"If there is any person here present who knows of any lawful impediment to this marriage, then they should declare it now or forever hold their peace." The priest said to the congregation.
Lyse had often wondered why that statement was included during the wedding rites, it seemed so inciting. She almost giggled as she imagined someone yelling "I object".
She looked through her veil at her groom who stood opposite her and she blushed, she could still not believe that the day had come at last and in a few seconds she would say "I do" and become Mrs Brandon Marlowe.
"I object!" A voice rang out very loudly and the chapel full of people went up in an uproar while Lyse felt the blood drain from her face and she stared at Brandon who looked as shocked as she felt.
Her sight became blurry from sudden dizziness and she was sure that she had imagined it.
Her nightmare was happening. She tried to convince herself that she was just having one of those nightmares caused by pre wedding jitters and she was probably still in bed.
Her wedding was going to be perfect. The bead of cold sweat that rolled down her back told her that everything was in fact not a dream.
She felt even worse when she turned around and watched as the refined dame who had been sitting on the front row marched up to the altar, her massive hat doing nothing to hide the expression on her face which looked like the one on a venomous snake ready to strike its victim.
"I object to this accursed marriage, my son cannot marry this whore whose mother is a home wrecking mistress!" She sneered, "I am sure that she also carries that same gene of being an unfortunate gold digging mistress."
The people in the chapel gasped at the outrageous statement and Lyse felt like she was going to faint and she pressed a shaky hand against her head. She stared at the disgusted face of the stunning woman standing before her.
Sutton Marlowe had always been standoffish and cold but then, she was that way with everyone and Lyse never had problems with her. She turned to look at her groom who was looking away from the drama as if it did not involve him.
"Brandon, won't you say something please?" Lyse pleaded faintly.
"There is nothing more to be said, I am his mother and I have not told a single lie have i?" Sutton interrupted, her voice booming in the little chapel by the sea where Brandon's family had had their marriages held for centuries. "Did your mother not wreck a woman's marriage and send her to an early grave?"
Lyse felt that it was funny how regardless of how noisy the chapel was from people chattering, Mrs Sutton Marlowe's voice could still be heard loud and clear.
Lyse once again turned back to Brandon and realized from his bent head and defeated stance that he actually was not going to say a word in her defense, he was going to let his mother berate her.
"I will never let my son marry someone who is as unfortunate as you are, your mother is a filthy gold digger and that is exactly what you also are." Sutton Marlowe continued, each word dripping with the repulsion she felt and cutting deep into Lyse's heart.
Lyse looked over at the pews where people were staring at her, most of them with disgust while a few looked at her with pity and even fewer were too horrified to even look in her direction.
She could feel their condemnation, and over what? The fact that she was the innocent bystander who was born out of an illicit relationship. How was it her fault that she was born after two shameless people had an affair? Who would willingly chose to be a bastard?
Her eyes stopped at the front row where her family sat and she knew that she would not get any support from there either.
Her father was looking stoically ahead, obviously humiliated by the embarrassment she had brought upon the family while her mother stared at her with eyes full of scorn and a smirk while Brooke was clearly enjoying her pain and embarrassment.
Lyse turned once more to Brandon and even though her heart was breaking she tried once again.
"You said that you loved me." Her voice breaking as she spoke.
Brandon still did not even turn to look at her and his mother thundered once more.
"Of course he thought that he loved you, how could he not when my innocent son was faced with those wiles of yours that you have perfected." She hissed. "You skillfully hid your history and let my son think that you were a decent person."
Lyse gaze snapped back to Brandon, willing him to open his mouth and tell his mother that it was untrue. He knew every shameful detail of her life, she had never hidden who she was from him.
Still he remained silent, refusing to defend her in the face of his mother's accusations and suddenly Lyse had a moment of realization. If she had married Brandon she would have had to deal with a dragon of a mother in law who controlled everything and found fault everywhere.
"Anyway, that no longer matters because I have found a better candidate to be my son's wife." She declared.
Lyse's eyes snapped to the beautiful woman's perfectly made up face. No one would be able to tell that she was the mother to a man as grown as Brandon, she had meticulously maintained her looks.
Lyse had a inkling that something worse was coming but she wondered what could be worse than being humiliated by the woman who she had thought was going to be her mother in law.
"This wedding ceremony will be canceled but I have already decided on Brooke Chadwick to be the bride my son will chose."
Brooke gasped and covered her mouth as she slowly stood up and looked around before looking at Mrs Marlowe shyly.
"I.. I don't think that would be right Mrs Marlowe, Lyse is my sister even if she is illegitimate." Brooke was demure and sweet, the perfect daughter in law for a high class society woman like Sutton Marlowe.
Lyse closed her eyes as the pain stabbed through her again. She should be used to this feeling but she was not, everytime Brooke betrayed her it hurt all over.
"There is no one better for my son and he shall have you as his wife!" Mrs Marlowe insisted and Brooke blushed.
"Take my grandmother's ring off that vile seductress and hand it over to me." She commanded.
Brandon stiffly walked over to Lyse and stopped in front of her while he looked guiltily at his shoes, unable to touch her.
With a hiss his mother elbowed him out of the way then she grabbed Lyse hand and roughly pulled off the heirloom that Brandon had so lovingly slipped into her finger just three months ago.
"Nasty whores like you do not deserve to own anything this priceless." Sutton spat before shoving Lyse away and walking down to Brooke and placing the ring in her palm.
"Mother." Lyse called out to her mother with a shaky voice but Lottie glared at her daughter in disgust before walking out of the chapel after her husband.
Lyse felt her knees buckle as she was hit by a wave of dizziness and she fell to the ground but before she could hit the floor, her best friend James caught her and helped her up.
"Come on sweetie, let us leave this place." He said as he supported her while tears streamed down her cheeks.
She straightened up and ripped the veil and headpiece off her head and stared from Brandon to Brooke who stared back at her with a smirk.
"You all will regret this, I swear it." She swore, her gaze sweeping past each of them who were responsible for turning this day that had meant to be a happy day to the worst moment.
She did not know how she was going to do it but she was determined to bring each of them to their knees. With one last glance at Brandon she walked out of the church with her head held high.