Chapter 4: The Twin's Objection

Aurora's POV 

The words hung in the air like a thunderclap. 

“I object.”

The entire venue fell into a deafening silence. Hundreds of guests, dressed in their finest attire, froze mid-whisper. 

The beautiful church hall, adorned with cascading white roses, pink accents, and twinkling fairy lights, suddenly felt suffocating. My heart nearly stopped as I stood at the altar, my hand still clasped in Alexander’s.

The veil felt like a noose around my neck. 'No. This cannot be happening. Not now. Not after last night Aridian please '.

Whispers erupted like a rising storm.

 “What did he say?” “Is that the twin?” “Who objects at a wedding?”

Gasps and murmurs spread through the pews as people shifted uncomfortably in their seats.

Elena, Alexander’s mother, rose abruptly from the front row, her face twisted in panic. Her elegant gown swayed as she clutched her pearls, eyes wide with fear.

“Aridian, please...”

Alexander stared at his brother in pure disbelief, his grip on my hand tightening. His handsome face, the one I had fallen in love with, darkened with confusion and rising anger. I could feel him trembling slightly beside me. Alexander... what is going on? Why is your twin doing this? I thought loudly.

My mind spiraled into chaos. 

*He’s going to expose it. He’s going to tell everyone what happened last night—how I kissed him first, how I let him fuck me so good in our bed, moaning your name while he claimed me from behind.* 

Shame burned through my veins, mixing with the lingering ache in my body. I began shaking uncontrollably, my knees threatening to buckle under the weight of my white gown. Every guest noticed. Heads turned toward me, pity and curiosity in their eyes.

Naomi, standing a few steps behind me as maid of honor, shot me a sharp, suspicious glance. Her earlier warning about secrets echoed in my head.

She knows something is wrong. God, if Aridian says it...

Alexander released my hand and stepped forward, his voice low but demanding.

 “Aridian, have you lost your mind? Sit down. This is not the time for your grudges.”

Aridian remained standing tall and calm, his suit perfectly tailored, mirroring Alexander’s but carrying an aura of dangerous confidence. A slow, knowing smile touched his lips as he met his brother’s gaze.

 “I have not lost my mind, brother. I am not here to ruin the wedding. I am here to state a fact. One that has been buried for far too long.”

Elena pushed through the front row, her voice desperate and trembling. 

“Aridian, stop this! Please, for the family’s sake. Don’t do this now.” 

Her reaction surprised everyone. Why was she so afraid? The woman who had welcomed him with open arms yesterday now looked terrified, as if her world was crumbling. Whispers intensified.

The officiant cleared his throat awkwardly, glancing between the brothers. 

“If there is an objection...”

Aridian raised his hand slightly, his deep voice carrying through the hall with commanding clarity. “I object.”

Alexander’s face darkened further, fury flashing in his eyes. “Sit down, Aridian. Now.”

But Aridian did not move. He stood firm, addressing the entire congregation.

“I will not sit down while my younger brother breaks the family covenant.”

Confusion rippled through the guests like a wave. Murmurs grew louder. I looked desperately between the two identical men, my heart pounding.

 Younger brother? Covenant? What is he talking about? My internal thoughts raced wildly. 

This cannot be about last night. Please, not that. But if it is... I am finished. Alexander will never forgive me.

“What covenant?” I whispered, my voice barely audible, but it carried in the tense silence.

Aridian turned his gaze to me, those dark eyes holding the same predatory hunger from the night before. My body betrayed me with a traitorous shiver.

 The same size, the same face, but he used it so much better. Stop thinking about it, Aurora!

“According to our grandfather’s will,”

 Aridian continued, his tone steady and unyielding, “the elder twin marries first. The elder son inherits first. The younger son does not marry until the elder has claimed his rightful place.”

Gasps filled the venue. Shocked faces turned toward the altar. Elena went deathly pale, sinking back into her seat as if the words had drained all life from her. 

Alexander looked furious, his fists clenched at his sides. I was completely blindsided, my mind reeling.

 Elder twin? Inheritance? Alexander never mentioned any of this. He said they were just on bad terms. Was everything a lie?

Aridian pressed on, his voice rising with quiet intensity.

“For years, my family pretended I didn’t exist. They exiled me. They erased me from photos, from conversations, from their lives. Now they want to celebrate this wedding as though I was never born. As though the firstborn twin has no claim.”

The objection had transformed. It was no longer childish jealousy. This was a full-blown family scandal, a battle over birthright, a public revelation of hidden mysteries.

 Alexander’s public humiliation was unfolding before everyone—his perfect wedding day crumbling under the weight of secrets.

Guests exchanged stunned looks. Some relatives whispered urgently among themselves. My own guilt twisted sharper.

Last night I betrayed Alexander with the very man now exposing their lies. And now this?

Naomi quietly slipped to my side, pulling me gently a few steps away from Alexander during the chaos. Her hand gripped my arm firmly, her eyes searching mine with deep concern. “Aurora, do you still want this marriage?”

 She whispered urgently. “Look at what’s happening. This isn’t right. Tell me the truth—are you okay?”

I could not answer. My throat tightened, words failing me as tears threatened to spill despite the makeup. 

Aridian’s voice cut through again. “Ask Alexander why he really wanted me gone all these years.”

The words landed like another bomb. Alexander’s expression shifted. For the first time since we met, I saw something raw in his eyes as he looked at me. Not anger. Not the steady love I had always known but fear.