Chapter 6
Aria
Ithink every girl as a kid pictures their wedding day. Maybe it”s after seeing their parent”s wedding album, or maybe it”s after watching a beautiful wedding day on TV.
For me, it was after I watched my aunt and uncle get married. They, too, had an arranged marriage. I did not realize it at the time, but they looked happy. And I thought her wedding dress was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. It was over the top and sparkled in the sun.
After that, I asked my mom to see her wedding day pictures. And she showed me. From then on, I began to imagine what my wedding would be like.
There is never a face of the groom, but I imagined everything from the dress, to the flowers, to the colors and the themes. I even pictured who would be there, what type of pictures I wanted, and where I thought I”d go on my honeymoon.
I made it no secret with my parents that I wanted a Christmas wedding. I thought that using the Christmas decorations paired with wedding decorations would make it one of the most beautiful weddings I could ever imagine. The red and green and silver paired with all the sparkling of snow would make it enchanting.
My dad went above and beyond to give me my dream Christmas wedding. And here I am, getting ready to be married a week before Christmas. Only I still have no idea what face to put to the groom and I”m not marrying for love. I”m marrying out of duty.
The thought that my soon-to-be husband could possibly be worse than Eric makes my stomach roll. Or maybe it”s the morning sickness because I”ve thrown up six times, and it”s only lunchtime.
I got to do all the traditional things. We picked out my gorgeous wedding dress, which sparkles and makes me look like a princess. I chose the wedding theme and had a cake tasting. I even got a partial say in the wedding party. Well, at least I got to name Bella my maid of honor.
Instead of having an all-out bachelorette party, Bella came over and stayed the night. We watched movies, pigged out on junk food, and had a good old-fashioned sleepover.
Today, Bella and my mom are here helping me get ready. Mom thought she put on a smile, but she just looked sad. Which is bringing down the whole mood in the room. What does she know that I don”t?
Thankfully, I found the perfect dress, and with a few key alterations, the little weight that I have put on during the pregnancy, does not make or break the dress. Bella zips me right on in.
The next little bit is a blur. Guards are everywhere and people are in and out. There are a few photos taken, but it”s not your traditional happy wedding.
People I don”t know come in to see me before the wedding. Then I”m escorted downstairs towards the entryway of my parents’ house where the actual ceremony will take a place.
The area has been transformed, making it look like it snowed inside. While it”s not a huge wedding, there are about fifty people packed in here from both sides of the family. To make sure that the union goes down properly, there are key members of each organization.
Each of the families has more security than you could probably imagine. Because all it takes is one person to come in and wipe out two families in one sitting. For a few days now, the entire estate has been locked down.
Finally, it’s time. My father joins me at the top of the stairs ready for the walk down the aisle. Every girl dreams of their daddy walking them down the aisle. They dream of the groom”s first look at them in their dress and the pure love on his face.
I will not be getting that look.
As the bridal march starts, my dad turns to me with a sad smile.
”You look absolutely gorgeous, sweetheart. I know if you give this man a chance, he will make you very happy. Much happier than you could have ever been with Eric.”
Then my dad kisses me on the cheek, and we slowly descend the stairs. Everyone turns to look at us and my eyes search to get the first look at my groom”s face. Only there are decorations in the way. So as we walk up the aisle, I try to smile and focus on who”s around me because the groom has his back to me.
Turning my head, I see Bella”s parents sitting there. When I look back to the front, the groom has turned. But he”s looking down at his feet and I still can”t see his face.
It isn”t until my father gives me a kiss on the cheek and places my hand in the groom”s that he finally looks up at me and I gasp.
”Matteo?” I ask, trembling with shock.
He leans in and whispers in my ear. ”You didn”t think that I was going to allow anyone else to marry you. Did you, baby girl? Especially not while you”re carrying my child.”
My eyes go wide and he pulls away, smiling as the priest starts the ceremony. I have no idea how he knew I was pregnant. Especially since I”m sure it wasn”t my parents who told him.
Throughout the ceremony, I”m in a daze, so much so it”s all a blur. Thankfully, I know there will be a recording because there always is. Every time I look over at Matteo, he”s smiling.
Why is he looking at me the way I always thought a groom should look at his bride? We say the words and exchange our rings, and then I hear the phrase I had been dreading. Though now I dread it for a whole new reason.
”You may kiss the bride.”
I never thought I”d see this man again. Yet now I am his wife, and he”s about to kiss me in front of everyone. He wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me into him. His other hand gently cups my cheek, so he doesn’t mess up my hair and makeup. Without asking for permission, he leans in and kisses me.
My body remembers these kisses. Every night, it dreamed of the moment his lips touched mine.
So I simply melt into him. As I kiss him back, he pulls away. But not before I see the heat in his eyes. Then, kissing my forehead, he takes a deep but shaky breath before turning to face the crowd.
”I now present to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Matteo Marchetti!”
Everyone claps as we walk down the aisle hand in hand. The reception is going to be held in my dad”s dining room, which can easily seat one hundred people. Later, there will be a formal dinner to welcome the new members of the family. As we walk to the hall that will lead to the dining room, I pull my new husband into an unused room and close the door behind us.
”You knew who I was all along, didn”t you?” I ask. Still trying to make sense of what just happened.
”Yes, and I had no plans on touching you until you came to me. My goal was to keep you safe so there was no war on my family from your family. We both know it wouldn’t have ended well if anything were to happen to you that night,” he says. Then he steps closer to me.
The closer he gets, the harder it is for me to think.
”How did you know I was pregnant?” I ask, needing answers before we go any further.
He looks at me hesitantly almost like he doesn”t want to answer the question or he”s worried what my reaction will be.
”The night we spent together was the best night of my life. I had already told my men to watch you because I wanted to make sure that you were okay and safe. But when I realized that I had forgotten the condom, I knew that this was a possibility. So when you went to the doctor that day, I had to know.”
”Does my father know that you”re the father of my baby?” I ask him, trying to sort through everything.
”Our baby. No, your father doesn”t even know that I know that you”re pregnant, which made for some interesting negotiations.”
”I can imagine.” I fight the urge to roll my eyes.
”We have a lot to talk about, baby girl, and we will. But let”s go out there and do all the wedding things. I have a honeymoon planned for us, and we can talk later. And I promise we will talk. I need answers to like why you disappeared before I could even say goodbye.”
Before I can answer, he opens the door, takes my hand, and pulls me down the hall to where all of our wedding family is.
The rest of the day is spent taking photos, meeting new people, and smiling as best as I can. Matteo never leaves my side. He keeps his arm around my waist, constantly making sure I”m drinking water and eating as needed.
The only time I”m out of his sight was when I had to use the restroom and even then he waited outside the door for me.
I”ll give him credit. He plays the role of the attentive husband to a tee.