Bitter Sweet Love

"Crystal! You won't believe what is being broadcast worldwide now!" 

  

  

Cullen, Crystal's younger sister shouted from the living room.  

  

  

Crystal, whose eyes were swollen due to a restless night, stopped scattering her clothes all over the room as she dragged her exhausted body down the ground from her bed and found her way to the living room. 

  

  

 She had been searching for a dinner dress to wear in the evening for her boyfriend's wedding.  

 

Yes, she has a boyfriend.  

But since her boyfriend's parents do not consider her as a marriage candidate to their son, today, Mervin Brooklyn, the only heir to the LV Corporation, was getting married to Miranda Griffin. A model and heiress to the Griffin group. The third successful group in Las Vegas after LV Corporation and BG Group. 

  

  

Upon reaching the living room, her legs trembled under the weight of her body as her chest tightened. Her blood boils the more her eyes fixed on the TV.  

  

  

It was a wedding highlight. The highlight reel of Mervin Brooklyn, her Boyfriend who was about to wed Miranda Griffin, the daughter of a family that took away her parents from her at the early age of twelve. Her eyes felt sour as she tried hard to fight the urge to cry. 

  

  

"Is that not brother-in-law Mervin Brooklyn?" Camilla added in her little innocent voice.  

  

  

The two little sisters have been calling Mervin 'our brother-in-law' ever since Mervin became their prince in shining armor after they lost their parents when little Camila was five and Cullen was eight.  

  

  

Mervin is the one who has been providing for the family, sponsoring their education, and helping Crystal land a job in LV Group as a front desk secretary after completing her tertiary education. 

  

  

"It's him. Am sure of it. Crystal, I cannot believe that my brother-in-law has betrayed you. Why? He looked so innocent"  

  

  

Cullen looked at her elder sister with a mixture of pity and anger.  

  

  

Betray? 

  

  

 It was too early for Crystal to call it a betrayer.  

  

  

Mervin had promised to do everything possible to come for her. Everything possible to claim her forever. He had promised to break the forced bond between him and Miranda. Yet, the highlights were slowly making her lose hope. 

  

  

Her whole body almost completely crumbled when he saw Mervin Brooklyn walk hand in hand with Miranda, on the aisle.  

  

  

She could no longer hold her tears, she needed a place to let out the pain she was feeling inside her. Just when she was about to walk back into her room… 

  

  

*Ding Dong* 

  

  

Someone knocked on the door. She dragged herself towards the door and with trembling hands, she twisted open the door knob.  

  

  

Before her, stood Travis Mayor, Marvin's best friend. Travis Mayor is the heir to the second largest corporation in LV, the BG Group. 

  

  

"Gosh, Crystal, you look like a zombie.  Have you been crying?" 

  

  

That was the very first comment Travis said after setting his eyes on Crystal. Even a blind human could see to it that Crystal had lost her spirit. 

  

  

"Anyway, we do not have much time. Mervin asked me to drive you somewhere safely. This is for you. Change into this in a jiffy and meet me outside"  

  

  

He handed Crystal a shopping bag, before Crystal could say Jack and Jill, Travis had already disappeared before her. Taking a peep into the shopping bag, was a Cinderella dress and Cinderella's glass slippers, Mervin intended to turn her into a Cinderella overnight. 

  

  

* 

  

  

In the huge hall, paparazzi from different news outlets were busy taking pictures from different angles as Mervin and Miranda walked down the aisle with their arms interlocked.  

  

  

Miranda could not stop grinning ear to ear in her white v-neck mermaid wedding gown. Of course, marrying into the Brooklyn family was like winning a Lotto.  

  

  

 On the other hand, fear had completely engulfed Mervin. He expects Travis to budge into the wedding hall before the priest joins him and Miranda into one, yet seeing that he was already standing before the priest and Crystal was yet to show up, made him panic. The thought of getting married to Miranda irked his skin. It would be a loveless marriage for their parents had forced them to get betrothed just for business.  

  

Yeah, sometimes love is all about business and he felt so irritated to find himself in such a mess.

  

"Since time is so precious, we will have a crash program for the vow exchange ceremony before we proceed to the dinner wedding celebration in celebrating the reunion of the two" announced the Priest. 

  

  

  

A little church page boy walked towards the priest with a  box of rings. 

  

  

"Mervin Brooklyn and Miranda Griffin, please put the rings on your partner's finger" 

  

  

This statement alone almost made Mervin throw up. His eyes were glued to the main door of the church, wishing Crystal could just appear and crush the wedding.  His heartbeat was insanely crazy with every passing second. 

  

  

Seeing that Mervin looked hesitant to pick the ring first, Miranda happily picked one. Just when she was about to put the ring on Mervin's finger, the main door of the hall bust opened.  

  

  

Just like Mervin's eyes that were completely directed to the door, so was the congregation's own. 

  

  

  

Her natural beauty plus light makeup, made her look like a brand-new Barbie doll.. The white ball dress and her fringe hairstyle could almost confuse others for an angel. She looked almost angelic as if only wings were missing. The dress fit as if it were designed specially for her.  Her nervous expression could not be hidden as her eyes twitched simultaneously with every passing second.  

  

  

Mrs. Brooklyn flinched at the sight, and so did Miranda whose eyes seemed as if she had seen a ghost. 

  

This was the sight they had dreaded.  

  

  

Back in the office when Mrs. Brooklyn was handing Crystal an invitation letter to the wedding, she clearly warned her not to do anything that would make her cease to exist, yet, it seemed Crystal took her words lightly.  

  

  

After learning from Miranda that her only son was dating a pauper secretary when Miranda caught them in an action of lovey-dovey in Mervin's office, Mrs. Brooklyn dug into Crystal's past and was agitated to learn that Mervin has been dating and lavishly spending on Crystal and her siblings.  

  

  

Thus, she convinced her husband to set a date for Mervin's wedding in a jiffy. Should Mervin be seen with Crystal after the wedding, she hoped the news headline would be 'Mervin and his fling'. 

  

  

  

Yet, before her, Crystal has just crashed into her son's wedding. It would have been fine if she were dressed in her usual rugged clothes. Seeing her dressed like a Cinderella, made her intestines turn and her breath almost seized.  

  

  

Miranda's fingers were already turned into a fist as Mervin took a microphone from a nearby podium. 

  

  

"Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen" 

  

  

He drew the attention of the crowd which was engrossed in murmuring.  

  

  

"I have an announcement to make. Though I know my decision will freak the hell out of you" he paused as his eyes wandered around the congregation as if he were reading their minds.  

  

  

Before he continues, "I, Mervin Brooklyn, stand before you to denounce Miranda Griffin as my fiance."  

  

  

Those words struck hard like lightning making the audience resume their murmurs.  

  

  

Miranda stood like a soaked little chick, fighting back her tears. Only if she had taken Mervin's warning before they entered the hall earlier, she would have been singing a new song. 

  

  

Mervin had warned her that he was planning to cancel the wedding but her subconscious took it lightly. Then here she has just been turned into the front page news headline worldwide. A tint of rogue colored her eyes. 

  

  

"Mervin, what sort of drama are you trying to put on?"   

  

  

Mr Brooklyn's handsome face was replaced with wrinkles on the forehead as he fired at his son. His eyes lit fire.  

  

  

" Am sorry Dad, my heart beats for someone else" Mervin replied calmly.  

  

  

His words sunk into Mr. Brooklyn's fresh like the venomous fangs of a deadly cobra.  

  

  

"Mervin, you wouldn't dare disgrace me!" He spatted. 

  

  

Mervin breathed in and out with his eyes shut, before dropping the mic back on the podium and taking gentle steps towards Crystal who was still by the door side. He approached her and offered his hand which Crystal took in a jiffy. Mervin led her to the stage.  

  

  

The congregation was never left out as they followed the two with their eyes. Watching their every step. 

  

  

"This can never be happening" Miranda mumbled weakly. Her lips had just lost the will to utter more words.  

  

  

Mervin and Crystal stood before the congregation.  "I would like to introduce Crystal Blues, my girlfriend. The girl that my heart yearns for" 

  

  

With such an announcement, the hall was silent as a graveyard. Not even a single cough was heard. 

  

  

  

"Dirty blood in Brooklyn's family? You would not dare to be the first to humiliate us", 

  

  

Mrs. Brooklyn finally broke the long silence. Spite could not be hidden in her words. 

  

  

"Oh sorry Mother, because I will dare to disappoint you. '' Mervin has never been a mischievous kid who always goes astray from his parents' will.  

  

  

Yet, when his love life is threatened, he doesn't care to sacrifice his 'Good boy' title as long as he saves his love. He had to go all out in an attempt to win the battle. 

  

  

" A Brooklyn is known for being a gentleman with a responsible personality, especially towards his family. I bet you will never want me to turn away from my responsibility Mother" 

  

  

"How can I abandon my child?"  

  

  

That declaration, or rather a question, was like a bomb thrown at the very right time. 

  

  

 Mrs. Brooklyn felt as if she'd just been resurrected from death and found her once sweet son turned into a zombie.  The hall was once again filled with uncalled-for noise. 

  

  

"Pardon? What are you trying to say?"  

  

  

Mervin held Crystal's hand more firmly and stared deep into his father's eyes. " Crystal here is carrying my baby"  

  

  

Luckily, Mervin had Crystal's hand firmly into his. At that very moment, Crystal's legs were to  succumb to the ground for her body felt very heavy to be carried on those tiny legs. 

  

  

That declaration was a death sentence that awakened different kinds of reactions in Crystal's world.  

  

  

'I am pregnant?' Crystal thought to herself as she stared at Mervin, trying to figure out what he was thinking in his thick skull. 

  

  

The thought of turning into a Cinderella was already overwhelming for her, but pregnant?  

  

  

That will make her the second Virgin Mary who brought forth a baby without any intimacy with a man. For sure she and Mervin were yet to share a bed.