Amaia stared at her reflection on the huge glass mirror, placed in the corner of the room she was currently in. It was the waiting room of the church where she was temporarily ordered to stay until her father came 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 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 looked extremely beautiful in that plain lace and satin trumpet wedding dress which hugged her body till above her knees before falling down to the floor. Amaia 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.
Her make-up was kept minimal while her wait was knotted in an elegant bun with a few strands falling out. Her mother made sure to instruct the renewed makeup artist a thousand times to ensure her perfect look. From the wedding dress to the jewellery, shoes and makeup. Everything was of her mother's choice. She had no say in this. She just had to sit there like a porcelain doll and obey whatever they said. Not that she was complaining because it was her only chance to please her parents and mend her relationship with them.
However, whenever Adriann'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. She was a certified people pleaser. She wanted to please her parents and her future husband. Even though he behaved so coldly with her, 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.
Amaia 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?
Alyssa might have had him for the past six years however he was going to be hers now. She had been in love with him for years and that's why God had now granted her wish. Allyssa and Adriann were never meant to. He was fated to be her in the end or else why would she be the one to marry him?
Amaia 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 Adriann once again from her? Those unwanted thoughts kept crossing her head, making her feel more anxious every passing second. Being all alone in the huge spacious room didn't help either. She wished her friends were there to support her at least but none of them was allowed. She wasn't even allowed to contact them. She felt lonely, lost and suffocated yet had no voice to express her feelings.
A sudden subtle knock on the door snapped Amaia out of her unwanted thoughts, making her turn her head towards the entrance. A few seconds passed, before the door was pushed open revealing her parents. Amaia's eyes slightly widened as she looked at her father who as usual had a cold expression on his face. She tried to smile at him before walking towards them when their eyes met.
"Papa." She greeted them in a soft voice, making him pause on his steps as both he and her mother glanced in her direction. Her father was dressed in a black tuxedo with a white shirt and black bow while her mother was dressed in an elegant green dress that made her look a lot younger than her age. They both looked absolutely perfect as they stood opposite to her.
"Amaia." Her father cleared his throat slightly before calling her name. She smiled at him more before nodding her head.
"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 Edward's mouth, the smile on Amaia's face faltered. Oh, no! She was all wrong.
"Be an obedient wife to Adriann. 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, Amaia." His words were like the sharp edge of a knife which cut her heart into pieces. There was no affection, no warmth in his eyes or voice as he spoke to her. For a second, Amaia felt really disappointed however she recovered quickly when she felt her mother's sharp gaze looking at her, waiting for her to respond to her father. She took a deep breath before slowly nodding her head.
"Yes, Papa. I know." Her voice slightly cracked as she finally found the strength to respond to his words,
"Don't worry, I won't disappoint you like Allyssa, I will be nothing like her." 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 as he nodded at her. Looking very pleased with her answer.
"I know, honey. You will do your best." Her mother grinned at her cheerfully before walking towards her and fixing her veil lightly. Amaia offered a weak smile at her mother's direction but said nothing. The words that left her mother's mouth just now were the words she craved to hear so much in the past however couldn't. The parents who always wanted her to be like her sister were the one who was asking her to be nothing like her sister. How fast everything changed!
"Let's go. It's about time." Her father declared in an authoritative voice before offering his hands to Amaia. She looked at her father's extended hand before nodding her head. After taking a deep breath, she put her warm hand in his timidly. There was no fatherly affection, no gentleness in the way her father held her hands. He was just as usual cold and indifferent 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 after wishing her the best to sit in the rows where the rest of the people were. Amaia's anxiety grew as she wrapped her arms around her father's arm while waiting for the door of the aisle leading to the state to open. In a matter of seconds, the huge mahogany door pulled open, revealing the bride and her father. Amaia raised her eyes to look ahead when her father began to walk her slowly on the aisle, to where her groom was waiting for her.
She could feel all the eyes on her as she slowly walked alongside her father. The hall was filled with forty-something people, all known faces. They held a hint of shock and surprise as they all stared at her. Amaia couldn't help but feel nervous under their scrutinising eyes. She forced herself to stay calm and smile gently before looking ahead towards the place her groom was supposed to be. Her sparkling turquoise eyes scanned the stage before settling on the broad and tall figure which never failed to make her heart skip a beat. He was dressed a in charcoal grey tux with white shirt underneath. His brownish hair was styled perfectly on the top of his head while his clean shaved face added more charm to his already handsome face.
As Amaia neared the bridal stage, her beautiful turquoise eyes finally found their way to meet his grey eyes which were already fixed on hers. Amaia felt her breath caught in her throat as she gazed at those pairs of icy grey orbs which were staring back at her sharply without any single emotion.