When all the food was cooked, everyone had a quick break and ate some food before dispersing to prepare for the wedding ceremony in a couple of hours.
When the Dickens family left, only Calista and Orson remained behind.
"Are you tired?" Calista asked worriedly as he looked at Calista who was fanning herself with sweat trickling down her forehead.
Calista energetically looked at Orson and smiled at him. "Even if I am tired, I don't even feel like it. It's a happy day, so every effort is worth it," sincerity and earnestly evident in her eyes.
Seeing that, Orson felt his blood race for no particular reason, but the feeling excited him. Although she was a bit unruly, he could still see that she was indeed serious about marrying him.
He still didn't have a clue as to why exactly she was so determined to marry a stranger. Whether it was to use him or for other purposes, but that didn't matter to him. As of that second, where he was standing and looking at her, he could see how happy she was about everything.
At least in her eyes, although they didn't contain love for him, there was desire and liking for him. What more could he ask for?
"That's good then. You don't need to stress yourself!" he responded, concernedly after sorting his thoughts.
"Hehe, don't worry. I will be good as new before the wedding starts," she chuckled softly as she stood on her feet.
Orson could only smile at that. With all the strange medicine in hand, it would be very suspicious and concerning if she failed to get her vitality back.
…..
An hour later, Calista was lying in the tub on the second floor with her eyes closed as she hummed a tune.
The tub was quite big and her body was soaking in the water with different kinds of petals floating on top. An incense burner was emitting a fragrant scent which soothed the heart and soul and made the receiver feel very refreshed and invigorated.
After a while of soaking, Calista snapped her eyes open, revealing a pair of green eyes which no one had ever seen before.
"Pew!" she exhaled her breath as she stood in the tub revealing the body she was most proud of.
Even after so many years, in her mid-twenties, her body still looked the best without any signs of being toyed with.
If she was in a new area, even if she clamored that she was untainted, everyone would believe her.
After admiring her exquisite body for a while, she stepped out of the tub and wrapped her body with a wrapper before dealing with the dirty water and wiping the wet floor.
Calista didn't linger for long in the bathroom and made their way to the bedroom, which now looked different from how it was that morning.
To make the matrimonial bedroom livelier, she added a few wedding trinkets, consecrated from the temple of love and marriage. Something she purchased in town a day before.
She changed the quilts and spread a set she barely used, one she bought in the city a very long time ago. It was magenta pink with beautiful flowers embroidered on it. it had this wedding vibe to it, which she liked.
She wasn't planning on using separate bedrooms with Orson. If she were to act shy like a maiden, how was she supposed to have a fat baby by next year?
One had to be shameless and thick-skinned to get what she wanted. Even if he was unwilling, she was going to make sure that the rice was cooked and force him to accept when morning came.
Calista wore the sexy innerwear she picked without changing shades of color. She looked very provocative and alluring. She was definitely confident that she would be able to take him down without a notch.
After wearing that, she didn't hurry to wear the wedding clothes but began to perform a tedious wedding ritual that was a must for the bride.
Since she didn't have female relatives to help her, she didn't have a choice to do it herself.
To show dedication, patience and perseverance, the bride was supposed to draw her feet and hands in any manner she liked. The more detailed and beautiful, the better though.
Calista wasn't bad with her hands, so with the paint already mixed earlier that morning, she got busy for an hour before she looked like a changed person. Something that truly left her in awe.
"I have done it again. Who else can draw herself twice for a wedding in her lifetime? Only me!" she shamelessly boasted at the thought of personally doing a ritual without aid.
Looking at the beautiful flower murals on her feet and hands, she was truly pleased and couldn't wait to show off to Susan, who was pretty bad with her hands.
If it wasn't for her during the wedding ceremony of Susan, who knows what ugly drawings Susan would have on that day?
When the paint dried, Calista easily wore the wedding robes with ease. With swift and deft hands, the process of wearing the robes and the shoes took less than thirty minutes.
After donning the robes, she took out a set of exquisite makeup kits, dolled herself prettily and applied some lip tint, which painted her lips pink.
She smacked her lips with satisfaction upon seeing her appearance in the copper mirror.
Before leaving the bedroom, she applied some scented powder on her robes to make herself smell nicer and the preparations on her side were complete.
And all that remained now was to get married and get the process done with.
As she descended the stairs to go downstairs, a smile blossomed on her face as her hyper-sensitive ears overheard the Dickens family talking merrily as they ascended the hill.
Knowing that they were happy for her and looking forward to the wedding made her feel at ease.
What would truly hurt was to get backstabbed by the people you trust.
So, she felt grateful for it.
And when she saw him standing there, with his hands behind his back, looking handsome and majestic, wearing the wedding clothes she personally picked, Calista's smile widened further.
Looking at her, who was coming down the stairs holding the robes in her hands, Orson was in a state of shock, frozen on the spot with an unchanged expression but with a restless mind filled with all sorts of thoughts.
But one thought in particular kept on coming back to him repeatedly, and he couldn't help but utter it aloud, "You look beautiful!" making Calista redden with the praise.