Chapter 3 THE NEWLY WED

AUDREY'S POV

For the first time in so many years, I was back again in the Smith's mansion. A wonderful driveway with fountains. Gardens and beautiful flowers lining each side of the driveway. It seemed like only yesterday when we were just about seven playing around the porch but now, I was back as his wife.

Liam still hadn't spoken to me after the wedding procession. Now, it was time for the after party. His father has it planned out very well.

"Darling please, come inside. I'll tell the maid to show you to your room where you'll change into something lighter." Robert said and turned to the side.

"You there," he called out to a maid that was walking by,

"Take her and get her ready for the after party." He said and left me in her care.

She took me to a room and brought out a box from the bottom of a dresser then she handed it to me without saying a word. After that, she left the room, closing the huge white double doors as she left.

I sat on the bed just staring at the box. I opened the lid and got out a strapless red body con dress. It was so red and it looked very pretty.

I put it on and looked at myself in the huge standing mirror. It didn't feel like I was staring back at myself. I looked very different.

I heard a soft knock on my door. Another maid came over,

"They're all waiting for you ma'am." She said,

I gave her a small smile and then followed her out of the room. It was a very long and spiral staircase with golden rails. They all began to clap as soon as I started to defend from the stairs. It felt so surreal.

"Everyone, welcome the newest member of the Smith family." Robert announced.

They all began to give me handshakes as soon as my feet touched the ground.

"Welcome, it's such a shame that your father could not see you at this moment or your poor mother."

It was none other than Clarissa, Liam's annoying twin sister. I guess she will never change. She has always been so spiteful since we were little.

I just gave her a small smile to avoid any kind of drama.

"It's so nice to have you in our family. You'll need all the advice you can get to actually get by," she leaned into me with a huge smile plastered on her face ,

"I'd like to be your sister here, you know, girl talk and all. It'll be so much fun." She said and first out laughing hysterically.

She even earned the attention of everyone at the huge parlor.

I simply smiled. It's what I've been doing the entire day and night. I was just too shy to talk to anyone and my father was still nowhere in sight and that really hurt me so much but I still tried to put on a smile and look happy and plus, Albert was with me so I was okay, I guess.

"Okay, let's all make a toast to the newlyweds." Clarissa announced with a glass of champagne in her hands.

Everyone stopped to look at her, attention seeker. That must be her hobby.

"To have a long life, plenty of children and of course great sex." She said and burst into laughter,

and everyone followed suit, not that I found anything funny in what she said.

"Cheers guys." She announced.

"Cheers!!!" They all echoed.

"Can someone take a picture of the bride and the groom. It should be on all newspaper tabloids and also on the internet?" Someone in the crowd shouted.

Clarissa gasped, "oh that would be such a good idea."

Then she looked at me mischievously, "thankfully," she paused and looked back at the crowd,

"Our father," she raised a glass to him which he smiled to,

"Has invited the press here."

"Whoaaa." People's astonished screams filled the whole place.

They all seemed to be more excited than I, who is even getting married.

The paparazzi flooded the parlor. Liam was made to stand beside me.

"Can you move a little closer to each other?" A lady with a big camera asked.

He shuffled closer to me but still not close enough. I could feel it. It was one of their moments when you feel like they are present but they still aren't with you. That's exactly how I was feeling at this point. It was like he wanted it all to be over fast. I wanted the same thing. My legs were starting to hurt.

"Oh, they look so good together." A male photographer who acted like he was gay said and took a shot of us.

The flashes were beginning to sting and my cheeks were also hurting from smiling too much.

Don't get me wrong, I was happy that I was finally getting married to my childhood crush. I mean who wouldn't be but, it all felt like it was happening so fast and things would spin out of control at some point. I didn't think my marriage or rather union with Liam would be this.... grand. But then again, nothing could be done to save me.

I was simple but this was way bigger than me.

"Hold hands, look more romantic. Liam , chin up." Robert said as he stood beside the photographers while they took pictures of us.

Finally, it was over and I could breathe. They all then went to the pool yard to have a blast while I retired to the kitchen.

Clarissa came over to me,

"You must be having a lot of fun?" She asked with a smile on her face while she got a bottle of wine from the mini wine cellar.

"It has been... fun so far." I replied hesitantly. I didn't want to say anything I might regret later.

"Well, enjoy yourself darling. Just bear it in your mind that good things like this one, don't last forever."

Wait what?

Did she just say that?

She sighed and took her glass and raised it up to my face,

"I hope you have a blissful marriage, although I doubt it." Then she left.

Now, that didn't sound right or was that my ears playing tricks on me?