In the dimly lit corridor of the resort, Christina and Blaze stood, their ears straining to catch the muffled voices from the room. Blaze, with his heightened senses, could hear every word, but he chose to play along with Christina's innocent eavesdropping. Darren, a few steps away, shook his head in disapproval at his young master's antics and sighed.
Minutes ticked by, each one heavy with anticipation. Suddenly, the doors swung open. Christina jumped back, startled by the sight of Viktor and Cassandra storming out. Viktor's expression was a nerve-wracking puzzle, while Cassandra seemed indifferent, her eyes focused on the path leading out of the resort.
Inside the room, Reylan rose from his seat as the dinner had ended in drama, like always. He nodded at his grandfather and walked out, his gaze meeting Christina's at the entrance. He reached her, and they too left the resort.
Blaze watched his grandfather, now alone at the table, and sighed. He signaled Darren to look after the old man, then hurried after his brother. He knew Reylan's temper flared after these gatherings, and he didn't want Christina to witness it. That would only play into Viktor's hands.
As the cars sped out of the resort, a raven followed the red one, its human form worried about its master's grim expression.
"What did he say?" Christina asked, her voice barely audible over the car's engine and the chilly night wind.
"He doesn't mind it," Reylan replied nonchalantly, his eyes focused on the road.
"Oh. Maybe I will talk to him and try to convince-" Christina, who had been bracing for a scolding from Theodore, paused, her mind processing Reylan's words. "What did you say?"
"I said he didn't mind it, nitwit," Reylan replied, a half-smile spreading across his face at her stunned expression.
Christina squealed with joy, her voice echoing in the car. "Blaze, did you hear that? He agreed to it! I'm marrying your idiot brother!" She exclaimed, turning to Blaze in the backseat.
Blaze's smile faded at her words. He shook his head, warning her to be quiet, but her happiness was dangerously infectious.
"I can't believe I'm marrying this annoying man. Oh my god! It's insane!" Christina continued, oblivious to Blaze's warning.
Reylan didn't know whether to laugh at her excitement or cry at her insults. He decided he would have plenty of time to teach her to use the right nicknames for him.
"Wait, doesn't this call for a party?" Christina mumbled, then scowled when Reylan shook his head. She turned to Blaze, who nodded, giving her permission to look for a nearby bar.
"Since you don't have any friends, consider it a bachelor's party, boss!" Christina teased.
"You talk as if you have one," Reylan retorted, rolling his eyes.
"I do." Christina turned to Blaze and replied cheekily, "He's my best friend from today!"
Reylan shook his head, amused by the adults in the car behaving like kids. A smile spread across his lips as he looked at them. It was rare for Blaze to be included in any group because of their family restrictions, so he was happy for him, even if it was just for a short time.
---
Days whirled by in a blur, and Christina found herself standing on the precipice of a life-altering event. In just two days, she would be married! The reality of it, despite the marriage being a sham, began to weigh on her as she found herself free, now that the family drama and frenzied media attention at the sudden marriage news were over.
"This is just a fake marriage. Don't worry about it too much," she told herself, but her heart contradicted, "But it's still a marriage!" She slumped onto the plush couch in Reylan's villa, a sigh escaping her lips.
It was a pity that her family, especially her mother, wouldn't be able to witness such an important day of her life. Her condition was still bedridden and there hadn't been great news from Dr. John except that she was slowly reacting to their treatment. Her grandmother might have witnessed it through a video call, but the thought of walking down the aisle alone made her sigh again.
"It's a fake marriage, Christina. Don't take it to heart," she mumbled, trying to console herself.
"Get me more designs!" Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the front door slamming shut. Reylan stormed into the villa, Blaze trailing behind him, looking annoyed.
"What's wrong now?" Christina asked, sitting up straight on the couch.
"He isn't happy with the ring," Blaze muttered, collapsing beside her. Christina patted his back sympathetically as the poor guy seemed more on edge than she was about the wedding preparations.
"It's Tina who will be wearing it. So, shouldn't it be according to her choices than yours, my dear brother?" she queried.
"Yep. I am fine with anything," Christina quickly sided with Blaze, aware of how the design team was losing its spirits trying to match Reylan's vision for the ring. But Reylan shook his head, being as relentless as ever.
"Wait. Christina, you designed some variations, didn't you?" Blaze recalled her showing him a design. "Show it to him. Maybe it will match his grand ring."
Reylan looked at Christina, amused at his brother's words. "Is it true?" he asked, leaning back on the couch to which she hesitantly nodded. With a smile, he said, "Bring it in. Let's take a look."
Christina got up and walked upstairs to get her tablet. She wasn't sure why she had wanted to design the ring, but after seeing the gemstone, her creative spirit had taken over. Or maybe it was something else. She quickly grabbed the tablet from the bed and returned downstairs, passing the design to Reylan.
Reylan accepted the tablet from Christina, his gaze immediately drawn to the design displayed on the screen. It was a ring, its design exquisite and intricate. The centerpiece was a radiant red stone, cut in such a way that it caught the light from every angle, its vibrant color standing out against the gold setting.
Reylan's eyes widened slightly as he zoomed in on the patterns of the ring. The intricate carvings were not just random designs but resembled thorn veins, twirling around a central rose flower. This couldn't be… He thought, recognizing the design from his past. She wore it every day, the only piece of jewelry she wore every day.
"What? You didn't like it?" Blaze questioned, noticing Reylan's intense focus on the tablet.
"It's exactly the same," Reylan mumbled, his words surprising both Blaze and Christina. Looking up at Christina, he smiled and said, "It's perfect."
"Thank god!" Blaze sighed in relief, leaning back on the couch. Finally! He thought with a satisfied smile and couldn't help but hug Christina in gratitude.
"I will send it to the factory! They will be able to get it before the wedding day," Blaze said, picking up the tablet from Reylan's hand.
"You can ask them to take their sweet time," a voice echoed from the entrance, causing the three of them to frown.
Reylan's frown deepened as he saw a woman, in her late fifties, clad in a tailored suit, walking in with her entourage. Her age didn't diminish the confidence radiating from her, but he hadn't invited her here.
'Why are you here?' Reylan questioned, through their mind-talk.
'To ruin your wedding of course,' The woman replied with a sly smirk before she continued, 'We suspect your soon-to-be wife is a demon blood carrier. Everyone on her mother's blood donor list came clean and we need to test her too.'
'But she is a human! And unveiled, unaware of our existence like you were once,' Reylan retorted, his displeased expression unwelcoming the team.
'Oh, honey. That's what makes it all more suspicious,' The woman replied as she stopped in front of them and turned to Christina.