To Claim My Ex

AUDREY'S POV

"This is for the good of our family, Audrey. You must never lose sight of your duty as my only daughter." My father said,

"And beside I know that you have a secret crush on Liam. This is finally your opportunity to be with him. Don't blow it." He says and leaves me to my raging thoughts.

I sighed after the door to my room closed.

Yes! I did have a crush on Liam but that was when I was so little. Mother wasn't alive to help me out of this situation. My eyes was stinging at this point and a lump seemed to erupt in my throat.

I felt very sad that my life would experience nothing fun because sadly I would be married off very early. I was just twenty-three for God's sake.

"It can't be so bad." I thought to myself, after I had fought back the tears that threatened to fall from my eyes earnestly.

I used this to make myself feel a lot better.

I slept that night thinking about how the next day would be. I could not understand why my father would so easily throw me off into a marriage I have never anticipated.

The next day, Liam came by. He was looking a lot better now. He had broad shoulders compared to the times when I had known him as a child.

He was scrawny and small but now he looked manly and very handsome. Butterflies flew around in my stomach when I saw him. His father came out of the limousine behind him.

My father had made me wait at the door to welcome them into the house. His father smoked when he saw me,

"Dear Audrey, you're now so grown. That's really wonderful. You'll make the most beautiful bride." His father says.

I smile in response.

Liam remained mute not showing any expression. I could not even see his eyes because of the black shades he had on.

"Your father?" He asks.

"Please follow me." I said to them,

We got to the front porch where father was waiting for his friend, Liam's father, Robert.

"I'm glad you chose to honor me with your visit." My father exclaims and engulfs his friend in a very tight manly hug.

A mini feast was held in front of our house on the front porch.

"It will be the best the city has ever seen, I will make sure of it." Robert, Liam's father says.

"I can't wait." My father chip in

"When do you want it to be held?" My father asks Liam.

Liam clears his throat and replies, "In the following week from now."

His voice sounded so sweet in my ears but I wasn't very happy that he had made that decision without me.

I cleared my throat to signal my presence which they all seemed to ignore. I was the one who they were marrying off for goodness' sake.

"I believe that I did not agree to that." I said with a smoke plastered on my face.

"Audrey!" My father called my name.

"No dad, he can't come to this decision without telling me about it. You all are planning a wedding I never agreed to in the first place at least give me this." I said to both of them.

Robert sighed and looked at my father who looked at me, "enough of this Audrey, you're getting married in one week."

My father said with a tone of finality. My heart sank.

"Father!!" I exclaimed but he said nothing.

I scoffed and angrily went inside.

Just breathe Audrey. It really can't be that bad.

My father opened my door and shut the door quietly behind him.

"Look Audrey, don't spoil my hard work alright." He said.

"I wish mom were here, she would never have agreed to this." I yelled

"Don't ever talk about your mother again. I won't talk about this again either. Come back downstairs. " He instructed.

My mouth gaped. How could he just tell me to do that?

I was rooted to that spot without moving because I was so scared and angry. I was feeling a lot at that point. My father then held my hands and pulled me towards where he was hosting his mini feast.

He plastered a smile on his face ,"I'm so sorry, she didn't mean to he disrespectful."

"It's fine. We can't stay for long anymore. We will send her all she needs to start getting ready for the wedding." Robert says.

My father stands up and stretches his hands out to Robert who took it in glee.

"We shall see once again. I can't wait for this perfect union." He says and then looks at me ,

"I know how you must feel but it's normal to feel that way . Please, take good care of yourself ." He said to me and then turned to leave.

Liam also stands but doesn't say a word as he follows suit behind his father.

Few days later, my father came up to meet me. He was holding a box in his hands. Ever since that mini feast, all he ever does is complain and tell me how I'm going to be a terrible wife.

He knocked and then peered his head through the open space.

"You're still awake." He said but I didn't reply.

Our relationship has been strained ever since.

He sat down beside me and placed the box in front of me.

"Look I know that this has been really hard for you but also consider how hard it is for the one who will be getting married to you." He started.

"Since you know then why are you subjecting me to this father?" I asked him frankly

"It's for the good of our family and I wish I didn't have to but I believe that you will be in good hands ." He said.

"And how can you be so sure about that?" I asked him.

He smiled, "Robert promised me."

"I'm not getting married to Robert, father, I'm getting married to his son ." I had to remind him .

He sighed, "there's nothing else we can do. Just prepare for the wedding tomorrow."

He said and dropped the box in front of me.

A wedding or a funeral, I wouldn't know what kind of marriage im getting into until I've had a taste of it.

AUDREY'S POV

I watched myself in the huge mirror. I looked very beautiful, with the way the sparkling white gown kissed the tiles graciously like that of a fairy princess. The ones that existed only in fantasy novels. It was like the ones I had seen on the television about celebrity weddings. I looked just as stunning but somehow, I didn't feel that way.

And unlike those, this wasn't a novel or an on screen production, it was real.

"I can't believe that you'll be the one walking down the aisle today, at least before me ." My best pal, Albert said.

I had told him of my concerns and though he too was against it, he concluded that I just had to do it to make my father happy and that it can't be all that bad

We all knew Liam while we were growing up except that now , he was not that child anymore, he had grown up to be a very handsome man and wealthy too.

He had his own share of wealth which was not counted together with his father's wealth. He was however the only son and by that, the sole heir to his father's wealth.

"Truthfully, I never thought so either." I said and sighed.

He held my shoulders, "don't forget that I will be with you through all this so there is no need to feel so gloomy. You have to be strong, okay? You're about to have your own family, you can't afford to be weak." He advised.

Then he turned to face me, "smile for me Audrey."

I had to or he would not have let me go. He was always like that. He would do all he could to cheer me up and he won't back down. I didn't want to stress him out so much and so I smiled.

Finally, I could hear the sound of the wedding match playing. This was my cue. My father was not there to lead me down the aisle. He had finally realized that he was giving his daughter away at such an early age. I still had a lot to live for but now , I had to put an end to all that because I was involuntarily thrown into the family system.

I just stayed there , unmoving. Looking at all the people seated there on their white seats decorated with flowers. It was a small wedding. It was under the open sky with rows of chairs defining the walk way and Liam, waiting for me at the altar.

He had not spoken to me since. I didn't know why.

Is he also feeling pressured? Does he like what is going on?

My head kept coming up with a lot of questions that I had no answer to.

We used to be very close when I was little but now, he seemed like a stranger to me or was it the other way around.

My heart stopped and my breath caught in my throat. There were loud whispers as I just stood there. This was going to be on the news and Liam's father would totally freak out about it.

Was this what it meant to have cold feet?

I felt all eyes boring into my skin but I still could not move down the aisle to meet Liam, my soon to be husband.

It all felt so surreal.

The wedding procession had stopped and it was all very quiet. I could hear my heart beating loudly in my chest and it only grew when I could not see my father amongst the crowd. He wasn't there to give me away and I felt hurt.

He was the reason why this was happening in the first place. He agreed to it so why has he backed out now.

I felt my eyes begin to sting. I did not want to cry in front of the camera and in front of everyone.

Just then, I felt a hand pick mine and place it in his hoop. I was momentarily taken aback. As usual, Albert came to the rescue. I looked to my side to see him smiling.

"Smile chipmunk, you don't want to ruin your makeup ." He said through the corner of his mouth while he left me down the aisle.

The sound for the wedding march began playing again.

He led me to the aisle and I stood there beside Liam.

"Thank you," I muttered to Albert before he left me to return to his seat.

"Do you, Liam Smith, take Miss Audrey Evans, to be your lawfully wedded wife, in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad times, till death do you apart?" The priest asked.

"I do." He replied.

I watched how his very structured and thin lined lips moved to utter those words and I felt like maybe Albert was right , it can't be all that bad.

I watched his soft and sweet contour of his face. He was towering above me but I could still make out the color of his eyes, blue. I was drowning in them and did not hear that it was my turn to state my vows.

"Miss Audrey." The priest's voice brought me out of my imagination.

"Do you or do you not agree to take Mr Liam Smith as your lawfully wedded husband?"

I was waiting for him to finish it up but it seemed like his patience had run thin.

"I do." I replied.

"Good, now is there anyone against this union? Signify now or hold your peace forever." He announced.

I exhaled but then someone stood up,

I looked to see who it was, of course it had to be her, Clarissa Smith, Liam's twin sister.

She smiled sheepishly, "oh I'm sorry I'm not against it. I just stood up to step away for a bit. Do go on." She said and smiled once again before sitting back down.

She was very dramatic. Didn't she just say that she wanted to step out for a bit. She must have done it on purpose seeing that she loves attention a lot. Liam did not even react to what she did. If he wasn't bothered, then why should I be?

That helped me to cancel all my negative feelings and just live in the moment.

"You may now kiss the bride."

Liam bent his head and placed a kiss on my lips. It was short and soft but I would do anything to have him do it again but this time longer.

I guess I had not totally gotten over my childhood crush after all. How ironic!

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?