As they exchanged rings, Arya couldn't bring herself to look Ross in the eye. What man would accept a woman who had left him a few hours before their wedding? But Ross's love for her was unwavering. He had always stood by her, handling her difficult moments during their dating days. Despite her outbursts, he remained dedicated to her, and his love for her was rock-solid.
She also vowed to make this relationship work. She counted herself lucky to have overcome this very difficult situation. Haydar moved on and married who shared the same values and culture as him, and that was fine; she had Ross to spend the rest of her life with. Besides, Haydar's mother didn't particularly like her, while Ross's gushed over her.
In a few minutes, the wedding rituals were over, and it was time to party. Her wedding didn't quite turn out the way she'd hoped. The emotional roller coaster she'd gone through the days leading up to her wedding day and her sudden disappearance to go meet Haydar had drained her of so much energy that she didn't have the chance to take in and admire her beautiful dress and exquisite wedding decor.
Her sister's wedding, which took place two days earlier, was not only more lavish and expensive, but the bride had glowed with so much peace and inner beauty that it completely made the ambiance so blissful. Arya's wedding couldn't beat that. Both sisters had subconsciously planned to outdo each other in throwing a fanfare, and it looks like Arya lost this unuttered, silent bet.
For the wedding party, the bride wore a custom-designed gold strapless mermaid dress, from Vera Tang, her neck adorned with a pearl necklace, with earrings to match. On her hands were exquisite vintage bangles; her wedding ring, a unique diamond masterpiece, shined and sparkled, illuminating the ballroom. She took each step gracefully as she entered the venue, her Cinderella slippers highlighting her beautiful little feet. Ross also looked breathtaking in his tailored tuxedo, paired with diamond cufflinks and leather shoes. They looked so perfect together.
The bride's twin sister and maid of honor, now Mrs May Wellington, along with her husband, looked like a couple from a fairytale. May wore a peach-colored floor-length designer dress which was both modest and stylish. Her hair was curly, tied in a messy bun and beautified by a few peach crystals. She looked stunning beside her husband, who was also really dressed for the occasion.
The parents of the groom and bride smiled from ear to ear as they saw their children happily enjoying themselves. For Aleena, she was sure she would sleep soundly tonight after the hurdles she'd faced in the few days preceding her daughter's wedding. Both May and Arya are now married to successful men and nothing could ruin her joy.
The ballroom was magnificent, a luxurious oasis fit for royalty. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling like pearls and diamonds. Kadupul, silver orchids and peonies served as centerpieces, as well as floral walls and backdrops with hanging floral installations turned the setting into a wonderland. The cake was a culinary work of art, a masterpiece designed by a renowned pastry chef, and stood in its glory, glowing from its gold petals and sparkling from the diamonds intricately added to further amplify it. Everything was extraordinary; the couple, the decor, the menu and even the guests, everything screamed money, opulence and luxury. Gossip blogs made comparisons and posted that May's and Liam's wedding was twice as expensive.
As the party winded down and the evening came to a gentle halt, Ross's parents said they had a special announcement, a surprise for the couple. The guests whispered among themselves, curious of what the surprise might be. Mr and Mrs Laurent walked up the stage, took the microphone and excitedly broke the news; "we have a little gift for the couple. We have paid for a romantic retreat for the couple, in other words, a joint honeymoon to Tuscany. The crowd gasped as May and Arya looked at each other and then hugged each other excitedly. They were beyond surprised.
As the clock struck nine, the music faded slowly and the crowd started to disperse. The couple took their final pictures with their parents and close friends and also took the exit. Two sleek limousines, courtesy of the Wellingtons, were waiting to take them to the airport for their luxurious retreat to begin. They hugged their parents tightly, and the brides became so emotional that their parents cried like babies; their little princesses were moving out to start their own families.
Castello di Castle stood magnificently, it was more stunning in reality than the image they'd seen on their phones. The building itself promised to give them the magical interlude they desperately needed at that point in their lives. They had a ten-bedroom castle all to themselves, lavishly furnished to the taste, with a spa, a gym, a restaurant, impeccable butlers at their beck and call and everyone's favorite, a private pool and horse riding experience.
It was past midnight when they finally settled for the night. May was sound asleep and in Liam's arms, in her cute pink nightie. He remained awake for a few more minutes, sniffing the tart and sweet aroma of her raspberry shampoo as he gently stroked her long black tresses. He thought how fortunate he was that they had gotten married sooner instead of waiting for next summer. He vowed to make this relationship work; he'd seen how May occasionally glanced at Arya and Ross throughout their flight and even during dinner as they flirted and Ross tenderly whispered sweet nothing's to her. This was something Liam was awful at, flirting and expressing his feelings, but he was willing to change if doing so would make May happy. With this resolve, he felt like he competed with Ross. A competition for love, he chuckled to himself as he yawned and soon drifted to sleep.
Liam playfully pinched Arya's nose as he teased her." You look like a lost puppy in this picture", he said, with a loud giggle. Arya took a sip of grape juice from her glass and rolled her eyes while suppressing a yawn. "Okay, this is way past my bedtime," she said sleepily." Okay, let's brush those tiny teeth first", said Ross. "But I don't wanna", she pouted. He lifted her with one arm and marched to the bathroom. He picked up a pink brush, applied some strawberry-flavoured toothpaste and brushed Arya's teeth like a toddler. He picks her up again, marches back to the room and places her carefully on the Frette canopy bed. She smiles at him as he joins her. They cuddle till they fall asleep.
Sleeping beauty, rise and shine, Ross said as he entered the room with a tray. Breakfast in bed for my lovely bride, he said joyfully. Arya was now wide awake and rubbing her eyes slowly as she felt the Italian, morning sun caressing her tender skin. "Good morning love ", she said, and quickly made her way to the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth. Ross was soon there with her and brushed her teeth like he did yesterday. She just loved being babied by him.
She soon settled down for breakfast: an Italian-style omelet and mushrooms and truffle oil, some fruit and, of course, coffee. They lovingly fed each other, and as soon as they had their fill, they took their baths and got ready for the day's adventure. Both couples had decided to start with a horse-drawn carriage ride, an opportunity to see and experience the Tuscan hills.
Arya wore a flowing white dress that showed her elegant shoulders and long beautiful neck. Let her hair down to her waist and only adorned it with a Chanel crystal hair clip. She held an elegant clutch that contained lipgloss and other essentials. She completed her look with a cute pair of kitten heels from Tiffany and Co. She looked stunning, and her husband, Ross, looked equally expensive. They left their room to go meet the other couple who were probably waiting in the courtyard.
A few strands of hair fell on the sides of her face, further highlighting her small pointed nose on her oval face. Her flowy yellow dress kissed the ground as she and Liam entered the carriage hand in hand, smiling cheekily. This was their first time in a carriage, and the ride felt like a chapter in a fairytale. Arya slowly glanced at her sister, and her eye caught the beautiful peach crystal crown on her head; just by looking at it, she could tell it cost nothing short of a million pounds. She felt a slight resentment, and she tried very hard to suppress it; she told herself that it was unfair for her to think that way, but it was nearly uncontrollable.
Even though her husband Ross was rich, he was new money; his family only got rich less than two decades ago, unlike Liam's family, which had wealth running in their bloodline for generations. Ross loved her a lot and could go to any lengths to make her comfortable and happy, but he wasn't old money and thus lacked the refinement and sophistication that Liam and his family had. Ross's whisper brought her back to reality. He lovingly stroked her cheek and pointed at a lone flower sitting beautifully on a rock. He whispered to her again, and they both giggled like high school sweethearts.
May gaped at them enviously. She thought how happy her sister must be to have such a romantic husband who never failed to demonstrate his love. She sincerely wished Arya well, but she also wished her husband playfully and publicly displayed his affection for her. He's just a shy guy, she thought, I'll have to take him out of his shell.
The carriage ride ended at sunset. They'd had a wonderful time on the iconic hills of Tuscany. The honeymooners enjoyed a picnic while they were at it, a sumptuous spread waited for them up the hill. They took many pictures and videos and stuffed their faces. During dinner, they had a live band perform. It was magical. By the time they went to bed, they were too tired to relive the day's event.
"It surely tastes like heaven, dear sister-in-law,", Ross said playfully as he took another bite of the pasta May offered him. She and Arya had taken a short cooking class in the castle's kitchen. Giovanni, a very charming Italian chef, was there to guide them and give them a little culinary adventure. Under supervision, they made pasta with their hands from scratch, with a simmering pot of delicious fish stew. Arya was tired after kneading the dough for the pasta, so she quickly went upstairs for a quick shower. By the time she came back, May had prepared the stew that had such a wonderful aroma that the men, including the chef himself, were fighting for the first bite.
Ross kept complimenting the stew so much that Arya got slightly irritated. May had taken after their mother;she loved to cook and would do so when she was sad or happy. Arya had never been interested in cuisine, but she suddenly felt the need to learn how to cook and to do it perfectly too. She asked Giovanni if she could join him in cooking dinner. "But we are having a private wine-tasting in the castle's cellar, remember?" Her twin sister prompted her. Arya faced May and calmly said,"I'll pass, besides, I don't drink alcohol, remember?". She sounded pissed . Liam stepped in and said, "I don't either ; they are non-alcoholic, by the way". "It's fine, I'll be preparing dinner in thirty minutes. You can join me, signora", Giovanni said politely.
They went to their suites to change and get ready for their wine-tasting adventure, leaving Arya, who insisted on helping Giovanni prepare the ingredients for the rack of lamb with truffle risotto and roasted vegetables they were having for dinner. The lamb had already been seasoned and kept in the fridge since the previous night . Giovanni was chopping the onion with so much expertise that it made Arya excited to try it. She took a knife and joined him;the second slice from Arya's knife sliced through a layer of her tender finger and she let out a sharp scream.
May and Ross were heading towards the kitchen while Liam was on his phone, making a quick phone call ,when they heard Aryas scream. They rushed to the kitchen to an agonized Arya and a confused Giovanni. As the pain overcomes Arya she shuts her eyes and opens them slowly, then she sees him approaching her, his signature scent overcoming her senses, his masculinity oozing. He reached her just in time, when her body was about to hit the marble floor. Her eyes were not wrong, they had never been, it was indeed him, her knight in shining armor. She called his name slowly, "Haydar ".