11

Jane's p o v

I gulped hard when I realized what he was doing. The stupid feeling vanished from my mind instantly. He had brought the flowers for Lucia not me.

As his eyes lingered over me, I clutched the bouquet and turned aside to face the priest who had now started his speech. 

While he spoke, my eyes were on his parting and closing lips but my mind was far from what he said. The admiration I had for this man a few seconds ago had now turned to uneasiness again.

With a sidelong glance, I observed as his head lowered over me. From the priest who slightly throws his head towards Quinn, I got the hint that I was supposed to face my husband to be. 

Slightly, I turned to face him fully and I watched as his eyes linger over my body.

I could tell as his eyes hung on my cleavage then lowered down till they reached my feet, then his head rose back up to my face.

I looked away and my grip tightened around the bouquet. I surely couldn't escape my fate today.

For one last time, I tried to tell myself that I was still in a dream. Even though it felt so real, how could I accept that my common girl life had just flipped over overnight?

How ironic? I never dreamed of a wedding this early. And then there was one which intended up not being a part of and then here j was again today with this man...

" Lucia... "

I had to stop communicating with my mind when I heard Quinn's voice calling out to me. 

" Pay attention. " He whispered to me without a movement of his teeth.

I looked up at him instantly and realized that we were about to say our vows. I straightened up and watched him as he returned the stare back to me.

" Very well! " The priest who often paused at regular intervals during his speech called before turning to Quinn who now had his hands behind him.

" Do you, Quinn Enrich solemnly vow to take. . . "

" I do! " He grumbles as his frown remains on me and the old priest has to swallow the rest of his shaky words.

I hear a loud sigh from him before he turns to me still holding his heavy book.

" Do you, Lucia Gael solemnly vow " As he called that name, my heart began to rise and fall uncontrollably in my struggling breathing since I very well knew that I was being referred to now.

 " . . .to take Quinn Enrich to be your husband. . . to have and to hold. . . from this day forward. . . for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness. . . and in health, to love and to cherish, until parted by death? "

My chest rose again and I averted my gaze from Quinn whose scowl was all over me. I was about to sign myself away out of fear.

I could just decide to run away from here, right? There were a lot of people here now who may not be aware that I was captured and forced to marry this man. 

I had the chance now. I didn't have to say yes. I wasn't in his villa now. The priest could help me and all these people here.

" I do. " 

I hear my voice echoing across the church ceiling. I now watched as Quinn's eyes rested as he sighed in relief and took his eyes off me finally. I had said it. Finally, I said it myself that I would take him as my husband. 

My eyes begin to cloud up with tears as I pick the ring from the cushion after him. He grabs my wrist fastly and forces the ring into my shaking finger.

I have to do the same, although much slower.

" You may now kiss the bride! " The priest announced with his arms spread.

I stood still like a robot as Quinn's steady fingers cupped my chin and forced my face to raise up slowly to his before he held my lips in his.

As he kissed me, I shut my eyes and struggled to force the anger back. I hear the applause from the spectators and I still don't want to open my eyes yet for fear of having them see my tears.

Immediately Quinn released my lips, his hands gripped my arms and he pulled me to himself in a cold embrace while the applause continued.

I use the opportunity to release my tears into the chest of his jacket before opening them to look above his left shoulder.

Immediately I opened my eyes, they randomly caught the gentleman who was said to be Quinn's brother sitting at the farthest side of the seat. He is the only one who isn't clapping. My eyes follow him as he rises up and gently pulls his lapels before heading for the side exit so that no one barely noticed him leave. My eyes didn't leave him till he was permanently out of the church.

As I walked towards the church exit with Quinn holding my hand tightly, I walked across the women who had been whispering earlier and I caught a sentence off their conversation.

" I never believed she was still alive until today. " 

I sniff and hold my head high despite how terrible and perplexed I was feeling.

We got back into the limousine and as I settled into the compartment with Quinn, I made sure my face was devoid of any visible show of weak emotion. 

I wasn't planning on taking it easy on him despite how far he has forced me to come.

I turned the bouquet in my hand and stared at it while my mind was far away.

" You really love it, don't you? " Quinn asked from where he sat opposite me holding up a glass.

" You brought this for your dead lover, not me. This is her preference, not mine. You may have succeeded in dragging me to the altar today but that's just it. Aside from standing there with you just for the purpose of feeding those people what they want to see, you can't expect anything more from me! "

As I spoke I watched how his eyes began to narrow and I made sure not to be scared by him. But immediately I finished talking, he springs up and hovers towards me. I was forced to press my back against the seat as he got closer to me.

His long arms form an arch over me as his fists rest on either arms of the seat and I am forced to stare up into his eyes reddening with anger. 

" Never. . . Call Lucia dead. " 

I couldn't control the awe I felt suddenly but I still gathered enough courage to speak back but less loudly as I did before. " And. . . " His voice was calmer now. " I didn't drag you to the altar today. You rather looked " His lips curve down as his eyes roll up. " . . .eager. "

"Eager?" I chuckle. "Are you kidding me?" When he says nothing, I cough.

" You can't force me to go on with this. . . You can't just change my identity! " I yell and push my face closer to his.

Slowly, he moves backwards and settles back into his seat before grabbing his glass again.

" You know that party you always said you wanted after our wedding? "

My eyes rolled at him as he spoke. " That's exactly what we're going to enjoy tonight. How do you like the sound of that? "

I roll my eyes over the ceiling of the car and gasp for air momentarily before dropping my head into my palm and rubbing my forehead to relieve the ache I had suddenly developed from all this trouble.

Was this man going to ever let go of his obsession with this Lucia and let me go freely? It was even scarier that he had not kidnapped me for who I was myself but because of whom his sick brain takes me to be.

I was more screwed because of that.

The villa was bursting with arrangements and excitement as we arrived. As soon as Quinn was distracted from me by his awaiting guest, I took the opportunity to escape. I didn't see Emily but all I wanted to do was vanish into my room.

I was sure I was going to lock myself up in there until the next day arrived.

I was welcomed by the arrangement of rose petals lined on the floor. As I stepped in further, I watched the arrangement leading up to the bed where the petals are arranged neatly in numbers all over the bed surface.

Instead of catching the intended romantic emotion expected, I was infuriated by it all. I grabbed the blanket about to blow the flowers all off when my door opens and I turn back slightly and stare as Quinn remains at the door with hands akimbo.

I stare at him as he walks in with a slight smirk on his face, his hands now hanging beside him. I draw back as he steps closer.

" Just so you know I do not like any of this at all! " I told him as he came closer.

" Sure you do ... You wanted it! "

" What is wrong with you? Is it so hard for you to move on? "

"Move on? That's not in my dictionary. " he keeps walking closer to me as I stared up at him, his tie had been loosened but still around his neck so that the collar of his shirt got opened by one button between his roughly split suit. " He gets everything and anything he wants. " He halts before me and peering into my face with a mischievous smirk. Then he leans closer, his lips, very close to my nose as he speaks. " including the one he wants. " 

I feel the back of his palm slowly rubbing my powdered cheek. My chest is now rising and falling fastly as his breathing hushes over my face.

" I am not one of your properties. Just so you know. "

" Hmm. " He chuckles. " Well, you're married to me now. "

I remain still as his head begins to lower into my face again and I turn my head. With his face now at the side of my neck, he whispers over my skin. " You don't seem to have a choice here. "

I feel his cold lips peck at my neck and I draw back from him. " Don't think that because you have been able to get us married you now have access to me or my body. That wedding was just for spectators and didn't get anywhere into my heart and I would never let you have me as long as I'm conscious. " I was trying to sound tough but my shaking voice failed me.

He grabs me suddenly and in an instant, his nose is pressed against my cheek and his hands hold my waist tighter.

" No pasa nada. " He whispered. " If it's in your unconsciousness you want me to have you. . . It's not an issue. " 

The audacity!! I jolted back and with my hands on his chest, I nudged him off with all my might. He held me back as he began to bite at my neck softly. Almost shrieking, I turned in the struggle as I now had myself away from beside the bed. I push him harder till he lets go of me and falls onto the bed. 

I grab the knees of my gown, raise them high and hurry towards the door. As I raced out of the room, his eerie laughter filled my ears and it sent a strong sense of panic through every bit of my nerves.

How on earth was I stuck with a psycho? I wondered when I could no longer hear his evil cackling.

I burst out into the hall room and was faced by guests. A few of them had their eyes on me so I turned around and exited through the corridor until I appeared before the guests' rest rooms.

The long wall was made of glass and I grabbed the golden handle of the glass door and turned it quickly before hurrying into one of the toilet cubicles and sat down.

 I left the door slightly opened as I crashed onto the toilet seat and grabbed my head with both hands.

My hair was still neatly styled in a french twist with the beads arranged in it.

I never cared about any of it. Neither did I know that I was losing my mind. I forced my fingers into my hair and left my head hung. When I pull my fingers out, they come out along with strands of my hair pulling out of place.

I couldn't hold it any longer when I let out a loud cry of fury with my face turned to the ceiling.

I dropped my face back to my palms and my cry slowly turned into silent sobs of frustration.

I pause my cry when I sniffle and raise my head up to see a figure behind the blurred glass wall that led to the restroom. I could see his blurred figure approaching as I left my door open.

When I look up, the person starts moving and I hang my eyes in alarm.

I recognized the gray colored coat behind the blurring of the glass. I recognized him instantly as Quinn's brother. I went silent at once.

Spreading my fingers on the door, I pushed it closer in attempt to close it but some how, I'm curious to see what he's up to. As I leave the door open, I can now see that he had resumed walking again. Maybe he didn't see it earlier that this was the female section. I thought he was leaving until he stands still again facing the door. Was he really coming in?

Maybe he had seen me run in here. Or he didn't.

I stared as his hands moved to grab the door handle and it turns slowly in his grip ...