Chapter 2 –  The Wedding Crasher

(Leigh’s POV)

“Me?”

My voice echoed in the hallway.

“Do you want to die now, Alfie?” I utter calmly, but my glaring eyes are fixed on him, hoping that he would get hurt with my dagger eyes.

He coughs, pretending to choke and mouth shrugging downward. He walks behind Ella as if he could hide his body in hers.

“I agree with...” says Chase, reading my assistant’s name in his nameplate. “Alfie.” His brown eyes sparkle with amusement. “You’re beautiful and --”

 He stops when I raise my index finger. If we were in a different situation, what he said would make my heart flutter, but he agreed with my gay friend and assistant about making me the bride.

“You have just suggested I throw myself at the pit of eternal damnation,” I snarl at them. Sweat is beading in my forehead, and I feel like fainting now.

“Leigh,” Chase places his hands on my shoulders. “I will do everything to process the divorce faster, and all you have to do is follow my advice,”

I nod, trying to believe him. “Yeah, you’re Chase, the family lawyer,” I said, breathing heavily. “But you don’t know my family and me.” If I agreed to this insanity, my family and my fiancé would make sure I would die before I made my first step on the porch of our house.

My mouth puffs out air slowly, and then I turn my back on them.

“Where are you going, Leigh?” I heard Ella asking, almost screaming in panic.

 “Jumping off the building!” I shouted back. It is the same as their suggestion anyway, asking me to kill myself by marrying the monstrous groom who promised to drag me to hell if I didn’t find the bride.

“Give her time,” I heard Chase telling them.

I dash to the elevator, hoping to escape for a while in the hotel rooftop bar. Before this day ends, I would have overcome my fear in height. I step inside when the door opens, cheering myself up by reciting alphabet letters backward.

As the door was about to close, someone dashed into the elevator, making me panic that I pushed the hold button hard. I lowered my head, not wanting anyone to see the tears welling in my eyes.

“You can release the hold button now,” he said in a serious tone, probably because he was not smiling.

My cheeks blush as I look at the man I am with inside the lift. He forces a smile for a second, but my lips partly open, awe at the Greek god standing beside me. Despite my high-heeled shoes, he is still taller than me. I swallow hard, glancing in the other direction of the elevator, and sticking my tongue against inside my cheek.

Suddenly, I wish a power outage would happen, and an hour or two would be okay as long as he is with me.

“Escaping?” He asks in a tone enough to make my heart panic.

He must have heard Mei was missing. I shake my head and sneer. “Just clearing my head. And you?” I ask, flickering my eyes on him and then looking down.

“Wedding crashing,” he says in an unfriendly voice.

I scoff and sneer at his joke. “Wedding crasher, pathetic guests, monster groom. I wonder what else?”

“Monster groom?” he asks, raising his eyebrows, glancing at me.

“Yeah!” I roll my eyes. If he were the groom, I would not hesitate to marry him now. “Shi… Ku…” I breathed. The thought amused me that a small and cheap wedding project I had brought me great problems. If the bride were here, the next issue I would have to face is how to solve this unbelievable possible wedding crash.

“You seemed really stressed. How about a drink?” He invited, smirking at me.

I heave a deep sigh before nodding. “I don’t drink with strangers, but I need alcohol. Lots of it. If possible, drown me.” I am almost begging.  

He laughs as if he was entertained, leads me to the bar when the elevator opens, and asks for two martinis after settling on our seats.

“What are you escaping from, Miss Runaway?” He asks after he finishes his first drink.

I almost giggled, imagining the crazy movie Kayla and I watched. I just couldn’t remember the title, though. But it was about meeting a hunk in the bar, and the two went crazy, ending up shagging each other in the hotel room.

“Being dragged to hell,” I answer, forgetting the movie, brushing off the naughty thoughts, and finishing my drink. I lick my lips, tasting the alcohol in my bottom lip, and then I glance at him. “And you, Mr. Wedding Crasher, what are you doing here?”

“Drinking with you,” He gestures two to the bartender.

I have a high alcohol tolerance, but I don’t drink while working, except today. I need to be drunk before going back to Ella and Alfie.

 “Drinking with me, my foot!” I sneer and groan, glancing at the time. The bartender gave me another glass. “I really wanted to get drunk, so bottoms up!” I drank the alcohol as if it was water. I hiccuped and giggled, holding to his shoulder as I rose to my feet. “Unfortunately, I have a wedding to attend,” I said, whispering to his ears. “But first, the bride.”

Before he could answer, I stepped away from him, leaving Mr. Wedding Crasher, drinking up his martini as well.

Alfie, Ella, and Chase dashed to me when they saw me walking back to the hallway.

 “Did you drink?” Alfie asks, sniffing me like a dog.

 “I did!” I said angrily, facing Chase. “Now, Chase, the family lawyer, what should I do to make the process of divorce faster?” I said in between my hiccups.

 “Don’t consummate the marriage while I process the papers. It’ll be done by tomorrow, and you’ll be going home single again.” He answers as his eyes lit up with my unsaid decision.

My eyebrows raised, supposed to be feeling tipsy, but I felt drunk. “Don’t what?”

 “No sexual intercourse, Leigh,” He said, tugging me to the next room.

I roll my eyes and laugh like a drain. “Are you insulting me?” I shake my head, wincing at the thought of having sex to a stranger, not to mention the monster groom who wanted to bring me to hell if I didn’t find the bride.

Chase tugs me to the next room. Mei’s stylist and makeup artist looked at him in surprise. “Get her ready!”

They panicked, helping me sit down as I almost fell on the chair. I pointed my index finger to Alfie and Ella.

“Work!” I said and sat down in front of the large vanity mirror.

They were both crying as they nodded and left me as I sacrificed myself, my life, and my future to this stupid decision.

---

When I was young, I always wondered why brides cried on their wedding day. My Mom, sisters, and friends explained that the overwhelming happiness flowing inside the woman getting married makes a bride cry on that special day.

Overflowing, indeed.

My tears were flowing endlessly as I stood at the arch adorned with white roses and waited for the pianist to start tapping the piano keys and play the Bridal Chorus.

My wedding day!

The day I dreamt of sharing with Seb, to the love of my life, to the one who I couldn’t live without. I fantasized about walking with my parents to the aisle and giving me away to my husband-to-be. Instead, today I am getting married with no family or relatives except my two assistants and hired staff for the event.  

I am a romantic person who had five failed relationships before getting engaged to Sebastian, my handsome and rich fiancé. Just a year ago, I gave up the idea of dating and being in a serious relationship because I always ended up meeting someone who was either married, engaged, or a man who realized we were better off as friends than lovers.

My Aunt Ida told me I was cursed because Mom attended her father's funeral when my mother was pregnant with me despite my Abuela’s wish that she shouldn’t go because it was considered unlucky. But then I got Seb, and my business was doing well.

Until now.

When I heard the music, I held tighter on the bouquet and started to walk. Papa would definitely hang me on the wall for doing this. As I walked down the aisle, I heard them gasping, perhaps admiring the wedding gown I was wearing. I wanted to roll my eyes and scream at them because this gown had cost me a lot of stress. If I had known I would end up wearing it, I would have decided on my own style from the beginning.

I sniffled, and my lips quivered as I glanced at the best man facing my direction. Chase, the best man, and the family lawyer talked to my frightening senior citizen husband-to-be who decided to change his tuxedo from black to white, matching my wedding dress. If Chase was the groom, he didn’t need to ask me twice. My vision got blurry as I stopped in front of the groom. Thanks to the veil, he couldn’t see my face and my tears glistening to my eyes and flowing tirelessly on my cheeks.

This was supposed to be unforgettable in a good way, and the only consolation I have is Chase agreed to help in changing the program. There are no emotional speeches on wedding vows, but instead, we will proceed with the intent and exchange of rings right away.

“Do you, Alexander Hearst, take this woman...” My ears could only hear buzzing, and then I listened to his response.

“I do.” I almost bawled when he answered.

“Do you, Kayleigh David, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband,” Maybe I went into a shock because I could not hear anything, as if the volume was muted, then turned on again. “… as long as you both shall live?”

I swallowed hard and closed my eyes. “I... I do!” I answered, choking at my answer. I swear I heard him sigh in relief when I answered.

He put the wedding ring on my finger, just next to my engagement ring, swearing he committed his heart and soul to me.  As I put the ring on his finger, almost choking and dying, I promised to wear it as a sign of my commitment and love.

I bit my lower lip as I cried in silence.

I could hardly hear the pronouncement until he said the last part of his speech. “I now pronounce you married! Alexander, you may now kiss your wife.”

Alexander holds and lifts the veil, finally uncovering my face. The guests laughed, probably because I was crying, misunderstanding my tears.

I heard him scoff. “So, you are escaping from me,” He uttered in a low but amused voice.

My heart skipped a beat, opening my eyes and seeing Alexander clearly and hearing his voice for the first time. “You are crashing your own wedding?” My mouth remained open as I waited for his answer.

He shook his head. “I was the monster groom.”

My lips parted, speechless as I tried to understand what was happening.

“Questions later. Let me kiss my wife.” He said, lowering his head and kissing me passionately on the lips.