CHAPTER 4

THE VOWS

The hall was filled with influential people from all over the state, each one of them eager to see the union of the two most powerful families in the city. Every inch of the hall was beautifully decorated, there was flowers at every corner. Emily was seated in front of a very large mirror in the bridal suite, delicately touching her gown. Beside her was her best friend and bridesmaid, Cassandra carefully arranging the veil that flowed down her back.

Cassandra looked at Emily's reflection from the mirror and sighed.

“Are you really doing this Em?” She asked gently.

“It doesn't really matter anymore Cassie, this is about my family now. Nothing else.”

She said with a forced smile.

“But it should, though.” Cassandra said with a breaking voice. “You deserve a real wedding, Em, not some business transaction.”

Emily looked away, trying to hide her frustration from her friend. She could not afford to have a breakdown today, not when she's gotten to this level. There was no going back from this now. Not when her entire life was under the watchful eyes of so many.

“Thanks Cassie, but it's too late to back out now.” Emily said. “I just have to get through this right now.”

Cassie sighed, Emily had already made up her mind or rather, her family had.

“Just know I'll always be right by your side. No matter how messy it may be.”

Meanwhile, James was in the next room, adjusting his tie as his best man and best friend, Bradley, gave him a look over.

“It's not too late to drop out from this James, you know that.” He said it half jokingly but there was a hint of sincerity in those words, James could feel it. “Tell them you're not doing it, tell them to fuck right off.”

James scoffed, shaking his head. “And then face my father's backlash? No thanks. I'm just doing what's expected of me, I'm going to treat it like another business deal, because that is what it is, Brad.”

“But it isn't just another business deal is it? That's poor girl, I can't imagine what she's going through.” Bradley continued. “Emily is a person, a person who has hopes and dreams, you're not going to treat her like some obligation are you?”

James' expression softened a bit, and he looked down at the ring he'd be putting on Emily's hand a few moments from now and sighed.

“It doesn't matter Brad, this is what our family wants and she's very aware of that too, besides, she knows what we're going into.”

The music began, signifying that the ceremony was about to begin, Bradley gave him a final pat on the back as encouragement before stepping out to find his position.

**********

As the doors opened, Emily took one final breath as she stepped down the aisle. She turned and saw James coming towards her, with the signature calm and collected expression he always wore and she ignored the knot forming in her stomach. This was it. There's no turning back now.

When she reached James, he took her hands in his, offering her an award winning smile, in reality, it was really for the audiences, he was just playing his role really well. The officiator began, his voice echoed in the quiet hall.

“Do you, James Knight, take Emily Chen, to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love and to…..”

James cleared his throat and for a moment, a flicker of emotion flashed through his face but it was quickly gone, then he finally answered.

“I do.”

Then he turned to Emily. “Do you, Emily Chen, take James Knight to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love and to….”

Emily paused for a second, a whirlwind of emotion running through her, it was so overwhelming that she took a shaky breath.

“I…I do.”

As they exchanged rings, both hands were surprisingly steady but it lacked any form of familiarity. Yet as their fingers brushed against each other, there was an unspoken deniable pause as unfamiliar feelings lingered there for a moment, before they both pulled away.

The officiator smiled so widely you'd think he was the one getting married, he then closed his book. “Well then, by the power vested in me by the state of California, I now pronounce you, man and wife, you may kiss the bride.”

James hesitated for a split second, he looked at Emily, there was a mutual look of understanding between them, this was something they needed to do, to seal the whole show. But they both silently remind one another in their head that this was just for show.

James leaned down and gently captured Emily's lips in a simple and formal kiss, the audience ate it all up as they immediately started clapping. Emily forced herself to smile as she faced the audience with James holding her hand, the pose for the cameras, while the crowd continued cheering.

**********

At the reception, Emily and James greeted different guests together, executing their roles perfectly as their friends Cassandra and Bradley watched them from a table with worried looks.

“Do you think they’re going to be alright?” Cassandra asked with sadness in her eyes.

Bradley sighed. He watched as James shook hands with a business partner, he was smiling but it looked fake and strained.

“I really don't know, they've chosen this path or rather their families have. I just hope everything works out well for them.”

Across the room Emily and James approached one another, resting on a table as they looked into the crowd.

“Well, congratulations to you Mrs. Knight.” James said mockingly.

“Why thank you, Mr. Knight.” She said, she smiled but James could see the tiredness in her eyes. “That was quite entertaining, wasn't it? You really do know how to put on a show.”

James raised a glass to her. “Yes, yes, give me my accolade. Everyone's convinced.”

“Right.” She replied, clinking her glass against his. “That's really all that matters, isn't it?”

But as they exchanged a knowing look, they realised that maybe there was more to this union than they initially thought. They both could feel something inside them, and it was regret. As Emily wanted to leave, she caught sight of something that made her stop in her tracks.

“Isn't that the man that was watching us during the meeting that day?”

She turned to look at James dead in the eye.

James dropped his glass as he said. “I think we might have a problem.”