Chapter 2 The wedding

Her dad was serious when he said she was getting married the next day. Preparations were being made to get her ready for her wedding.

The once empty mansion she visited yesterday, was now bubbling with life as people were seen busying themselves with one task or the other.

As she got her hair done for the wedding, her stylist noticed her distant expression. "Hey, Amelia,are you okay? You seem a little...out of it."

She jolted and sighed,"Just nervous, I guess. Big day ahead."

"But you seem really unhappy. Are you sure you're ready for this?"

"I...I don't know. I mean, I've come this far, right? Might as well see it through." She hesitated a bit.

She smiled, her stylist looked concerned but didn't push the issue further. Once she was done with everything and fully dressed, one of the maids who was very kind led her to a full body- length mirror. "You look beautiful, can I say you're the most beautiful bride I've ever seen?".she said with a sweet smile.

Amelia smiled a bit, although her heart wasn't in it. Who cares if she was beautiful?

Looking forward, she stared at the woman trapped inside the mirror. She was beautiful, and she wore the prettiest wedding gown with intricate designs. Her dad still had eyes for good things, she chuckled. Her long curly hair was placed into a low and elegant bun. It was perfect for the occasion.

Although the woman trapped in the mirror looked as beautiful as everyone said she was, her eyes reflected something else. It reflected fear, fear of her life after this marriage.

She was fully dressed and ready. She walked towards the venue for her wedding, the garden beside her father's compound. The air was filled with the sweet smell of blooming flowers, soft chirping of birds and the golden glow across the garden, casted by the sun's warm light.

Few guests were already seated, family members her dad invited. The priest was standing at the altar but the groom was not there. Maybe the universe was finally smiling at her.

Ava walked up to her, beaming with smiles " who attends his wedding late? his family is not even here that shows they don't even value him".

She moved closer to her and whispered, "I heard he's very ugly and he hangs around with thugs". That being said, she walked away.

Amelia looked helpless as all eyes turned to her. The priest motioned her to walk towards him, The groom is meant to be at the altar waiting for his bride to walk down the aisle but Amelia was doing the opposite.

She nervously walked down the aisle amidst murmurings from guests. What if he really doesn't show up? She have never met him,

"He's such a loser"

" Poor girl, I heard he's jobless"

"So shameless, who keeps the bride waiting?"

She just stood in front of the altar when there was a hushed silence, the sudden silence made her turn and she saw someone being wheeled towards the altar.

Maybe his family members are beginning to come, Amelia thought.

But it wasn't, it was her soon-to-be husband. Her heart plummeted in an instant, when it dawned on her.

Wait, she was getting married to a man in a wheelchair, her eyes widened when he was close to her.

Her eyes met Ava's, she was laughing at her. Who wouldn't laugh? this looked like a prank or something, her family was trying to embarrass her.

All of a sudden, her brain turned to mush. She didn't know what to do or how to react at the moment. Everything just seemed too much, but none of it mattered anymore. She had already sealed her fate and it was time to live up to her words.

"I'm sorry for coming late, it wasn't intentional" he said when he got close to her. She was happy he finally showed up, despite his shocking appearance. Besides, he apologised for coming late. He had reasons too, which she wasn't bothered about.

He looked at the priest, who cleared his throat and commenced the ceremony, her attention shifted to him entirely. She wasn't going to give up now or listen to more side talks.

The words of the priest sounded robotic like he had said the same words several times and it was now part of him. Well, he's a priest and officiating weddings was no longer new to him.

All his words blended together until she heard, "Do you, Amelia, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?". The priest asked. She remembered her mother, "I do", was all that came out of her mouth.

He repeated the same words to the man in front of her, when he responded the officiating priest said something that shook her to the core, " you may now kiss the bride".

Seconds passed and blended into a minute or two. Her ears were filled with whispers from the crowd. The fear she had was now replaced with a little sense of awkwardness.

"Kiss me" he said like it was a normal thing. His lip was a masterpiece of masculine beauty, the subtle curve of his mouth was a work of art.

Just then, she realised there was no way he could stand to kiss her, so she bent until their heads were equal, she kissed him, Lucas Iyke. The crowd cheered.

After the wedding, her father and stepmother were the first to leave the venue. Ava stood up and gave her the hardest stare ever before she left.

Guests began to leave till they were the only ones remaining."What happens now?" she asked, finally finding her voice.

"We move in together, You're my wife now" he replied.

She held onto the wheelchair, unsure of what she was trying to do. He stopped her, he pushed a button and the wheelchair moved. She just gazed at him.

" I don't live here". He said. Amelia quickly rushed to catch up with him.

A car was waiting for them, when they got to the car someone helped him into the car and she sat beside him. "Don't worry, I borrowed it from a friend, my outfit also". She nodded.

"You must be embarrassed to marry the illegitimate loser son of Iyke's family" he broke the long silence.

"I never knew Rossi had two daughters," he added.

"I'm the eldest" she looked at his face, " you must be embarrassed too, you're not married to the heiress". He looked at her.

"My dad sent my mum and I out of the house when I was little". She tried to explain why she was not the heiress.

He gave her the warmest smile " that makes the two of us, my mother is just a mistress". She chuckled. He wasn't that bad.

From his polite gesture when he arrived late to his openness, if this was truly his real nature the idea of getting married to a stranger wasn't a bad idea she thought.

"About the wheelchair, it's a gift from a friend". She nodded. He looked very calm, something wasn't right about him. She hopes to find out soon.

"We're here" the driver said.

She gasped.