Chapter 5 Married Couple

• Elaine's POV
• When I reached the front door of the church immediately a wedding song was played in the background. I could feel the stares of everyone at me. Which is making me want to walk away from all of this.
• "My dear, you look so beautiful in your wedding gown," Father said, smiling and looking at me with joy in his eyes.
• Why is everyone happy at my wedding when I am the only one who is unhappy?
• Mother came close to me and smiled proudly, saying, "Of course she is beautiful because I am her beautiful mother, Elaine's beauty came from me."
• I didn't say anything and decided to pretend to smile despite the fact that all I wanted to do at the time was cry. My father and I began walking down the aisle after Father and Mother spoke.My heart was racing faster and faster, and I couldn't tell if I was nervous about the marriage or about the man I was going to marry.
• I just keep my head down while walking because I don't want everyone to see my unhappy and about to cry face.I'm not sure how long we were walking. I was surprised when we finally came to a halt; I noticed two shoes in front of me, which led me to believe they belonged to Duke Hayes, my soon-to-be husband.
• " Hayes, take care of my daughter or I will kill you," Father warned Duke.
• Which caused me to raise my head and look at my father, who was smiling but had deadly eyes. Despite everything that had happened, I was relieved that my father genuinely cared about me.
• "Of course, Sir, I will," Duke said to my father, his voice full of assurance.
• " Good," my father said in a satisfied voice.
• My father took my hand in his and offered it to Duke, who held it tightly. I can feel the coldness in his hands, which immediately warmed up as if my hand was providing him with the heat he requires.
• After giving Duke my hand, my father immediately left my side to go into the side with my Mother, who was emotional as she looked at us.
• I didn't dare to look at Duke's face because I despise him for doing this to me. But I could feel his eyes on me, as if silently commanding me to look at him, but I refused. I keep my gaze fixed on the altar and ignore him as we take one more step up into the altar, where the chairs have been arranged.
• So the wedding ceremony starts.
• "Since you intend to enter into the covenant of Holy Matrimony, join your right hands and declare your consent before God and his Church," the Priest said, looking at both of us.
• Please, it was his sole intention to marry me, and I was only a forced father, is what I wanted to say, but I didn't. I simply joined my right hand as the priest had instructed.
• "Duke Hayes, do you take Elaine Cai to be your wife? Do you promise to be faithful to her in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love her and to honor her all the days of your life?" The priest asks.
• " I do" He replied while looking at my eyes directly.
• He responded as if he truly meant it, but I knew it was all a lie. Which bothers me because marriage is for couples who truly love each other.
• "Elaine Cai, do you take Duke Hayes to be your husband? Do you promise to be faithful to him in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love him and to honor him all the days of your life?"
• Is this really the best course of action? Getting married to someone I don't even like? Will I experience the joy that real couples experience after they marry? Will this marriage provide me with the happy ending I desire for my own life?
• "Miss Cai, please respond," the priest said again, breaking the thoughts I was having inside my head.
• "Oh yes, sorry, I do father," I responded in panic, which led me to realize I had just accepted the marriage.
• Damn it . I was not prepared to respond or accept it! Elaine Cai your so stupid! I felt a wave of relief in my back after responding as if everyone was nervous because I didn't respond immediately.
• "What God joins together, let no one put asunder" The priest said again
• There was a little boy standing in front of us, holding a pillow with rings on it. Duke chose the rings and took one.
• "Elaine Cai, receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," he said again, holding my finger.
• He then placed the ring on my ring finger, which felt cold as it moved along through my finger.And now it's my turn; I picked up the ring and gripped his cold hands, saying the same words as him.
• "Duke Hayes, receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" I said as I placed the ring in his ring finger.
• After we put the rings on our fingers, the priest prayed to us for something that I didn't hear.
• “Now let us humbly invoke God's blessing upon this bride and groom, that in his kindness he may favor with his help those on whom he has bestowed the Sacrament of Matrimony.” The priest said.
• So I'm actually married, huh? There is no turning back.
• "In the sight of God and these witnesses, I now pronounce you husband and wife!" The priest pronounced to everyone in the church that we are already married.
• Please, Lord, let me survive this marriage. I silently prayed to God in my mind.