Chapter 4 The Wedding

• Hyacinth stared at her reflection on the huge glass mirror, placed in the corner of the room. She was temporarily ordered to stay in the waiting room of the church. Her father would soon come to fetch her before walking her down the aisle.
• Dressed in a simple white wedding dress that hugged her body tightly to the point of suffocation, she stood before the mirror. The dress wasn't this tight when she tried it on the first day, which meant it was her mother's idea. She definitely had the size readjusted for her. Her pair of turquoise eyes were filled with anxiety and uncertainty.
• She was wearing someone else's wedding dress and marrying someone else's fiance. None of it was hers.
• The more she looked at her reflection in the mirror, the more she hesitated. This was not how she imagined her wedding. Even though she was marrying the man of her dream, she barely felt happy remembering their last encounter.
• Hyacinth lifted her fingers to touch the chest of her dress, which was covered with lace and pearls. She sighed as the pearls reminded her of her missing sister, who had a weird obsession with collecting pearls.
• Whenever Ares's cold, apathetic eyes crossed her mind, she felt her heartbeat quicken with fear and anxiety. She had already signed the prenuptial contract the previous day without any further complaints.
• Hyacinth was a certified people-pleaser. She wanted to please her parents and her future husband. Even though he treated so coldly, she was certain it wasn't the real him. It was just that he was really upset and frustrated with the whole situation. That's probably why he took out his anger and frustration on her.
• Hyacinth was sure about one thing. Even if he made her sign the prenuptial contract and said it was a contract marriage, she was going to give her best to the marriage. She was going to give him all her love and devotion. She was going to make him fall in love with her and forget her sister. She was not that hard to love, right?
• Hazel might have had him for the past four years; however, he was going to be hers now. She had been in love with him for years, and that's why God has now granted her wish. Hazel and Ares were never meant to. He was fated to be her in the end, or else why would she be the one to marry him?
• Hyacinth inhaled and exhaled deeply while forcing her head to think positively. However, she couldn't help overthinking and was paranoid. What if her sister suddenly returned and called off the wedding? What if she just came back and took everything back from her? What if she snatched Ares once again from her?
• Those unwanted thoughts kept crossing her head, making her feel more anxious with every passing second. Being all alone in the huge, spacious room didn't help either. She felt lonely, lost, and suffocated, yet she had no one to share her feelings.
• A sudden knock on the door snapped Hyacinth out of her unwanted thoughts. Soon the door was pushed open, revealing her parents. Hyacinth looked at her father, who, as usual, had a cold expression on his face. She tried to smile at him before walking towards them.
• "Papa." She greeted them in a soft voice, making him and her mother glance in her direction. Her father was dressed in a black tuxed, while her mother wore green dress that made her look a lot younger than her age.
• "Hyacinth ." Her father cleared his throat.
• "Yes, Papa." She responded gently while playing with the diamond bracelet adorning her slender wrist. She anticipated some words of affirmation and maybe something that would warm her heart and put her anxiety and fears at ease.
• "Your sister has decided to disgrace us. I lost my face because of her, but I hope you will be nothing like her." The moment those words left Joaquin's mouth, the smile on Hyacinth 's face faltered.
• "Be an obedient wife to Ares. Never do anything to make him question my upbringing. This deal is very important for our future and business. You have to honour it at any cost. Don't disappoint me, Hyacinth ." His words were like the sharp edge of a knife that cut her heart into pieces.
• There was no affection, no warmth in his eyes or voice as he spoke to her. For a second, Hyacinth felt really disappointed; however, she recovered quickly when she felt her mother's sharp gaze looking at her.
• "Yes, Papa. I know." Her voice slightly cracked as she finally found the strength to respond to his words.
• "Don't worry, I will take care of Ares and love him unconditionally." She added the last part firmly while forcing a smile at her father. A small, satisfied smile tucked in the corner of her father's lips.
• "Don't do anything stupid and remember what I said. Always remember your place and know when to step up and when to step down." Her mother rolled her eyes, not forgetting to remind her that her wedding with Ares was temporary. Hyacinth offered a weak smile in her mother's direction but said nothing.
• "Let's go. It's about time." Her father declared before offering his hands to Hyacinth . She looked at her father's extended hand before nodding her head.
• After taking a deep breath, she put her warm hand in his timidity. There was no fatherly affection or gentleness in the way her father held her hands. He was just as cold and indifferent as usual, which made her heart sink further.
• As she quietly followed her parents out of the waiting lounge, they walked towards the aisle before her mother moved away. Hyacinth 's anxiety grew as she wrapped her arms around her father's arm.
• In a matter of seconds, the huge mahogany door was pulled open, revealing the bride and her father. Hyacinth raised her eyes to look ahead. Her father began to walk her slowly down the aisle to her groom.
• She could feel all the eyes on her. Their eyes held a hint of shock and surprise as they all stared at her. They weren't expecting the bride's sister to suddenly walk in bride's place.
• Hyacinth forced herself to stay calm and smile gently before looking ahead. Her sparkling turquoise eyes scanned the stage before settling on Ares. She felt her breath catch in her throat as she gazed at those pairs of icy grey orbs staring back at her sharply without any single emotion.