Chapter 9 The Wedding

• GENESIS
• "There won't be a last-minute change to your gown if it doesn't fit. I can't believe you ate dinner this late," he chastised, and my hands involuntarily went to my stomach. Hearing him in person made me shiver in excitement, at the same time, it made me dazed.
• "Would you open the door, or are you expecting a Jason Bourne to break through the door?" he teased, and my cheeks turned pink with embarrassment.
• "Sorry...I just didn't expect you..." I said and went over to the door.
• "I couldn't sleep, the way the call ended, I tried reaching you, but it didn't connect, and as I said, I just couldn’t sleep, so my legs found their way here," he said, and I got down to the door with my cheeks all pink from his words. At the door, I took a deep breath and exhaled.
• "Here we go," I said as I prepared myself to see him. I turned the doorknob and hid behind the door, shy, and slowly pulled the door open.
• "What the hell...." I heard Mom Leona shout and push herself through the small part of the door that was open, and she immediately shot it before I could see Jordan or before he could see me.
• "What the hell... Jordan," she yelled from my part of the door while I stared at her shocked.
• "Mom...I just wanted to see her before tomorrow," Jordan explained with an edginess in his voice.
• Mom Leona took a deep breath and tried calming her beating heart.
• "You can't see her, Jordan. Tomorrow is almost here.... do you realize what you could have done? We even had a deal," she replied angrily.
• "Mom..."
• "Go to your room, Jordan...now."
• "You....off to bed now," she ordered, and I scurried over to my bed and regretted why I was slow to open the door in the first place.
• "Well... tomorrow... wedding..." I thought.
• ~
• GENESIS
• "Oh my word..." Tiana shrieked when she saw me, causing a slight blush to color my cheeks.
• She was as shocked as I was too, I hadn't even gotten over the shock yet when she stumped into my room.
• "Shit...." Tiffany muttered, equally speechless. We all stood there in silence, overwhelmed. Not just because of my beauty—though I must admit, I was breathtaking with my hair, makeup, lashes, and nails, the epitome of teenage dreams—but also because of the gown. Yes, my wedding gown. They recognized it, knew they had seen it somewhere, but couldn't place it as they gazed at me in awe.
• "You look...."
• "I don't think there's a word that can describe how beautiful she looks," Tiana interrupted Tiffany.
• "But the gown....it's...you..." Tiffany stumbled over her words, and I smiled.
• Their reactions mirrored what I should have felt. But as the bride, I had to remain composed, so I simply stood, marveling at myself, scarcely believing I was wearing my dream gown. Yes, you heard me right, my dream gown. I felt like Cinderella or a Barbie princess. It still felt unreal, like a dream. I considered pinching myself but decided against it; I didn't want red marks on my skin on my wedding day.
• "It's the same gown, Genesis," Tiana realized.
• "The gown of your dreams, the one you sketched. It's the same gown..." she exclaimed, and Tiffany's jaw dropped.
• "Oh my gosh..." they both shrieked simultaneously, nearly bursting my eardrums.
• "How is this possible?" Tiana asked, standing close to me.
• "I...I..I don't know," I stuttered.
• "Jordan asked me to describe my dream wedding and send a sketch of the gown, but I never imagined he would bring it to life, I..." I spoke rapidly, breathless.
• "Whoa...shhh," Tiana said, guiding me to a chair facing the mirror. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves.
• "Mom Leona said Jordan changed everything about the wedding—decorations, food, location, and my gown," I paused,feeling a surge of appreciation in my heart as my cheeks turned pink.
• "I never knew he would replicate my dream gown," I added, suddenly eager to see Jordan.
• "You're so lucky, Genesis. You're living every girl's dream right now. I feel like crying tears of happiness for you," Tiffany said, blinking rapidly to hold back the tears clouding her eyes.
• "While you're out there with your dream man and marriage...we'll be here, missing you," she sniffed, blinking again to prevent her makeup from smudging.
• "Oh no...don't do it," I warned, pointing a finger at her.
• "I can't hold it..."
• "If you cry, I'll cry, damn it," I almost yelled, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill. In the midst of the drama, my mom, dad, and sister walked into the suite.
• "Blue eyes..." Ava screamed, rushing to me with teary eyes. That did it; I knew I'd need my makeup artist back in the room.
• JORDAN CHASE
• "Man, I can't believe you're actually getting married after all these years, to the same woman," Aiden, my cousin, said in disbelief. He and his brother had dismissed it as a joke when I first mentioned my impending marriage. To be honest, I had my doubts too.
• "You're lucky, man... what made her come back?" he inquired, his skepticism palpable.
• I glared at him. It was no secret that they weren't fond of Samantha.
• "Well, I suppose she loves you after all, or perhaps you're just incredibly lucky," he mused aloud.
• "Had it not been for one thing, I would have assumed your mom was pulling your leg, but she wasn’t. She's brought Samantha here, gotten her to agree, and in a few minutes, you'll be married," Aiden continued, and a sense of unease crept over me once again, just as it had from the start of this whole marriage ordeal.
• Mom had assured me that Samantha Brandon had consented to the marriage proposal, but for some inexplicable reason, I couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. Knowing I couldn't entirely rely on my mom's judgment, I resolved to speak to Samantha myself.
• Oddly enough, Mom had made it difficult for us to meet in person. Yet, as we spoke over the phone, my apprehensions began to ease.
• As the wedding ceremony loomed, that gnawing sensation returned, whispering that I was making a mistake. But how could that be, when I was about to marry the only woman I'd ever wanted to spend my life with?
• The door burst open, and my mom swept in. The attendants immediately resumed their tasks, putting the final touches on my suit.
• "You look absolutely stunning, Aunt," Aiden complimented, earning a genuine smile from my mom.
• "Where's Alden?" she asked, scanning the room.
• "He might be running late or not coming at all. We were in the middle of something really big for A&A when Jordan dropped the bomb about getting married," Aiden explained. Mom frowned momentarily, then shook it off.
• "Well... let's stay positive. It's my son’s wedding, after all," she beamed, and I understood the reason. It was my wedding, and her dreams were finally coming true.
• Thinking of dreams coming true, Samantha came to mind. Imagining her happiness when she realized I made her dream come true, just as she made mine by agreeing to marry me, filled me with warmth.
• "You look dashing, son," Mom said as the attendants finished and left the room.
• "Finally, my Jordan is going to get married," she added, coming closer to assess me from head to toe to ensure I looked perfect.
• "Is Dad here?" I found myself asking, and her smile faded. My heart sank, but I brushed it off. I shouldn't expect anything from him.
• "He's on his way. He had something important to do but will be here before the wedding," she covered for him, and I looked away, feeling a twinge of disappointment.
• "Is she here yet?" I changed the topic. Mom smiled and dusted some particles of dust from my suit.
• "Yes, she arrived a few minutes ago. The wedding will commence shortly," she beamed.
• "You know I love you a lot, son," she continued emotionally, and I turned to her, unprepared for such sentimentality.
• "Everything I do for you is because of the love I have for you," she added, and I turned away from her, focusing on my image in the mirror.
• "It's your wedding today, don't ruin it, and know this..."
• "I've always wanted the best for you, and I still do," she paused, looking at my face while I remained focused on my reflection.
• "The best is out there in a wedding dress. She's the one to give you what's rightfully yours. She'll give you the properties and something extra..." she spoke cryptically, and just as I turned back to her, confused by her words, she headed to the door. That familiar feeling returned, but I pushed it aside immediately.
• GENESIS
• "Dad... I think I'm going to collapse," I whimpered behind the door, my arms intertwined with my dad's.
• Since leaving the hotel for the wedding venue, I'd been feeling jittery. My nerves were fraying, and I was on the verge of losing it.
• "Shhh, I'm here. You won't collapse," he assured me, but that didn’t stop my anxiety attack.
• "Dad...." I whimpered again, feeling sweat forming all over. I wanted to flee from the venue; I'd never been so nervous in my life.
• "Bluey...." he called softly.
• "We love you..." he said, and that seemed to soothe me. I stared at him, warning myself not to cry again. He smiled and kissed my forehead before a song rose from inside the building, startling me.
• It was the song, my entrance, my march-in song. My nerves danced inside my body, and my heart raced. My dad covered my veil and took my right arm, giving me a reassuring smile before the giant doors in front of me opened, revealing a glass house. My heart skipped a beat as I stared at it.
• A different door opened, leading straight into the glass house. Cameras flashed immediately like thousands of fireflies, but I hardly paid attention.
• My dad took a step, and I followed, absentmindedly. We walked into the glass house, and I paused. The flashes from the cameras intensified, and the crowd rose to their feet.
• I gaped at the multitude of people present, then turned to my dad, who nodded reassuringly. I smiled at him, and my eyes caught something behind him: a glass-shaped flower, with delicate white and red accents that made it pop.
• My mouth dropped, and I blinked twice to confirm what I was seeing. It wasn't a dream, just like my gown. I took a step forward and looked around. It was exactly as I had envisioned it, the perfect decorations and better. A glass house adorned with flowers of different kinds: tulips, lilies, lily of the valley, peonies, hydrangeas, and more. They stood out against the walls, just like in my dream.
• Tears stung my eyes as I realized he had made my dream come true.
• My dream décor, my dream wedding, and my dream gown.
• My gown was white, of course, stretching elegantly with a mermaid tail. It was sleeveless, with lace that hugged my breasts and formed a V-shape at the back, revealing my skin and stopping just below my waist. The lace has some stones on it, not just stones, but genuine carat diamonds placed on it lightly. The lower part of the gown was thicker and less revealing, hugging my body until just below my knees before spreading out into a magnificent train behind me, more beautiful than a mermaid tail.
• "He did this for me... He gave me my dreams," my thoughts whispered in gratitude as I took steady strides toward my soon-to-be husband. I could see my future, taste its perfection, and it gave me courage. I lost all my doubts, all my worries, all my lack of confidence, all my questions. And I was ready to be fully married to him. I was no longer pushed by money or my parents or debt or a good life for my family.
• I marched with confidence, without hesitation. I wanted to be Jordan Chase's wife, to be his other half for better and for worse. He made my dream come true, made me happy, and considered my feelings. I wanted to reciprocate and be a good spouse, his wife. I wanted to know him just as I wanted him to know me. I wanted to see where this journey would lead. If my dreams could come true, it wouldn't hurt to dream of love. I was ready to be his wife, I wanted it for me, I wanted it for him.
• I took a deep breath and looked forward. I caught a glimpse of him. He was wearing a blue suit, completely stunning and handsome.
• My prince charming.
• ‘That's the man I wanted to make happy, my soon-to-be husband,’ my thoughts whispered again, and my cheeks heated up. Gently, determinedly, with hope and a bit of faith, I walked toward him, my eyes fixed on his face. He looked just as he did in magazines and on social media. I was lucky, truly lucky. The closer I got to him, the more I anticipated, the more I looked forward to seeing that familiar face with his cool, laid-back demeanor.
• It was him and me now.
• When I reached him, my dad stared at me and squeezed my hand. He smiled before turning to Jordan and nodding at him, then placed my hand in his.
• At the touch of our warm hand, Jordan stiffened.