"I haven't seen her looking like that in like years!"
"Hehe, don't even say years. This is the first time she is like this."
"Damn! She is favored by the heavens, isn't she?"
"I am happy, though. I can see her sincere smile. She looks happy, and I am relieved to see this day."
"I just hope that she won't fall once those people's tongues start wagging."
"Heh, do you think that they would win?"
"Stop wishing for something like that. We better look at the couple!"
Watching the couple making vows in front of the altar which was adorned with beautiful clothes, candles burning with vigor and a lot of sacrificial food placed on top, the Dickens family were busy murmuring to themselves.
"I am not a perfect person. I have many faces, a lot you haven't seen. But I swear as I stand in front of the goddess that I will never harbor any malicious intent towards you. I will treat you well, love you, care for you and respect you as my lover, partner, husband and spouse. When you have doubts, come and ask me. I will do my best to explain to you. Just don't assume and overthink. Even in front of the goddess, if you accuse me of something I haven't done. I will never forgive you for it. I ….."
'Is this it? Am I really doing this?' that's all he could think about as he listened to Calista making a very strange vow, something he had never seen or experienced before.
It was actually very amusing to hear her making such vows. How daring and brazen she sounded as she made threats, like always, even in the presence of the goddess.
The way she threatened him in that sweet voice with that charming appearance. Did she even think that she looked scary?
Looking at those eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings. Every time they flapped, those black eyes, which had always looked clear from the day he saw them, were calling and pulling him.
When his gaze lowered a bit, he could see that nose that wasn't too big, too small. It was perfectly of the right size and shape, contributing to her beautiful visage.
Leaving the nose, what came next was something that he was currently itching to have a taste of. Who would have guessed that he Orson, with a name that resounded and caused waves in all continents, would one day have an urge to devour a woman's lips?
Every time she opened her mouth whether to sweet talk or give out those paper tiger threats which made her look very cute, only he knew what kind of deadly thoughts he was having for them.
If he were to shut her up, what kind of reaction would she make? How would they taste once devoured?
He once prided himself on being self-restrained but in a few days, he was finding his perseverance and self-restraint being tested over and over again.
By the time she finished making the vows, all he could wish for was for everyone to go back to their house and leave the two of them alone.
Thinking of being alone, he couldn't help but wonder if they would be sharing the room or sleeping separately.
He was still the clueless one in this marriage, after all.
When Calista was done with her vows, she gave the floor to Orson.
When Orson found out that it was his time, he calmed his thoughts down, before locking gaze with Calista as he made his vows.
"I am not perfect and I might be lacking in many things but as I stand in front of you right now, I vow solemnly that I will do my duties and utmost best to become the best husband who will cherish you, love you, take care of you and make sure that you won't suffer. I …."
As he made his vows, Orson found himself very serious. For the first time in a very long time, he found himself uttering something sincere, after all.
It all started as curiosity, wanting to know where she was headed with her scam and threats. But as days passed, and especially now when he was completing the simple ceremony without a lot of guests, he couldn't help but promise her from the depths of his heart.
He wasn't perfect; he wasn't honest; he deceived her and he knew that one day the truth would be out. She would be angry and feel deceived but as he made vows in front of a goddess he didn't believe in, he vowed sincerely not only to her but to himself that he would make it up to her now and in the future for the lies and deceits that would surface in the future.
He didn't know what she was hiding from him and how deep the deceits were, but all he knew was that she would never bring harm to him. She wasn't the kind of person who was that blackhearted.
He wanted to dig into every single secret of hers, expose her bare and see what she was made of. He didn't want any man eyeing her. She was too good for any riff-raff to have her and only he was suitable to bring such a shameless and firecracker home.
She would be perfect for his family and his family would accept her with open arms. And as he made a vow to her, he just hoped that she would accept his sincere apology and perhaps let their deceits cancel with each other and start afresh.
As she listened to him making vows, she sensed a drastic change in Orson, something that wasn't even there in the morning, which made her heart thump wildly and blood boil crazily, making her enter a state of confusion for a bit.
As she listened to him making his vows, his gaze locked onto her, reflecting in his eyes, Calista vowed silently at that moment.
'I don't care what your motives are. What lies and myths you are hiding from me? But from the second you appeared in my yard and caught my eye. No matter who you were, a bastard, a beggar, a scholar, a solider, a general, a flower thief, a bandit and a price, you, Orson, if that's what your name is, you became mine.'
'I am very possessive of what I want and when I want something, not even the gods and goddesses can stop me. That's how possessive I can be. The moment you accepted my proposal, it now no longer matters. Family or no family, didn't I also take down a family man before?'
'As of this moment, you dear Orson are my husband and I will do everything to keep it that way. Even if it means ...'