Chapter Five

‘Those who belittle others are usually so little themselves. Small people belittle others. Great people make others feel they to can become great.’ Quote by Nick Verd.

April barely had time to plaster a small smile on her face, still covering her braces, before they entered the hall. To claps and cheers. In her mind, she had very little to be happy about right now. The way Noah had looked at her made her self-conscious of her overweight body. She didn’t want to be here.

The hard grip Noah had on her hand stopped April from fleeing, which she would love to do if she got the chance.

He brought her around the bridal table and moved her into her seat. She knew it wasn’t a gentlemanly gesture on his part. He was just performing for the crowd, doing what was expected of a happy groom. As soon as he sat down beside her, he immediately turned away to engage in conversation with his best man, Ryan.

April felt incredibly frustrated that she hadn’t been given the opportunity to explain to Noah the reasons behind her decision to marry him. If she had the choice, she wouldn’t do it, at least not at this moment. Noah hadn’t even provided her with the chance to express herself, mistakenly believing that she had handpicked him.

Unfortunately, her father had picked up on how she felt. She would not have chosen this cold, hateful man beside her. Let him believed what he wanted. It wasn’t like he thought much of her, anyway, remembering the conversation between her father and Noah she had overheard.

Her cousin Porsha sat down beside her after circulating the room. She had always been an outgoing and social person, something April herself had never been.

“You’re such a lucky one,” Porsha remarked, her voice barely audible to anyone but April. “How much did your daddy pay to get Noah to marry you?”

April glanced at her cousin briefly, then averted her gaze without uttering a word. The truth was, she didn’t have an answer and preferred not to dwell on it. After all, her cousin’s question hit too close to home, and the thought of others having the same assumption left her feeling embarrassed.

After a few moments, April discreetly excused herself, realizing that nobody was paying her any attention. She gracefully rose from her seat and made her way towards the ladies’ room, noticing that Noah didn’t even glance in her direction. Once she was there, April stood in the stall and tried to figure out how she was to go to the toilet with her full skirt. She stared at the toilet for a full minute before she lifted her dress up at the front and straddled the toilet.

Once she was done, she flushed the toilet and was fixing her dress when the outside door opened. April didn’t want to face anyone right now. The bridal table at least offered some protection. In here, anyone could say anything to her. She decided to wait them out. In the next few seconds, she wished she hadn’t waited because the ladies’ topic of conversation was about her.

“I can’t believe someone as hot as Noah would marry someone like April Harrington.” Said one female voice.

A second lady scoffed. “I heard her father paid him a lot of money. How else would someone as fat and ugly as April end up with someone like him?”

“Would any amount of money be worth it?” asked the first woman.

“Oh, I very much doubt he will sleep with her. It’s business.”

“I wouldn’t mind taking a crack at his best mate, Ryan. He is still on the market.”

“If you wanted to sleep with Noah, I would say he would be willing as well. Just not on the market for marriage. I give it a year at best, before he divorces her. Faster if she pushes for sex.” Both women laughed as they left the bathroom.

April felt like a punching bag with how many attacks on her person by their so-called friends. She knew who they were. The first lady to speak had been her father's second in charges daughter, Tiffany, and the second had been the CFO’s daughter Erin. Even with their fake sweetness to her in the past, she had known they hadn’t truly been her friend, and this just proved it. The worst thing April thought was they were not wrong. Her father had bought Noah, and he hated her.

When April rejoined the bridal table a few minutes later, her face was a smooth mask. She would not let anyone get to her, not even Noah. She just needed to get through today and once her father had his operation and was ok. He had to be ok. She couldn’t envision a life without him, not yet. Then April would start living her life her way. Away from all these fake people.

When Noah got up to talk to some guests, Ryan leaned across Noah’s chair to get her attention. “Are you alright? You seem a little… tense.”

April put on one of her fake smiles. “It’s been a long day.”

Ryan smiled, nodding his head. “I can understand that. Not like I have been through it myself, but I have played best man a few times already. Weddings can make for a very long day.”

April was aware that Ryan was not married and had a similar reputation to Noah, known for being a playboy. “You didn’t bring a date?” April asked him.

Ryan laughed. “No, April. If a man brings a lady to a wedding, it gives them ideas. I like my freedom just the way it is right now, thank you.” He said it in a light tone, giving her a warm smile.

“So you want to marry someday? Don’t answer that if you think I’m being rude by asking.” April added, not wanting to come across as nosy. He was Noah’s best friend, so she was sure she would be seeing him often.

“April, you are not being rude. I think this is the most you have said to me for the entire time I have known you.” Ryan said.

“But you didn’t answer the question.” April pointed out.

Ryan laughed. “Noticed that, did you? The problem is, if I answer the question and someone hears, they might just think it’s an invitation.”

April thought maybe he was right and was about to answer when Porsha said by her side. “April, you already have a husband. Leave poor Ryan alone.”

April rolled her eyes. She wasn’t after Ryan, as Porsha made it sound. Couldn’t she be nice to someone without someone thinking the wrong thing or embarrassing her?

Girls like Porsha liked to be the center of attention. She belittled everyone she thought was beneath her. She was a bitch. April wondered if she would be any nicer to her if she knew April’s father was so sick. Because not every Harrington was filthy rich.

At every family event, Porsha would create some drama, so it was about her. Like today, she had been allowed to pick her own dress. In April’s opinion, it was pretty indecent. Who wore a hot pink dress that was so short and tight to a wedding? It showed her boobs and legs to their best advantage but left very little to the imagination.

Ryan saw her eye roll and grinned at her. Before he looked at her trashy cousin. “Sorry, I like a woman with class.” Looking her up and down before adding. “And taste.”

April almost snorted with laughter. But quickly bit the inside of her mouth to stop herself from doing so. Ryan was being nice to her. That told her that Noah hadn’t confided in him about their little drama. It wasn’t something she wanted to share herself, so she was glad he hadn’t. It was bad enough that everyone was guessing her father had paid Noah to marry her.

April watched in fascination as Porsha’s mouth fell open at the shock that someone would insult her so openly. She was a member of the Harrington family, and no one dared to insult a Harrington. However, the issue was that Porsha had not yet realized that she was not as significant in terms of the Harrington’s wealth or influence.

April had no doubt she was the apple of her parents’ eye. But then Dad’s much younger brother David thought the sun shone out of his ass as well. So Porsha hadn’t fallen far from the tree. It was rude to say, but if her aunt had any more plastic surgery, April was in fear of her face falling off. Why couldn’t people just age gracefully?

“What did you just say to me?” Porsha said in an almost silent scream. It was like Ryan’s comment had literally rendered her voiceless. Clearly taken aback by his audacity in her eyes.

“Oh Porsha, you may think you are all that. But you are nothing but a cheap imitation of who you are trying to portray. Please don’t waste your time or mine to think I would ever look at you twice. I’m not interested in women that embarrass others so carelessly. It shows me you need to grow the fuck up.” Ryan said, before dismissing her with a wave of his hand.

April had to admit she was stunned by Ryan's ability to see through Porsha so well. Her cousin was clearly at a loss for words because she just went away with her tail between her legs.

April almost felt like cheering. Maybe it was mean of her, but her cousin had always taken every opportunity to hurt her and make her feel unloved and ugly. No, she wasn’t any fashion plate, but in her eyes you didn’t do that to family.

William shook Noah's hand as he moved towards him. “Here.” William handed Noah a file. “A promise is a promise.”

Noah took the file and opened it. Only to see the William had been true to his word. This was his debt to William wiped clean. It was a weight lifted off his shoulders. “When is your operation due to take place?”

“I’m booked in for two days’ time. I will need you to be there for April if it doesn’t go well. I can’t put it off any longer.”

“You’re a silly old man, William. You shouldn’t have waited the four weeks as it is.” Noah said.

“I wanted April married.” William looked around the room, making sure no one could overhear his next words. “Not all my family could be trusted. I know if anything happens to me, you will protect April from them.”

Sighing, Noah knew William was talking about his younger brother and family. Then why had William allowed Porsha to be April’s bridesmaid? Thinking about it, Noah got the answer before he even voiced the question. Keep your enemies close. Yes, Noah could see David Harrington as someone to watch out for and keeping them close to make sure you were always aware of what the family was up to.