Chapter 3

LAURA

They say marriage is supposed to be the happiest day for a woman. But for Laura, that wasn't true. Instead of feeling joyful, she felt the opposite. It was as if the weight of the world had come crashing down on her.

Why? Because today was the day she would marry Draco. It would be a simple civil wedding, with only Margarette, her father, and the judge as witnesses to their union.

Laura had no choice but to accept her fate. She hadn't gotten the chance to talk to Draco when he visited the mansion. She had expected her father to call her to introduce her to Draco, as promised, but it didn't happen. She had been willing to plead with Draco, to ask for his help without demanding anything in return. Maybe she could have persuaded him.

Her father simply told her that the wedding was going ahead as planned. In fact, Draco had taken care of everything, and a date had already been set for their marriage.

Laura hadn't expected the wedding to be just a day away. It seemed Draco was rushing their marriage.

Honestly, she wanted to escape, to leave it all behind. She didn't care about her father's assets, but Miller Estate was different. What would happen to the estste her mother had work hard for? What about the workers who depended on it? Andi and the others - they'd lose their jobs if she lost the Miller Estate. The thought of it was unbearable. She couldn't abandon the people and the land that had been her home since childhood.

Laura had no choice but to accept her fate. It seemed she'd been hit with one misfortune after another. First, she'd never felt her father's love. Then, her boyfriend had betrayed her. And now, she was being forced to marry a man she didn't love, one who was three times her age.

Laura heard a soft knock on her door. She walked over and opened it to find Margarette's face, etched with sadness, mirroring her own. It seemed her friend felt the weight of the moment too.

Laura opened the door wider to let her friend in. "You're not dressed yet?" Margarette asked as she entered and closed the door behind her.

Laura responded with a deep sigh. "If you're having second thoughts, there's still time, Laura. You can still back out," Margarette said, offering a glimmer of hope for her.

She shook her head. "What about Miller Estate, Margarette?" she asked, looking at her friend. "What about the workers there? They'll lose their jobs, won't they? What about their families?"

"So, you're really going through with marrying Draco? Even though you don't love him and you know he's three times your age?" Margarette asked.

Laura's voice was barely above a whisper as she replied, "It seems this is my fate, Marg."

She had no choice, or rather, she wasn't given one. If only she'd been given a few months, maybe she could've found a solution to her problem. But Draco seemed to be in a hurry, wanting to tie her down quickly, as evidenced by how swiftly he'd arranged everything.

Margarette let out a deep sigh. "Whatever decision you make, I'll support you. Just know that I'm here for you," she said, offering reassurance.

"Th-thank you," Laura said. They chatted for a few more minutes until they heard another knock on the door. Margarette got up to answer it.

"Ma'am Laura," the maid called out, peeking into the room.

"What is it?" Laura asked when their eyes met.

"Your father is asking you to get ready. He's told you to go to the library because your groom will be arriving soon," the maid informed her.

Laura couldn't help but feel a surge of anxiety. Her palms began to sweat. "O-okay," she replied.

"Get dressed, Laura," Margarette urged. Laura felt like a robot as she picked up the white dress her father had provided, lying on the table. She'd rather not wear it; she'd rather wear black, a color that suited her somber mood."

"Do you want me to help you get ready?" Margarette asked when Laura emerged from the bathroom, dressed. Laura shook her head.

"No, Marg. There's no point in dressing up," she replied, wanting to show her father and Draco her resistance to the marriage.

Soon, the maid returned, summoning Laura. She and Margarette left the room together, walking towards the library where the civil wedding would take place.

Upon entering, Laura's eyes immediately fell on her father, who looked ecstatic, a smile plastered on his face. No wonder he was thrilled - his problem would soon be solved. The judge who would officiate the wedding was also present. But there was still no sign of Draco.

They waited for Draco's arrival, and as the minutes ticked by, Laura found herself praying that he wouldn't show up, that he'd changed his mind. She wished he'd see her as his child, or rather, his grandchild. She was certain he knew their age difference.

But her prayer went unanswered as they heard a knock on the door. It swung open, and Draco entered. Laura felt Margarette's grip on her arm tighten as she too gazed at the man she was about to marry. Margarette had an idea of Draco's age, but even so, she couldn't help but look surprised when she saw him in person.

She shared Margarette's reaction. It was the same as when she'd first seen Draco - she felt like calling him 'Grandfather'.

With everyone's attention on Draco, Laura didn't notice the tall man who entered the library after him. She saw Draco approach her father, while the tall man stood before the judge who would officiate their wedding.

"Let's start the ceremony." The deep, baritone voice cut through the air. Laura turned towards the tall man who'd spoken, but he had his back to her, his features hidden from view.

The tall man stood imposingly, his broad back a testament to his athletic build. He wore a crisp white long-sleeved shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing a luxury watch and the prominent veins on his arms.

"Laura, come to Draco so we can begin the ceremony," her father said, his voice devoid of coldness, sounding like a model parent to outsiders. But Laura knew better - he was just pretending.

Laura closed her eyes for a moment, taking a few deep breaths. Then, she slowly stepped forward towards Draco. "Why are you coming to us?" her father asked, his brows furrowed in confusion.

"You told me to approach Draco," she replied. The tall man beside the judge caught her eye, smiling when their gazes met.

"Draco is over there, Laura," her father said, pointing to Draco's location.

Laura followed her father's pointing finger and her eyes widened as she locked gazes with the tall man. His piercing, cold black eyes sent shivers down her spine. She saw his eyebrows arch in greeting as he gazed back at her.

"He is Draco Atlas Smith, Laura. The man you're going to marry."