Chapt. 5 - The Wedding Day

"Is this a dream? After this, we'll be together under the same roof. Then, what should I do with you?" -Mike-

***

Mike and Angie didn't take long to finalize their fake wedding plans. The two families had already met, and it was easy for them to agree since there was no need for any courtship or anything like that, considering that the deadline Mike gave Angie was only related to the wedding.

He didn't give her time to think about refusing, so it all happened easily. Here she was—in a separate room, with several people doing the dress and makeup that would make them the most beautiful and dashing brides and grooms in the entire universe.

"Traditionally, the bride should look more beautiful than the guests, even the attendants. Apply a sharp-colored lip rouge." Angie's mother, Melly, grabbed one of the bright red lipsticks and handed it to the makeup artist. "Here. This color will definitely make my Jiji shine."

"We're sorry, ma'am. You'd better wait outside so we can do our work. It's already seven o'clock. That means we're already late," the dresser said, slightly annoyed. Angie, uncomfortable with her mother's presence, gestured for the woman to stay in the family area and prepare herself.

Their family believed that seeing the bride while she was doing her makeup would bring bad luck to their marriage. Angie weaponized such myths so there was no argument between her and her mother.

Not long after, one of the dressers opened the door and let Melly in to check on her daughter. She was stunned to see Angie with her makeup and dusty pink wedding dress clinging to her tiny body. Her tears fell, and she carefully hugged Angie. She gave her daughter one last hug before walking down the aisle.

Angie turned to the older brother, whose arm she was clutching, and now, she was wearing a smile of emotion. Although at first he was reluctant to leave his sister to another man, Angie was all they had, and now that she would belong to a troubled man whose character he still doubted, he felt unwilling.

"I leave my sister to you to take care of. Don't hurt her. Make her happy. If I see her shed a single tear because of you, no matter where you come from, I'll finish you," Jimmy whispered to Mike, who only responded with a sardonic grin.

He didn't care, nor was he daunted by such threats, because what he had faced was far more terrifying. He had once nearly died from a Samurai stab through his stomach when confronted by one of the Yakuza members. However, he is still alive today. So, people like Jimmy wouldn't make him shudder.

The wedding procession went smoothly. Now, it was time for them to say their vows. At that moment, Angie's eyes fell on Mike, who looked indifferent. What they were doing now was meaningless for him, but not for Angie, who considered the wedding ritual a sacred procession.

Her hands trembled as she held the speaker and read the beautiful words written on the paper she had brought. She had written them herself a long time ago. At that time, her heart blossomed, and she fantasized that everything she wrote was a pledge between herself and the man of her dreams.

Unfortunately, reality was too far different from expectations.

Angie's tongue felt numb, and when she opened her mouth to say the pledge, her whole heart seemed to melt with the promise.

"I, Angelica Zenetta Reviera, take Michael Albertio Genosie to be my husband, to support, accept each other, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health, in love, to cherish and honor, never to be separated, and always to surrender my heart, for life and for death."

The words were too much for Angie, so after her speech stopped, she faltered and lost consciousness.

***

"Jiji, are you okay? How are you feeling?" asked a woman, looking faintly into the eyes of Angie, who had just regained consciousness after fainting at the altar. She didn't get to hear Mike's vows to her. It didn't matter anyway. They weren't lovers marrying for love.

"Where am I? What happened?"

"You fainted, honey. The doctor checked and said you were stressed and exhausted. After this, there's no need for a honeymoon because you need to rest," said the mother-in-law, anxiously waiting for Angie to wake up.

Angie held her throbbing forehead. She must have been very troublesome for everyone to be worried about. However, Mike was nowhere to be seen in the room.

Was the event already over?

Angie got up slowly, and with a forced weakness in her body, she swung her steps to the balcony.

There was nothing to prevent her from doing so, and when she arrived, no one was there. She closed her eyes and sucked in as much air as she could to fill her lungs until she noticed someone's presence.

"You're awake already. What a nuisance," grumbled a man she recognized. She ignored the snide remark. She was too lazy to deal with Mike or anyone else.

It had only been a few days since she met Mike, and even then, it wasn't an intense meeting; Angie felt like her whole world had become a tangled mess of threads filled only by him.

Why was she so stupid to accept the marriage? Wouldn't it be better to drown in the sea than to live under the same roof with an asshole like Mike?

"What are you doing here?" asked Angie lazily. "I don't need your attention, so you must go to the trouble of waiting for me to wake up."

Mike chuckled as he shook his head, taking a delicious drag on his cigarette before dropping it to stomp on it.

"Did you forget that this is also my room?" He raised a hand where a ring had been placed on his finger. "I am now your husband, darling. So we'll be in the same room, the same bed..." Mike stepped away, so Angie walked backward, and when they were so close, he grabbed the waist of the girl who had officially become his wife. "One blanket..."

Damn it!

Angie couldn't stay calm if this were the case. The scent of perfume mixed with Mike's pheromones made her fidgety and misbehave. Her heart was racing as if it were jumping out of her chest.

"Hey... what were you thinking? Why are you biting your lip like that? Don't say you're imagining–"

"Wh-what? Don't be an asshole!" Angie pushed away Mike, who was still chuckling. She moved away, heading to the other side, and noticed several men in black standing guard.

Angie looked down. Her head was spinning, but she could see the same conditions as on the balcony—the guards were standing guard with guns in hand.

"What's going on, Mike? Why are they preparing such weapons?" Angie turned to Mike, who had a serious look on his face. Then, a loud explosion sounded, and one person on the balcony groaned in pain before falling to the floor.