Chapter 4 Get away with this

I closed my eyes and tried not to think about how the world would react to this news.

How would my brother take this news? How would my friends take this news? How could I ever explain things to the media? It worked for Ethan as he never disclosed who his bride was. It was a surprise even to the people who came to visit the wedding here. The odds were definitely on his side today.

And Luke. He didn't want to disclose this matter earlier either since he perhaps anticipated something like this would happen. Very few members from Lindsay's side were going to attend the wedding. Taking the chance, Ethan even asked Luke not to walk me down the aisle, saying 'Lindsay' wanted to walk the aisle by herself.

I had my wedding veil over my face, which provided a very unclear image of my face. My hair color matched with Lindsay's, so it was a plus. I wore the exact same wedding gown she was supposed to be wearing. I had put my face down most of the time, until we reached the altar. I was aware that these things wouldn't prevent people who knew Lindsay from speculating if I were truly her, but it would also not show enough proof for them to get up and stop the wedding.

Before anything could happen, I would have already said my vows.

The wedding procedure began as soon as we came since we were already running late. I didn't care about what the priest was saying since I tried my best to hide my face from Lexi, Ethan's sister, who surely found me familiar. Our vows were exchanged sooner than we thought, and then came that moment.

I wasn't ready to bring back all of my burnt feelings with a single kiss that was essential to bind our marriage. But I also had no say in this. With my consent or not, the groom has to kiss the bride. As soon as the priest asked us to seize our marriage, Ethan hesitated just like I did. But he also realized that with every passing second, he was creating more speculations.

He held me by my waist and planted his lips on me.

It was a strong force that glued us together and neither of us dared to move. We remained rooted in our place due to the impact. I couldn't speak for him, but I knew well what I was feeling inside.

It was as though I had untied the knot to the memories I had deep buried down. The ones that haunted me every night when I slept, every time I tried to move on and every time I tried to let someone else into my life. I felt as though I had been chained to them, and now, right now, I was finally getting rid of them.

I felt liberated.

Because, just for a moment, whilst his kiss transcended me away from reality, I let go of all the qualms I had previously had, and claimed what I had been yearning for the past seven years.

I hated him, but I also needed him. I had never loved anyone the way that I loved him, which was why he was the only thing I have ever wanted so intensely in my entire life.

***

The news spread around like wildfire. After the wedding was over, Ethan cancelled all of the further events since he wanted to call for an important family meeting. There was not even a single soul that didn't look surprised upon seeing the girl Ethan married.

"Where the hell is my daughter?" Luke demanded from Ethan.

"Shouldn't I be asking you where my fiancé was when I went to fetch her from her room?" Ethan replied, shunning everyone with his dangerously low voice.

"What are you talking about?"

"She eloped with her lover." He said, "Leaving me with no choice but to marry the first woman I could find in her room before this wedding could become a scandal."

"We had a deal that you'd marry my daughter!" Luke yelled at Ethan, looking at me with disgust. "How could you marry this wench after giving me your word?"

"Hey, watch your words." Jen, my best friend, said to him, coming to stand beside.

I was surprised to have her by my side in a situation like this. Although it was a complete shock for my friends to find me married to Ethan, Jen has managed to keep her senses.

"You knew she had another man in her life, didn't you?" Ethan said in a low tone, fixing Luke with an accusing gaze. Luke folded his arms before his chest as though he was trying to shield himself but his body language gave a clear hint. "You did, didn't you? And you didn't bother warning me of that?"

"I wasn't aware."

"You were." Ethan said, "That is exactly why you wanted this wedding to be a secret, because you couldn't change your daughter's mind. You knew something like this might happen. And you tried everything to be on the safer side and left me to fall apart like this. Forced me to take radical steps like marrying someone else to save my ass."

"So, what if I did?" Luke asked, "I'm not going to allow our company to go ahead with our business with you. You promised to marry my daughter."

"Well, what was my son supposed to do when you failed to understand your daughter's interest?" Ethan's dad said, "Luke, if there is anyone we should be talking about, it's probably you. I'm sure my son was obliged to take this step for the mistake your daughter made."

"If anything," June, Ethan's mom said, "It's us that should be angry with you."

"Let's talk about this outside, Luke." Ethan's father said, leading Luke, June and himself outside.

But before he left, Luke turned around, fixing me with a glare that sent a chill down my spine. "I won't let you get away with this."