Marry My Bride

"Are you ready, Luana?"

The question hung in the air. A question that Luana already knew the answer to because she couldn't come up with any other answer to it. The young woman's lips felt so tight that Luana couldn't even get a word out.

Looking at her reflection in the long, large mirror, Luana looked absolutely beautiful today. Her body looked perfect in an ivory white wedding dress, with ribbon and lace accents along the shoulders that further exuded her strong aura of femininity.

The dress was one of the designs of a famous designer in their city, but it was not made for Luana to wear. No, it wasn't. It was not Luana who had to wear the wedding gown.

Although it now seemed to fit her slender body, which was not too tall, for a moment, Luana almost forgot that she was on the edge.

Madam Collins approached from behind. The middle-aged woman looked at Luana anxiously, hope shining through her eyes. Grabbing Luana's fingers and squeezing them quite tightly, Madam Collins was clearly pleading through the hopeful expression on her face this time.

"Do me a favor just this once, Luana," Madam Collins pleaded in an almost soft and trembling voice. "After this, I promise I will find a way. I will think of the best way to end your marriage. Can you trust me, hmm?"

Luana bowed her head. The young woman was unable to look Madam Collins in the eye today.

Fighting back the tears that were about to fall, Luana bit her lower lip unconsciously. She knew there was no way she could back out when her face was already so beautifully made up.

"I'm sorry, Luana. I didn't expect Beatrice to leave Rey like this when all the guests were waiting, and the groom was ready." Pleading again, Madam Collins seemed to really hope for the poor girl.

It had never occurred to Luana that she would be the bride today, really.

But indeed, after discovering Beatric's delay, who had not shown up since earlier, Luana had already kept a question in her heart.

Where was Beatrice? Shouldn't she already be there and side by side with Rey Lueic?

But it seemed that the bride-to-be was not going to show up.

At the same time, Rey looked anxious because his bride had not arrived. When a man in jet-black clothes approached him, the nearly thirty-year-old clenched his hands into fists as he held back his irritation.

He never thought that he would be abandoned right on his wedding day, especially when all the guests were already in their seats.

Infuriated, Rey could think of no other way but to go ahead with the wedding. He could not embarrass his extended family, who had come all the way from Sweden, let alone so many business partners and friends who had been there.

When Madam Collins, her future mother-in-law, offered a crazy idea to make amends for her daughter's fatal mistake, Rey's jaw hardened with anger.

But she really couldn't refuse because time was running out. Finally, she agreed to the crazy idea.

"Luana? You're ready, right?" Madam Collins' voice broke Luana's trance again, and a few seconds later, the girl finally nodded weakly.

"All right, Luana. You'll be Mrs. Luiec in no time, so keep your head up!"

Luana didn't know what fate awaited her ahead. All she knew was that she didn't have a chance to shake her head, as the Collins family's reputation was in her hands this morning.

Hoping that Madam Collins would actually fulfill her promise later, Luana finally got up and whispered to herself.

"You're helping Madam Collins because she's been kind to you, Luana," Luana repeated those words in her heart.

She looked at herself in the mirror once more. Her feelings were mixed, for she knew she would never be able to wear such a beautiful wedding dress in her lifetime.

Madam Collins reached out, nodding her head once more to reassure Luana. Grasping the young woman's hand tightly, Madam Collins guided Luana from the bridal lounge.

And so it was that Luana finally walked down the wedding hall towards the altar where a man in a black suit was waiting for her with an unpredictable look on his face.

Luana's heart skipped a beat as she glanced at the man beside her, who was still keeping a straight face. Luana took a deep breath, indicating that she was frustrated.

And just as the two pairs of differently colored eyes accidentally met, Luana shuddered in horror as her bridegroom looked at Luana with tremendous anger. It was as if the anger was going to spill out right then and there.

Rey loosened the tie that was choking his neck as soon as he sat down in the car. The metallic blue car was the one he had specially brought from Canada, with ribbons and a medium-sized doll right on the front hood.

The car he was supposed to ride in with Beatrice, his girlfriend, had disappeared into thin air on their wedding day.

Imagining becoming husband and wife with the woman who had filled his days in the past two years, Rey had already arranged a lot of things for his future wife-to-be.

Not wanting to waste any time, he wanted to honeymoon quickly and spend long, peaceful nights with Beatrice. He had even envisioned scene after scene of him undressing her before embracing her into heavenly bliss.

But what the hell? He was left behind just as he was supposed to say Beatric's name in front of all the guests.

Rey did not turn his head. He was not even trying to glance at the girl who was already in the back seat of the car before he got in.

Luana.

Luana Casavia, that's how Rey said her name earlier. Not knowing who the girl really was, Rey's soul really didn't want any woman other than her lover to be there. Even just sharing the same air seemed to arouse his anger now.

Staring out the window, Rey did not see when Luana apparently kept her head down.

The girl squeezed the fingers of her hands that she placed on her thighs, looking at the golden-colored five-centimeter heels that still clung beautifully to her feet.

Not knowing what she might face in the future, Luana took a deep breath.

Recalling Madam Collins' message that slipped beautifully from the middle-aged woman's lips, Luana steeled her heart. She knew Madam Collins could not be lying.

"Come with Mr. Rey Lueic, Luana. I'll find Beatric soon and drag that son of a bitch off to take your place as Mrs. Luiec. You don't have to worry. Just hang on a little longer, okay?"

That sentence was complete with uncertainty, but at least there was a glimmer of hope that Luana had there.

Although she didn't know how long it would take Madam Collins to find Beatrice, she hoped her nightmare would end soon.

Still struggling with her thoughts, Luana gave a small gasp as the car began to move away from the wedding hall. Noticing the smiling guests with their hands waving in the air, Luana swallowed.

There was no reason for them to linger there because she was not the one who should be sitting in this car seat right now. She was not the bride. She was not the one who was supposed to say the wedding vows.

Luana could vaguely make out the figure of Madam Collins in the crowd as the middle-aged woman's bead seemed to radiate worry with her hands clasped together in front of her chest.

Luana straightened her head, stealing one more glance to look at Madam Collins, as the car was about to turn at the end of the road to leave the wedding hall altogether.

After the portrait of Madam Collins disappeared, Luana dropped her body on the back of the chair, holding her head up to hold back the tears that were already welling up in her eyes.

She really didn't realize that Rey--who was now her husband, was watching her with a flat face and smoldering beads.

Sneering, the man shook his head lightly, indicating that he didn't like Luana being like that.

"Are you crying?!" He snapped harshly, though he kept his distance between them.

Luana gasped.

She hurriedly wiped away the tears that had fallen due to the sudden blinking when she had intended to hold them back a little longer.

Luana fell silent. She was not daring to answer.

Rey moved forward, pointing his right hand towards the woman's chin-the woman who was now officially Mrs. Lueic, the legal wife of the famous Rey Lueic.

Rey pulled Luana's chin in a rough motion, and Luana could feel the throbbing in her chin from the hazel-eyed man's grip.

"Don't cry!" Rey snapped louder this time. The man's eyeballs were perfectly rounded, with a flame ready to consume Luana right now.

"You can only cry for me, do you understand?!"

The girl gasped, not expecting to be treated like that even when the marriage was not even an hour old. Luana wanted to get out of there, but she knew very well that she couldn't do anything now.

A second later, Rey was already jerking his hand away from Luana's chin.

As if in disgust because he had touched her. A woman he didn't recognize but now had to be around for an unknown amount of time.

Rey no longer looked at Luana, as Luana was bracing herself now.

Luana, you really took the wrong path this time.

Luana did not make a sound. Choosing to cast her gaze towards the window, the girl was monologuing with herself inwardly.

She wondered how she would live her life in the future, having now officially become Mrs. Rey Lueic-- one of the most respected nobles in their city.

It had never really occurred to Luana that she would be the one to put the ring on the man's finger at today's wedding.

It shouldn't have been her. It was definitely not her.

But Beatric's disappearance had messed things up so much that Luana couldn't help but become a substitute bride for her employer's son.

It would have been rude of her to refuse the request of Madam Collins, who was looking at her with a pained look on her face since Beatric's absence had put the reputation of the two families at stake.

Luana had no choice.

No matter what happened, she was indebted to the kindness of the Collins family, who had been willing to take her in until she began to grow up.

Suddenly, the image of the past came back again, which made Luana shudder involuntarily.

Rey took a quick glance at the woman. Not at all loosening the displeased look he had been putting on his face, the man was hiding in silence.

Hiding from the scorn of the people, hiding from the deep pain Beatric had left for him.

Anyone would have never expected Rey to suffer such a fate, when the man had envisioned Beatrice welcoming him with a smile as wide as her face.

But what happened was he was dumped. Not only dumped, but also thrown away without any mercy left.

"Uhm, Sir." Luana's low voice interrupted Rey's reverie, along with the man's slow glance to his left now.

Holding her breath as their eyes met, Luana tried to get out the question she had been pondering.

Not knowing whether or not the young master would be angry with her, but she had to make sure.

"What's wrong?" Rey replied flatly.

Although not used to chatting with men before this, Luana clearly saw how Rey Lueic intimidated her through the voice just now.

The man's voice was heavy, tending to be cold as if he had no intention of talking to Luana. It was as if the woman sitting next to him was lifeless.

"Uhm, well..." Luana stammered as she tried to get the words out, followed by a squeeze of the fingers that were so casually intertwined down there.

"Say it right," Rey cut in quickly. "I don't like waiting, and you're really wasting my time!"

Luana gasped.

It hit her right in the solar plexus. It hadn't even been a few hours since that man had put the ring on her ring finger, and now Rey had built a strong wall between them.

A wall that Luana could not cross, a wall that separated Luana's life from that of the man.

"I'm just wondering, where are we going?" Luana's throat almost choked, even just to say those few words.

Rey glared as if he wasn't paying as much attention to the surrogate woman's question as Luana was.

"Don't ask any more questions. Just follow," Rey said firmly. There was no rebuttal, only an order. Still with a cold tone that was not made up, the man took a deep breath.

Turning his head once again, Rey now found Luana's bead blinking unintentionally. The girl was still relatively young to be a wife, especially since she didn't actually have any noble blood flowing in her body.

Thankfully, Madam Collins had introduced her to a colleague as the child of a distant relative, so her position could still be taken into account even if it could not be compared to Beatrice.

Choosing not to answer again, Luana was silent and did not offer any response or rebuttal.

Casting her gaze back out the window, she did not want to disturb the man at all. Even though they were in the same place, but Luana was sure Rey never wanted her to be there.

Almost forty minutes into the trip.

The luxury car turned to enter one of the mansions with a towering fence, when now Luana simply increased her surveillance. Examining more closely, she wondered if this was the residence of the famous Mr. Lueic.

Passing through the fence opened by two officers in light gray uniforms, Luana still clearly noticed the mansion they were entering now.

Perhaps the word luxurious was not enough to define the house, as Luana was now almost amazed at the size and spaciousness of the building.

There was a fountain pool in the center, which was equipped with various decorations. Luana could see gardens with flowers blooming on the right and left sides, until the car slowed down a moment later.

Luana was confused. Not knowing what to do, she saw a couple of young men approach and open the door for them.

One on her side, and one on Rey's side.

The man, Lueic, did not look at Luana at all. Straightening up, he said firmly.

"Come down. Mare will give you directions, and get ready."

Luana bit her lower lip in worry.

Get ready? Get ready for what?

Rey was just about to rise from his seat when Luana suddenly caught hold of the man's arm. Making Rey's bead enlarge, reflexively flicking away Luana's hand that was clinging to him mercilessly.

"Don't touch me!" the man railed in a high tone.

Luana held her breath. She just wanted to ask, but just like that, her hand reflexively wanted to hold Rey back from leaving first.

"S-sorry, Sir."

The nobleman snorted in annoyance.

She was too tired, with a heart that was more than a little broken. Beatric's absence had already made his head nearly explode, as he was now waiting for word from his best team to track the woman down.

Paying no attention to the still-sitting Luana, Rey got up first. The man walked with large steps into the mansion, followed by a young man with a neat haircut.

The young man was wearing a uniform of a different color, which indicated that he was the team leader of Rey's security team.

"Do I have to cancel everything, sir?" The voice of Jovi - the young man, penetrated through the eardrums of Rey, the newlywed.

Not relaxing his pace at all, Rey cleared his throat quietly as if he was thinking quickly. Taking a deep breath, the man said then.

"No," he said. "Proceed as planned, and bring that woman along."