Warriage

The girls were in a shop where wedding gowns and wedding accessories were sold screaming and sipping wine.

"This is so beautiful. It goes with your skin." Juliet yelled as Bianca turned around showing off her wedding dress. It was a long white gown made of silk. It suited her skin as she was white as snow and her black hair stopped at her shoulders.

"I don't like this. Try something else. I want your dress to be adorned with beads and pearls. Everyone should know that Bianca Lionel is getting married." Scarlet added.

"Seriously guys. We've been here for over three hours and we haven't picked anything." Bianca yelled as she was tired already.

She had tried almost all the clothes in the shop and her friends didn't agree on one dress.

Bianca's wedding was scheduled for the 18th of April which was supposed to be next week Saturday. She was finally going to be married to the man of her dreams, Lucas.

They were both childhood lovers and friends. Lucas would be coming back by Friday for the wedding as he was in the army. Even though this was an arranged marriage between both families to strengthen their businesses, Bianca and Lucas loved each other.

"I like the off-shoulder gown. Let's just go with that already." Bianca said pulling off the dress she was wearing.

"No Bianca. You can't do this. That dress is too simple. Don't you remember who you are? You are Bianca Lionel and your wedding dress should be the talk of the world." Scarlet reminded.

"I'm tired already. Let's just go." Bianca handed the dress over to the attendant and it was packed.

"Please pack those shoes with it too," Bianca said pointing at a silver heel.

"You're just so annoying," Juliet said.

They all got to the car and Bianca drove off dropping them both at their respective houses.

***Few days later***

"Lucas is back. Lucas is back." Bianca's mother, Mrs Lionel screamed as she ran to her daughter's room.

"Really?" Bianca yelled. She grabbed her car keys still in blue jean shorts and a white t-shirt as she ran downstairs.

She drove off to the Campbell's mansion.

"I'm sure you must have heard the news." Mrs Campbell stood to hug Bianca. They both kissed each other's cheeks.

"My daughter-in-law is here, make something for her to eat." Mrs Campbell ordered her maid's. She turned to face Bianca.

"Lucas is upstairs. Go meet him." Lucas's mother informed.

Bianca ran upstairs and barged into Lucas's room.

"Don't you have the courtesy to knock before coming in." Lucas talked with a straight face.

He hasn't changed a bit. His blunt way of talking and his horse voice. His black eyes and his handsome face hadn't changed a bit even when had just come back from the army.

"I'm sorry. How do you expect me to react after not seeing you for 11 years." Bianca said and Lucas stood up from the bed.

"Stand up." He ordered and Bianca did as she was told.

"What's wrong with you Lucas? I came here to see you after 11 years and this is the treatment I get?" Bianca yelled as tears were about you drop from her eyes.

"I don't care about you. I never asked you to come here in the first place. I'm only getting married to you because of my parents so get out and don't come back here." Lucas yelled as he tugged at his jet-black hair.

"What went wrong? We've been dating since high school before you joined the army. Why did you change all of a sudden?" Bianca asked and Lucas sighed.

Lucas grabbed her hand and pushed her out of the room. She hit her arm against the wall while Lucas banged his door.

What went wrong? Why is Lucas acting this way? He wasn't like this eleven years ago. Did something happen to him when he went to the army? Or did I do something wrong?

Bianca knocked lightly on the door again.

"Get away from me or I'll cancel the stupid wedding," Lucas yelled and Bianca left.

"So fast?" Mrs Campbell asked.

"Yes, I just wanted to say hi to him." Bianca feigned a smile and left.

"I told them to make you something light." She said.

"It's fine, I have to go and finish up with the wedding preparation." Bianca lied and Mrs Campbell feigned a smile.

Bianca went back home sad.

Lucas has changed. This isn't the Lucas I know. He would have come to my house immediately.

Bianca sat on her bed. She was devastated. After everything she had been through, after the loyalty and love she had shown Lucas, he treated her like trash. The tears streamed down her face as she thought about all the times she had stood by his side, through thick and thin. She had defended him, supported him, and even fought alongside him when he wanted to go to the army instead of taking over his father's company. And yet, in the end, it was as if none of that mattered to him. He had pushed her away, and she felt her heart breaking into a thousand pieces.

Bianca struggled to come to terms with Lucas's harsh words. She tried to convince herself that he must have been in a bad mood. After all, he had been through so much lately. She wiped the tears from her eyes and took a deep breath. "Maybe he's just not himself right now," she thought. "Maybe he just needs some time to recover." She knew that she loved him, and she was determined to stand by him, even if he didn't want her to. She would go on with the marriage, no matter what he said or did.

Bianca picked up her phone and typed out a message to Lucas. Her fingers trembled slightly as she wrote the words, but she was determined to express her feelings. "I love you, Lucas," she wrote. "I'm glad you're back home safe. I know you've been through a lot, and I understand that you might not be yourself right now. But I'm here for you, no matter what. I'll always be here for you." She hit send and waited for his reply, her heart full of hope and fear.

She waited hours but got no reply from Lucas. She called severally too but his number wasn't available.

"This marriage must go through. I have waited years for this." She said as she checked her phone again to see if Lucas had replied to her text or called her back.

"Bianca Lionel, do you take Lucas Campbell as your lawful wedding husband? For better and for worse, for rich and for poor till death do you apart?" The priest asked.

"Yes, I do," Bianca answered.

"Lucas Campbell, do you take Bianca as your lawful wedded wife? For rich and for poor till death do you apart." The priest asked again.

"Yes, I do." He mumbled.

"You may now kiss the bride." The priest smiled.

Lucas pulled Bianca in for a hug instead of a kiss.

The celebration went on till night. Lucas introduced Bianca to all of his friends from the army which made Bianca convinced Lucas was in a bad mood the other day.

They both went into Lucas's house. The day Bianca has finally been waiting for. To finally get married to her childhood friend.

Bianca had had her shower and had worn the silky nightwear her naughty friends got for her. Lucas came into the room and rushed into the bathroom to shower.

Bianca lay on the bed right lateral position. Lucas came out of the bathroom, changed into his nightwear and left the room.

Bianca stood up from the bed.

"Lucas! Lucas!! Where are you going?" She asked.

"Staying away from you." He glared as he turned to look at her.

"What have I done to deserve this ill treatment from you? You were not like this before." Bianca said.

"I hate you Bianca and I don't want to be anywhere near you. I've told you I married you because of my parents so don't expect me to fulfill my duties as your husband." Lucas yelled.

Bianca summoned up all her courage and walked into Lucas's room. He was sitting on the bed. "Lucas," she said, her voice quiet and tentative. "It's time to consummate the marriage. It's your duty, as we just got married. It's what we agreed upon." She swallowed hard, her eyes fixed on him. "I know you may not feel the same way about me as I do about you, but this is the way things must be."

He stepped forward, his face contorted with rage. "How dare you come here and demand that from me," he spat, his voice seething with contempt. "You're nothing but a worthless, pathetic excuse for a woman. I deserve better than you. I deserve someone who loves him, not some scheming little gold digger like you. Not some woman who sleeps around and marries someone just to strengthen her own business. And if you think I'm going to consummate the marriage with you, you're delusional. I hate you. I'm disgusted by you." Lucas yelled.

Before Bianca could react, a loud doorbell rang through the silence of the room. Lucas whirled around and stormed out of the room, his fists clenched and his face still burning with anger. "Who the hell is it?" he muttered under his breath as he made his way to the door. He threw it open, only to find another woman standing on the other side, her face pale and drawn, her eyes wide with fear. "Oh Charlotte?" he exclaimed, his rage quickly turning to shock. "What the hell are you doing here? He raised his brow.

Lucas took a moment to compose himself, his anger slowly dissipating as he realized that it was Charlotte who was at the door. He was happy, at least she would lighten up his mood. She was wearing nothing but a scrap of cloth that barely covered her modesty, her long, dark hair cascading down her back in dishevelled waves. Her eyes were wild and her breath came in short gasps, as if she had been running. "What's wrong?" Lucas asked, his voice gentle and concerned. "Are you hurt?" The woman shook her head, her eyes still wide with fear.

Lucas scooped the woman up in his arms, cradling her against his chest with surprising tenderness. "It's okay," he murmured, his voice low and reassuring. "You're safe now." He carried her through the hallway and into his room, kicking the door shut behind him. "Just relax," he said, laying her gently on the bed. "Thanks for coming over." The woman sat up, her eyes darting around the room as if searching for something or someone. Lucas sat down beside her, his hands resting on his knees.

Bianca stood outside Lucas's room, her face flushed with rage and jealousy. She had heard the sound of footsteps and a door slamming, and she had followed the sound to Lucas's room. Her fists balled at her sides as she pounded on the door, her voice shrill and insistent. "Lucas!" she cried. "Open this door right now! I know you've got that woman in there with you, and I won't stand for it!" She sobbed, her tears running down her face as she remembered Lucas's harsh words from earlier.

She started hearing moans and whimpers coming from the room.

"Lucas! Stop that now. This is our wedding night and I won't let you disrespect me in my matrimonial home." Bianca yelled as she banged on the door.

"Lucas! Lucas!!" She cried but got no answer. Instead, the moans grew louder and louder.

Bianca was hurt. Her childhood friend and her boyfriend since high school was treating her like trash. "What's going on? Why did he change all of a sudden?" Bianca was left confused. She didn't know what else to do again. The Lucas she knew was madly in love with her. He was caring and always there for her. How did he change to this annoying nonchalant husband?

Bianca stormed off, her heart heavy with pain and confusion. She stumbled down the hallway, her mind racing as she tried to make sense of what was happening. "Why?" she asked herself, her voice breaking with emotion. "Why doesn't he love me? Why doesn't he want me?" She collapsed on the bed in her room, her body wracked with sobs. She couldn't understand why she had been rejected by Lucas, the only man she loved most in the world. She buried her face in her hands, her tears soaking into the pillow as she tried to come to terms with her shattered dreams.

***The next morning***

Bianca stood in front of Lucas's door, her hand raised to knock, but she hesitated. She didn't want to seem too desperate, too needy, but she couldn't ignore the ache in her heart. She bit her lip, debating whether to knock or walk away, when the door swung open, revealing Lucas on the other side. "Bianca," he said, his voice soft and low. "What do you want?" He stepped aside, inviting her into his room.

Bianca stepped into the room, her eyes quickly scanning the space for any sign of the strange woman from the night before. But she saw no trace of the woman, no indication that anyone else had been there at all. The room was neat and tidy, the bed made, and Lucas's scent was the only one she could detect. She turned to face him, her hands clasped in front of her. "Where is she?" she asked, her voice small and timid. "The woman from last night?" Lucas looked at her, his face impassive and unreadable. "Gone," he said simply.

Bianca's eyes widened with horror, her heart sinking into the pit of her stomach. "You slept with another woman?" she whispered, her voice quivering with pain and betrayal. "On our wedding night? How could you do this to me, Lucas? I thought you loved me. I thought we were going to have a life together." She turned away from him, unable to look at him any longer. "How could you?" She sobbed.

This was the worst thing that could ever happen to a woman. It was worse enough he didn't consummate the marriage but he had the guts to bring another woman to the house on their wedding night.

Lucas drew himself up, his shoulders stiff and proud. "Don't you get it yet?" he spat, his voice low and dangerous. "You need to know your place here. I don't need you, Bianca. I don't need anyone. I never loved you Bianca, you were just a game, a game I got tired of." He stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him with enough force to rattle the windows. Bianca stood frozen, her heart breaking into a thousand tiny pieces as she watched the man she loved walk out of her life forever.

Bianca's anger flared up in a sudden burst of rage. "Hey, I'm not done with you yet!" she yelled, her voice loud and fierce. "You don't get to just walk away from this, Lucas! I deserve an explanation, damn it!" She stomped after him, her feet pounding on the floorboards as she chased him down the hallway. "Don't ignore me, Lucas! You owe me an apology!" She threw open the door to her room and stormed inside, her fists clenched and her eyes blazing with fury.

Lucas whirled around, grabbing Bianca's hand and holding it tightly in his grip. "Don't touch me," he growled, his voice seething with anger. "I'm warning you, Bianca. You push me any further and you'll regret it." Bianca's eyes narrowed, her defiance only growing stronger in the face of his threat. "Oh, really?" she sneered. "And what are you going to do? Hit me? Hurt me? Go ahead, Lucas. Do your worst. But remember, I can always go to your parents."

Lucas shrugged, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "Yeah, go ahead and tell them," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Tell them how I betrayed you on our wedding night. Tell them how I slept with another woman. Go ahead, Bianca. See what they have to say." He released her hand, turning his back on her. "But know this: you won't be any better off. You'll still be a woman scorned, with no husband and no respect. Miss CEO." He scoffed and grabbed some clothes from the wardrobe before banging the door against its hinges.

With tears streaming down her face, Bianca retreated to her room, slamming the door behind her. She threw herself onto the bed, burying her face in the pillow as sobs whacked her body. "What is happening?" she sobbed, her voice muffled and broken. "Why is this happening to me? I thought I was doing everything right. I thought I was being a good wife." She clutched the bedsheets in her fists, unable to make sense of the chaos that her life had become. "Why?" she whispered, the question echoing through her mind like a haunting refrain.

***FLASHBACK***

High school. A time of youthful dreams, first loves, and endless possibilities. It was the first time that Lucas and Bianca first met, their eyes locking across a crowded hallway, their hearts beating in perfect harmony. They were the classic high school sweethearts, drawn to each other like magnets, their love growing stronger with each passing day.

They were inseparable, their hands clasped tightly together as they walked the hallways, their laughter echoing through the classrooms. They were the perfect match, the envy of their classmates.

One day, Bianca was confronted by a group of bullies, their words as sharp as knives, their intentions as dark as their hearts. They taunted her, pushing her, trying to break her spirit.

"Bianca wouldn't be anything without her parent's help. I know her grades are being bought. She can't be at the top of the class and be the class president. She was also chosen to represent our school in the maths competition." One of the students said as he glared at Bianca.

"I never bought the grades. I study hard every time." Bianca defended herself but she was pushed away and she fell on the hard ground. But Lucas would not stand for it. He stepped forward, his face set like stone, his voice like thunder. "Leave her alone!" he bellowed, his eyes blazing with righteous fury. "She's done nothing to you, and you have no right to treat her like this."

"Now Lucas is defending her? She's stealing everything from us." A girl spoke.

"Get out!" Lucas glared.

The bullies backed down, cowed by his strength and determination.

That was how they became best friends till they started dating. Their relationship was the best and other classmates envied them until their parents found out and decided to use their union to strengthen their companies.