Chapter 2 - The Moment He Saw Her

Everyone except one person.

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕿𝖜𝖔

This one person was loving the unfortunate series of events that had just taken place. Alexei Morozova grinned while watching the wedding-turned-circus that was happening right in front of him.

Alexei was a bright young man. Every person who met him knew he would become something big, something important. Someone who everyone looked up to. Well, it was obvious. He was raised in a large mansion, supplied by his rich and successful parents. He attended a prestigious private college that gave him only the best education. Alexei seemed like a happy, lucky person, and he was especially joyous seeing the embarrassment before him.

Was it funny? Sure. However, the humorous scene was not the reason for his wide grin. It was the fact that the wedding was going wrong. From the moment the ceremony had begun, Alexei felt jealousy creep up inside him. He couldn't understand how a beautiful young woman was marrying an old man who looked more dead than alive. He hated the fact that the bride was getting married at all, and he didn't know why. 

Aurelia was not his type. She was so obviously drunk that it was shameful. But she didn't seem to feel any shame at all. Alexei could tell that she was careless and brazen, and those were opposite the qualities he usually went for. He knew that she was full of trouble but despite those factors, his heart was drawn into the depths of her soul. He was ensnared by her beauty from the moment he saw her. Her hair, her face, her figure—all were enough to ignite his heart like he was under the influence of some type of love spell.

Alexei continued to grin as Aurelia and her husband scrambled to get up on their feet. Unfortunately, their efforts were not as effective as they hoped they would be, as a drunk woman in tall heels and a poofy dress is not the most graceful when it comes to standing up. Neither is an old man whose knees are weaker than his spirit to live.

When they finally stood up, the crowd cheered while Alexei frowned. 

I wish he died, he thought. Then I could have his wife all to myself.

The ceremony was finally over, and though that may have seemed bad, the reception was even worse.

The reception unfolded in a stunning ballroom, illuminated by soft, twinkling fairy lights that cascaded from the ceiling like stars. The room was filled with the sweet scent of fresh flowers—roses, peonies, and lush greenery—artfully arranged on long, elegant tables draped in ivory linens. An orchestra band played soft background music.

The guests mingled on expensive chairs made of high-grade wood and genuine leather, laughter echoing as they toasted with sparkling champagne, their glasses clinking in celebration. A beautiful cake adorned with delicate sugar flowers stood proudly at the center of the dessert table, enticing everyone with its exquisiteness.

The surroundings were opulent and alluring, but the guests were already used to sitting in a room that cost more than the average human, so they weren't too phased.

As the newly married couple entered, a hush fell over the room, followed by enthusiastic applause. The newlyweds smiled, one radiant, and one uneasy.

Jimmy went to greet some of his guests, and Aurelia, not knowing what to do, decided to follow him. As her husband welcomed the guests, she awkwardly smiled and waved, and her greeting was usually not followed by a smile or wave back, but she didn't care. As long as Aurelia felt that she looked somewhat sane, she was fine.

Soft dancing music started to play, and Jimmy smiled at his wife. 

"May I have this dance, m'lady?" he asked.

"No, you may not," Aurelia quietly replied. 

"What?"

Aurelia was horrified when she realized that she had thought out loud. "I said yes! I mean yes!"

Thank goodness Jimmy left his hearing aid at home.

They took to the dance floor for their first dance, a romantic ballad playing softly in the background. The couple tried to move gracefully, but their feet were about as graceful as a sack of potatoes on a trampoline. When Jimmy attempted to spin Aurelia around, they both fell for the second time that evening. The guests normally should've watched with tears of happiness, but these were tears of suppressed laughter.

After the dance, the speeches began, filled with anecdotes that evoked laughter and fond memories. Many guests volunteered to say a toast and were met with cheers and heartfelt sentiments, creating an atmosphere of warmth and connection.

It finally seemed like the wedding could be more like a wedding than a parody, which Alexei hated. He wanted to do something to mess up the wedding but didn't know how to do that without making a fool of himself. Fortunately, Aurelia was about to do the job for him.

"H-Hello bitches!" she exclaimed. Every guest gasped at the unexpected greeting. "Hope y'all are having a splendid time! I would love to raise a toast to the lovely old man over there!"

Jimmy's face turned a bright red after hearing Aurelia's statement, and it wasn't because she had called him lovely.

"I'm Aurelia Cabrera, the bride, duh. I love that old man so much! He doesn't know that whenever he yells at me to clean the bathroom, I use his toothbrush to scrub the toilet! Haha! That's why his teeth are so yellow, mwahaha!"

The old man frowned as his eyebrows furrowed. At this point, he blamed himself. 

I should've yelled more... he thought. I should've beat her! I would slap her pretty face now, but I don't want to get arrested and go to prison for the last few years of my life.

Aurelia expected the guests to erupt in laughter, but when she realized that everyone was silent, she knew she had messed up.

"Wait, I was joking!" Aurelia cried, trying her best to lift the mood. "It's an inside joke between me and my darling!"

Most guests frowned and grimaced while a few got ready to leave the party.

Ugh, Aurelia! Why do you always mess everything up?! The bride thought as she tried her best to win the approval of the guests back.