Chapter 4

What a wonderful day it was for an outdoor wedding: warm, but not terribly so, unfortunately the wedding was going to take place indoors. The early May sun peeked out occasionally. A pleasant breeze from the north rustled in the surrounding shrubs and Claire took a sneak peek at the chuch where she was to be married. It was large, intimidating, she thought as she imagined Henry Laurent already waiting for her, just like friends and family alike were already waiting for her.

Her father was next to her, he had ridden with her while her maid of honor had preferred to ride with the other bridesmaids. Throughout the entire trip he had been on one phone call or the other, making calls to the press, dictating orders and even talking to the Priest who was to officiate the ceremony.

"It's time for us to go in Claire."

He said as someone opened her side of the car. One of her stylist was still with her, to make sure that everything went on as planned. She quickly hurried and helped Claire out of the car, hurriedly working to fix her makeup and her veil.

"Do you feel comfortable?"

She asked and Claire sighed.

"Is that a trick question?"

Claire asked as she raised her eyebrows and the stylist chuckled.

"You look breathtaking, you should feel every bit as spectacular as you look, regardless of the circumstances."

The stylist whispered and Claire smiled, she was right about that, Claire thought as she raised her head higher.

Her father came to her side.

"Are you ready my dear?"

He asked gently as he placed a kiss on her forrhead. Despite the sweet gesture, Claire was still angry at him.

"I suppose I have no other choice other than to be ready."

He nodded and set down her veil for her. They were going to go into the church together, she was going to see the face of the man who was to be her husband. She had a vague memory of how he looked. Tall, snobby looking blond man with a rich accent, Claire was confident she would hate him on first sight.

The doors of the church slowly opened and Claire saw how perfect everything was. The smell of freshly cut flowers filled the air as she walked in.

The music stopped, and all heads turned to face the far end of the walk. The opening to the bridal chorus started to play. Down the isle Claire came. There awaiting her was the Priest and her husband to be.

Henry Laurent was stunning. He wore a black, single-breasted, satin tuxedo with a white-wing collar shirt. He was handsome, he looked like a young Justin Hartley with baby blue eyes. His face was emotionless, Claire doubted that he was even looking at her, he had such an expressionless face, she wondered what was going through his mind.

At the end of the aisle, her father handed her to him, while he held her hand gently and they turned to the podium.

The music faded, and the Priest stepped up to the microphone, Bible in hand. He smiled at the assembly.

"Cherished family members and honored guests, I would like to thank each of you for coming out this morning," he said.

"Let us begin by offering thanks to the Lord on this wonderful day."

They all bowed our heads and he prayed.

After the prayer was over, the preacher led Claire and Henry through their vows. It was now time for the exchange of rings. An adorable little boy dressed in a blue tuxedo that Claire had no idea who he was walked up and handed Henry a ring. He slipped it on Claire's finger. The pastor smiled and turned to Claire. He repeated the question and received the same monotone reply. Claire took his ring from a small girl dressed in pink and place it on his finger.

"By the power vested unto me I now proclaim you husband and wife." "You may now kiss your bride."

Claire gulped hard and fast, kissing a complete and a total stranger, sure, that would be nice. Henry didn't look phased, he moved closer to her, his eyes avoiding hers as he placed a gentle but very chaste kiss on her lips. It could barely be described as a kiss, but the applause that followed was loud and boisterous enough to suggest that the crowd definitely thought it was enough.

Claire and Henry left the church and in hand, a small fake smile on her face to appease her parents, quickly, they were ushered in the car where Claire sighed as she looked outside. The Laurents and her parents looked ecstatic, disaster evaded, they looked very proud of themselves.

Claire turned to her new husband Henry, he looked like he was determined to be quiet for the rest of the trip, Claire didn't mind but she wanted to at least know who she would be spending the rest of the few months with.

"Are you planning on keeping quiet during the entire trip to the reception or what?"

He turned to her and looked at her, really looked at her.

"I... I'm still in shock."

"I'm also in shock, I mean, you're not the one who was forced to get married right after coming back from a twelve hour trip."

Henry turned to look at her.

"You had no idea that she was leaving?"

He asked and Claire shrugged.

"I haven't talked to my sister in weeks nor seen her in months, we're not exactly close so I doubt she'd have revealed such information to me in the first place."

There was another long prolonged silence and Claire sighed, she wondered what her sister was doing at the moment, if she had learnt of the wedding and was regretting her actions or if she didn't care.

"Why did you decide to take her place?"

"Decide? Bold of you to assume that I had a choice."

Henry scoffed.

"There is always a choice and it looked like you picked the one you wanted."

"Wanted?"

Claire chuckled.

The nerve of him to think that she wanted to spend her whole life being tied to him, to be admired as nothing more but a trophy wife and relegated to a life in Rancho Santa Fe doing nothing but being a rich housewife.

She turned to him and pinned him down with a glare, she hated the arrangement just as much as he did and he shouldn't blame her for doing what she had to do to survive.

"If you're so determined to paint me the villain of this whole story then so be it, I don't give two fucks about you or whatever the hell you think about me."