Flashback…
A woman in a white custom bridal gown stood beside the French window, staring out in a daze. Her big amber eyes under the black-rimmed round glasses were red and puffy. Tears streaked her delicate cheek. The tip of her nose also turned red.
Yasmin Wiley sniffed and continued crying quietly. She thought her wedding day would be the happiest day of her life. She would instantly fall in love with her husband. But things turned out dynamically opposite to her expectations.
It was supposed to be her sister's wedding. Her sister, however, chose her wedding day out of all the days to elope with her lover. Hence, her parents forced her to marry her sister's groom.
Yasmin was only nineteen. She had yet to finish her studies. She also had many dreams and aspirations that she had not yet achieved. It was not the right age to get married.
She could refuse to marry and flee at once from the wedding venue, screaming, 'NO…'
But she couldn't deny it when she saw her father's tearful eyes pleading with her to marry Declan Wilson, the heir to Wilson and Co, one of East Asia's Fortune 500 companies.
What her father had said still reverberated in her ears…
'Yasmin, my princess. Daddy is begging you. You are well aware of the condition of the company. I need financial support to avoid bankruptcy. Mr. Wilson is willing to assist me, but only under one condition. He wants me to marry Natasha to his son, Declan. Since your sister has run away, you must marry him. This is the only way to save the company.'
Yasmin agreed to this arrangement for the sake of the family. She was furious at her sister for being selfish and putting her in this situation. She was mad at her father for prioritizing his business over her. She despised herself for not being able to object to the arrangement.
Yasmin sulked and cried even harder.
Creak…
The squeaking of the door made her jump. Yasmin turned frantically toward the entrance and saw Declan coming in. She blinked and stared at him, her heart leaping to her mouth. She was so upset that she didn't even look at him during the wedding. Now that he was standing in front of her, she realized how handsome he was.
'He is a super-hot guy,' her inner voice whispered.
Declan was the male Adonis. He looked even more enticing in his black tuxedo.
His lush, gold hair was carefully groomed backward. His only blemish was that his crescent moon-shaped eyebrows were knitted in frustration.
The aquiline nose complemented his mounting cheekbones. His short, trimmed stubble, which covered his angular jawline, added to his allure. Handsome was an understatement to describe his look.
His broad shoulders spoke of strength. He had this vibrant aura that was intimidating.
Yasmin couldn't take her gaze away from him. When she noticed his eyes on her, she grew nervous. It made her heart pound harder.
Declan kept staring at her as if she were a puzzle he was trying to piece together. He was not sure how to approach her. He would not marry, but he had to accept defeat under the pressure of his father. However, his wedding day turned out to be a great joke. The bride ran away, and he had to marry her sister to save the reputations of both families.
He was already in distress. When he saw her puffy, red eyes, he grew even more depressed. He walked past her and into the closet.
Yasmin's gaze followed him. She expected him to say something… something about what had happened at the wedding or anything to comfort her. But Declan didn't say a word, not even a word of dissatisfaction. He just walked into the closet.
Yasmin became restless. She was afraid that he might cause problems in her father's company out of anger. She thought of apologizing for what her sister had done. But she remained numb on the spot, looking at the closet in a daze.
After a while, Declan exited the dressing room, wearing a white shirt and black pants, with a black coat draped over his forearm. He paused momentarily to look at her before going out of the room.
Yasmin turned around and looked at the wide-open door, agitated. She had no idea where he was going or when he was returning. His indifference only added to her sadness.
She sagged on the bed and sobbed loudly.
"Natasha, you piece of shit... I will never forgive you," she snarled. "I hate you. I hate you." She continued crying.
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At the Wilson Manor…
Declan paced back and forth inside the study. He pressed his hands at the back of his head, his fingers interlacing. His face was so dark that no one dared to approach him and say a word. Everyone in the room was staring at him in silence.
"Bro, can you sit down for a while?" Derrek finally asked. "I feel dizzy looking at you walking to and fro."
"Really?" Declan stopped pacing abruptly and scowled at him. "You only feel dizzy!" I was about to pass out at the altar when I heard that my bride had run away. It's so embarrassing."
He moved his fiery gaze to his father. "It's all because of you," he grumbled and walked over to him, directing his index finger at him. "I never wanted to marry. I was happy to be single. But you couldn't stand my happiness. That is why you forced me into this marriage. You didn't even verify her background."
"Did I know in advance something like this was going to happen?" Gerald leaped to his feet, glaring at him. "Forcing to the marriage…" he muttered angrily, averting his gaze. He looked back at him and snapped, "How long do you intend to be single? You are already 27. All of your pals are married, and some of them even have children. Are you unaware that you have been rumored of being gay?"