Infatuation Of Darkness

"What?" Silvano's angry voice boomed throughout the church hall. His brother was being humiliated as the bride made him wait in front of the guests and if she had run away, even the national guard could not save her. "Speak, dammit!" He yelled again. The guard was taking too long to answer. 

"The bride can't come, sir," James lowered in his eyes out of respect. As he opened his mouth further to explain the situation, he was already interrupted.

"Why the fuck can she not come?" He asked again. Fucking hell, Silvano thought, someone was dying tonight.

Out of respect the guard nodded and didn't raise his dislike. The boss was not letting him speak. "The veil is torn and the designers are trying their best to fix it. It has been torn from the bottom to the middle where it reaches her knees." He bowed a bit as he explained the situation to the family.

Everyone released a breath. Angelo's posture visibly relaxed for a moment but he became stoic in a second. Nikita and Isobel smiled at each other and at the moment Isabelle could cry out of happiness and relief she felt. Everyone present in the hall released a sigh of release. The anticipation had nearly killed them.

"She'll be out in ten minutes tops, We are sorry for the delay but madam said that we should inform you all." James bowed a bit and then turned to leave. He closed the doors and jogged back.

Julia's face turned a bit red but she smiled. She peeked at her husband who was already looking at her. He leaned into her ear and whispered, "this might have been a chance but it won't be the last one." Nikolai looked away after that. He had a stoic expression on not giving away any of his feelings.

Julia looked back at the groom, her grandson. He was saved from the humiliation for today but then again, bs wanted the throne his wife was going to sit on. So, She nodded. It won't be the last opportunity. And she would sure of it.

For now, she could just wait for the opportunity and the bride.

*******

Meanwhile as the bride's dressing room...

"Are you sure this will work?" Alexis yelled art he designer. "Why can I not have a new one? Get any I don't care at the moment!" Her tantrums were getting worse but with the given situation at hand. It was quite understandable why she was behaving like so.

"Ma'am, calm down. This can be fixed and finding a new veil will take up loads of time." The girl tried her level best. But who was she to argue to a bridezilla?

"Do it! Do anything!" Alexis cried as she sat down. 

***********

James came in again and nodded at the band who immediately started playing, it was the time for the bride to arrive and hopefully the last one. The doors were closed and opened again for a dramatic effect. So that on her arrival they have opened again on her arrival.

They opened the doors and there she stood. With a bouquet in her hands, her head held high and her long veil flowing through. Her face was hidden by the veil yet it could be seen clearly. Her silk dress had made her look like an angel had descended from heaven. Angelo just couldn't take his eyes off of her.

She took her first steps into the chapel, all alone with no one on her side, yet she did it confidently with all the attention and judgement shown to her. She walked through the rows of guests sitting there and admiring her elegantly designed dress. The way she walked and stood tall and proud and what they had done with the veil, they admired it all. She was simply elegant. They had sewed it shut but for the design, they overlapped it again on each side and had created three rows of stitching.

She walked to the steps of the chapel and Angelo came down, holding out his hand for her to take. She smiled and took it, firmly they both held onto each other.

Angelo looked into her eyes deeply and she gazed back. They smiled at each other, well Angelo did a little but Alexis had a full-blown smile on her face. No one could tell if she was forced to go through it or not. Perhaps, she had developed a stockroom syndrome.

The priest started the ceremony but Alexis's eyes were busy scanning the crowd discreetly. She looked at everyone sitting. Smiled at the people she knew and looked at the faces of everyone else. It made her dad even think about this.

Geo could do this? It was inhumane. 

She looked at Angelo again who sent a small nod her way. She smiled and looked down for a moment and that's when she realised, she was shy! The warmth spreading on her face and neck was an indication of that.

Colour bloomed into her cheeks and spread out to her ears, making her a naturally blushing bride. The priest continued chanting, the tight hold that Angelo's hands had on hers did something. Something that made her feel..wet. Yup, it was definitely stockroom syndrome. There could be no possible explanation.

"Angelo Leonardo De'alassandro, Do you take Alexis Valerie Williams as your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do," His voice was strong and his eyes were sincere. For a moment if She could forget the things he had done to her she would have seen the love in his eyes. But alas, she won't believe it.

"Very well then, repeat after me." The priest asked Angelo to repeat the vows he said which Angelo did dutifully. It seemed as if every vow he made was made from the bottom of his heart, his expressions seemed sincere and Alexis felt her heart-melting. The man certainly knew how to play with someone's heartstrings.

After the vows were spoken by Angelo the priest tinted to her. Alexis felt her heart hammer against her chest.

"Alexis Valerie Williams, do you take Angelo Leonardo De'alassandro as your lawfully wedded husband?"

With a little moment of hesitation she said, "yes, I do." She smiled at the end and beamed as Angelo smiled back. For a second, she saw a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes when she was asked if she wanted Angelo as a husband. The hesitation that she had shown for a nanosecond affected him.

The priest asked her to repeat the vows after him and she did as told. Dutifully, she looked into Angelo's eyes and recited every word. She said the vows with as much sincerity as she could muster. Alexis was mildly shocked at herself. She could fake it as she meant it. Damm, she was good.

The priest nodded and continued the ceremony.

"Does anyone object to this union? If yes, you may come forward now or forever hold your peace." The priest looked around when Vincenzo's voice boomed in the air.

"Boys!" Immediately the sounds of loading of guns were filled in the air. They held everyone at gunpoint, waiting for anyone to dare to stand up and object.

"I think we're good to go," Vincenzo laughed as he informed the priest, who seemed a bit sweaty. He nodded and patted his head a bit. 

"You may kiss the bride."

Angelo nodded and held her veil in his hands, lifting it. "Careful, it's the torn veil." She mouthed. Only he could understand and hear it as his arm blocked her face at the moment.

He chuckled and pulled her closer by her waist and immediately met her lips. The crowd went up in cheers and blessings.

He kissed her without using any tongue. It was innocent and a full of love kiss or so it seemed. He pulled back and smiled. Pulling her along with him, he walked down the aisle with her as the crowd threw flower petals at them. Alexis laughed in happiness at the moment. The petals were landing on them as they walked down the aisle as husband and wife. 

It didn't matter if she didn't want to marry the man, this was the reality and she couldn't change it, so, it seemed that enjoying it was a better option especially when the other was dying. While she was watching herself in the mirror dressed in the bridal attire, she had decided that with Angelo she was gain power. The power that if not above him but would be able to make her stand next to him. Just as powerful. 

An option that she was offered by Fate or God, but whoever did, she was truly thankful.

She looked at Angelo as he came into the limo from the other side. Her smile vanished slowly making him frown.

It was time to face the bitterness of this happy reality with her husband.