"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony," the Pastor began, his voice filling the room. The air was awkward and filled with tension as many guests – mostly families from both sides hated that the wedding wedding was happening. Thankfully, the Pastor refrained from openly seeking objections, sparing the couple potential dissent.
"Ryker Cadel, do you take this woman to be your wife, to live together in holy matrimony, to love her, to honor her, to comfort her, and to keep her in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?" the Pastor intoned. The became even more awkward as Ryker remained silent, his gaze fixed on the void before him.
In the depths of his soul, Ryker, who had always been skeptical of marriage, could never have imagined himself in this position. If someone had told him he would be standing at the altar at the age of thirty-two, committing to marriage, he would have laughed it off. Yet here he was, facing the moment with a breathtaking woman dressed in an exquisite wedding dress.
His response, a whispered "I do," held a subtle weight, just enough for the Pastor to continue the proceedings.
"Electra Cunningham, do you take this man to be your husband, to embark on the journey of holy matrimony together, to love him, to honor him, to provide comfort, and to stand by him in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?" the Pastor inquired. Electra's gaze, though hesitant, went through the room, taking in the supportive smile from the Pastor, her soon-to-be husband's enigmatic expression, her father's encouraging nod from the front seat, and the disapproving frown of her best friend.
Ryker had an intense disdain for the entire wedding spectacle, begging to seize the moment and flee without the bride if given the chance.
"I do," she responded, her voice a blend of consideration and hesitation. Her family's needs took control, and if marrying for their sake was the path she had to follow, she would do so.
Amidst the palpable hesitation of both bride and groom, the Pastor silently vowed to avoid future arranged weddings. Weddings were meant to be joyous and thrilling, yet the atmosphere created by this hesitant couple left him in awkwardness.
"Répétez après moi," the Pastor directed Ryker. "Je, (Votre nom), te prends, (Son nom), pour être ma femme, pour t'avoir et te tenir dès ce jour, pour le meilleur et pour le pire, pour plus riche, pour plus pauvre, dans la maladie et dans la santé, pour t'aimer et te chérir, jusqu'à ce que la mort nous sépare."
"Je, Ryker Cadel, te prends, Electra Cunningham, pour être ma femme, pour t'avoir et te tenir dès ce jour, pour le meilleur et pour le pire, pour plus riche, pour plus pauvre, dans la maladie et dans la santé, pour t'aimer et te chérir, jusqu'à ce que la mort nous sépare."
The repetition of these words marked a commitment, of a union already formalized on paper. For Céline and Ryker, this marriage was a pivotal opportunity, a rare chance to overshadow his brothers.
"Je, Electra Cunningham, te prends, Ryker Cadel, pour être mon mari, pour t'avoir et te tenir dès ce jour, pour le meilleur et pour le pire, pour plus riche, pour plus pauvre, dans la maladie et dans la santé, pour t'aimer et te chérir, jusqu'à ce que la mort nous sépare," Electra said her vows. The subsequent exchange of rings went swiftly.
"I declare you husband and wife. Vous pouvez embrasser la mariée."
Electra hadn't anticipated a kiss from a man she had only met once, even if it was on the day they obtained their marriage license. While she admired him as a great lawyer, their single encounter hadn't been pleasant. Consequently, she expected, at most, a peck on the cheek. Ryker, however, saw her as incredibly attractive. Despite the stressful and annoying situation, he wasn't about to miss the opportunity to formally kiss her when the Pastor gave the order.
In a swift move, Ryker pulled Electra closer, his firm grasp on her waist, and initiated a passionate kiss that caught her completely off guard. Her eyes widened, almost popping out of their sockets, as she never anticipated him kissing her with such fervor before Ryker gently pulled away.
The ceremony concluded abruptly, lacking the warmth that typically accompanies mutual agreement. Electra's family retreated to the comfort of their mansion, while she, now the new Mrs. Cadel, trailed behind Ryker as they made their way to the Cadel Mansion.
Despite harboring resentment toward the mansion due to haunting childhood memories, Ryker adhered to the old-fashioned family tradition that mandated bringing his new wife to the mansion on their first night as a married couple.
Ryker sighed, trying to keep his composure. "What do you mean?" he asked in response to Electra's question about the unexpected kiss during the ceremony.
"When the Pastor said, 'Vous pouvez embrasser la mariée,' why did you kiss me on my lips? You could have just pecked my cheek," Electra queried. However, she gasped when Ryker abruptly pulled over on the highway, causing the tires to screech in an ear-piercing manner.
His aversion to the sound of women whining in his ears was well-known, and all he wanted in that moment was for Electra to keep quiet and assume the role of a ghost—silent until it was time for other activities... sex to be precise.
"Electra, I know this wedding wasn't what we both wanted, and we are only a married couple on paper, but don't think for a second that I won't get intimate with you," he stated, staring deep into her soul, causing a series of hiccups to erupt from her gut from the closeness. "A kiss? You're whining and
because of one silly kiss?"
It was like she had never heard something like that in her life, and that was because she had never heard it before. She was shocked and dumbfounded—with the way he acted with her on the day their marriage was registered, she knew he would be rude, but she didn't expect him to be vulgarly rude.
"Tonight is our wedding night, and the reason why we're going to the Cadel mansion, against my will, is so we can consummate our marriage, and we will. So shut your mouth until it's time to do so," he finished and stepped on the accelerator.