow as she tried to come to terms with her shattered dreams.