Chapter 32
The wedding for Bruno’s brother was taking place at Golden Meadows Estate—a highly coveted location where only a few weddings took place every year.
Before Bruno had invited her to be his guest, Marissa had never heard of the place. They didn’t have a website, and an internet search only brought up a few articles. It was one of those unique locations only available to clientele with deep pockets.
Golden Meadows Estate received its name because of the picturesque landscape filled with marigolds that created golden-hued grounds, particularly when the sun hit the property at a certain time of the day.
“Wow,” Theo breathed, peering out the window with his mouth hanging open as they approached the large stone mansion that resembled a castle.
He wore a new suit and his red curls freshly cut into a tight fade that elongated his face and made him look more like his father than usual. He sat beside Marissa in the back of the vintage Rolls Royce Bruno had sent to pick them up. Since he was part of the wedding party, Bruno had spent the night at the property with his brothers.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Marissa asked, impressed by the majestic surroundings.
Her son nodded vigorously.
The design of the large mansion, perched atop a rise, mimicked medieval architecture with a stone exterior and massive windows reflecting the sunlight in a kaleidoscope of colors. Yellow marigolds adorned the area for as far as the eyes could see, laid out before the home in a blanket of yellow that swayed in the gentle breeze.
“We’re going there?” Theo pointed, his eyes wide in disbelief.
Marissa nodded. “Yes, we are. Now, remember to be on your best behavior. No running. No jumping. Okay?”
“Got it.” Her son nodded with a serious expression on his face.
She had talked to him multiple times about behaving himself. The last thing she wanted was for him to embarrass her and himself in front of Bruno’s family.
The driver pulled in line behind a Benz and inched forward a little at a time while other guests exited from their vehicles. He finally stopped in front of the stone steps, where attendants dressed in tailcoat tuxedos assisted guests.
After descending from the vehicle, Marissa took Theo’s hand, and they followed the other guests inside, where additional attendants guided them through the home. Marissa caught a glimpse of one of the rooms where a door was ajar, and staff dressed in crisp gold shirts and teal pants were setting the tables for the reception later. As they continued walking, her gaze flicked over the grandeur of the interior. There were large paintings of landscapes and portraits on the walls and chandeliers hung from the vaulted ceilings.
This was not a world she was accustomed to observing from the inside, and she was quietly relieved she hadn’t allowed pride to get in the way of Bruno’s offer to pay for her and Theo’s outfits. Every attendee she had seen was dressed in exquisite dresses and suits that matched the invitation’s requirement of formal wear.
With Bruno’s black card in hand, she visited two boutiques. At the second one, she fell in love with an ensemble made of two pieces—a long-sleeved ivory blouse with a deep vee neckline and a forest-green skirt made of satin that swept the floor when she moved. The wide satin sash around her waist was folded into pleats above a split on the left side, which allowed peeks at her leg and the black heels with rhinestones on her feet.
She had parted her hair in the middle and pulled the strands into a bun, adding long earrings that glittered in her ears and matched the bracelet on her wrist. She felt elegant and sophisticated, and though she was a bit intimidated by the opulence of their location, she felt as if she belonged.
The guests walked to the back of the property, along a stone walkway to a church with the same stone facade as the main house. The dulcet tones of a string quartet welcomed them inside, and Marissa and Theo took a seat on one of the plush velvet benches beside an older couple who smiled in a welcoming way as they slid into the row.
Some of the guests sat quietly, while others whispered to each other, loath to disturb the quiet ambiance of the church. Marissa’s eyes scanned the crowd, looking for familiar faces she might recognize from the photos in Bruno’s home.
Her clutch vibrated, and she took out her phone.
A text from Bruno: Are you here yet?
She texted him back: Yes. Theo and I are seated in the church now.
Bruno: Good. I’ll see you after the ceremony.
She replaced the phone in her purse, anticipating his reaction when he saw them. He hadn’t seen the clothes she’d chosen, and she was anxious for him to get a look at her and Theo.
“Is the wedding going to start soon?” Theo whispered.
“Yes. In about fifteen minutes.”
“Will they have cake?”
“Yes, but that’s after the ceremony, during the reception, okay?”
“Okay.” Excited at the prospect of cake, he grinned and swung his feet.
Right before the ceremony started, Bruno’s stepmother, Rose—a petite woman with mahogany skin—entered the church and sat near the front. The other people on the bench greeted her with friendly expressions.
When the ceremony began, the chapel was completely filled with guests. The groom, Ethan, was a tall, imposing figure at the front with his stepfather, Benicio, a handsome older man. Despite the white hair and white beard, she clearly saw where Bruno got his good looks. He bore a striking resemblance to his father, right down to the gray eyes. Ethan and Benicio wore tuxedos with matching vests and a golden-yellow flower pinned to the lapel.
Then the wedding party procession started. Bruno came first, with a tall, slender woman with her hair cut very short. Marissa recognized her right away as Monica, the social media influencer. She wore a one-shoulder teal dress that matched the teal flower pinned to Bruno’s black tux.
“Hi, Bruno!” Theo said in a loud whisper, waving.
Marissa touched her son’s shoulder to quiet him as the people around them laughed. Bruno shot a quick look in their direction and winked before directing his attention to the front.
Theo glanced up at her, his eyes filled with worry that he’d done something wrong, but she smiled and squeezed him closer to put his mind at ease. His tense shoulder relaxed under her palm.
The other siblings followed. Marissa thought they were a photogenic bunch from the pictures, but their photos didn’t do them justice. Thiago, with his full beard and dark eyes was handsome in a smoldering kind of way. He escorted their other sister, Audra, down the aisle.
Ignacio, the movie star, had smoothed his curly hair into a man bun at the nape and escorted an unfamiliar face, the bride’s best friend Thresa, if she remembered correctly what Bruno had told her. Finally, there was Maxwell, Bruno’s youngest brother, the aspiring doctor. A blend of both his parents, he had dark skin, curly black hair, and a neat beard. He escorted another unfamiliar face, Skye’s cousin.
The flower girls and the ring bearer did a great job, before a hush fell over the chapel as everyone anticipated the entrance of the bride.
When she made her appearance, there was an audible gasp. Bruno had told Marissa that she’d had her choice of several designers but selected the gown their family friend and famous fashionista, Sylvie Johnson, had designed.
Skye was a vision of beauty in a long veil on her upswept hair and a stunning ball gown with a ruffled organza skirt. The beaded corset top boasted a strapless sweetheart neckline, showing off her voluptuous figure and the diamond above her cleavage. The back was more stunning than the front, with a cathedral train that draped behind her as she slowly walked toward her future husband on the arm of her Uncle Cecil.
Marissa glanced at Ethan and noted the tightening of his features as he fought the emotional reaction to seeing his bride walk down the aisle. When she took his hand, his features softened, and all the love he held for Skye was mirrored in his face.
Marissa’s chest tightened with longing. She wanted someone to look at her that way. Her eyes shifted to Bruno, who was busy paying attention to the bride and groom.
As the ceremony began, she focused on the words of the priest and the couple as they exchanged vows. When the priest pronounced them husband and wife, the couple kissed briefly and then turned to the audience with bright smiles.
After they and the wedding party left, Marissa, Theo, and the rest of the guests shuffled out of the church. Night had fallen and lights lit up the trees and bushes on the pathway into the house. The celebration moved to the reception hall, where hors d’oeuvres were being served before dinner.
In addition to the tables that groaned under the weight of delicacies like paté en cro?te, Wagyu beef wellington bites, and truffle arancini, servers dressed in gold and teal circulated with champagne flutes and non-alcoholic beverages.
Marissa chatted with the other guests, keeping her son close as she snacked and talked. She remained entertained by an older Black woman wearing a gorgeous blue hat with a peacock feather, Bruno’s Aunt Florence.
Finally, they were all ushered into the dining room for the real celebration to begin.