The night before the wedding

A perfect silk mermaid wedding gown that screamed luxury, a spacious church filled with family and loved ones, and a handsome groom. It was every bride’s dream and happiness. But to Aurelia, it was a nightmare.

Beneath all the beauty and luxury, she felt trapped. Like a secret wrapped in satin.

Like every bride, she was allowed to pick her wedding dress, choose the church decorations, and plan the ceremony, yet she was deprived of the right to choose the most important thing of all… the GROOM.

As the first child of Mr. Tancredi, a wealthy and influential man, every decision her family made echoed through her life. She had always obeyed her father’s instructions and choices, and this time around it was no exception.

Her father had told her about the wedding a month ago. Even though she was skeptical, she couldn’t do anything about it.

She had her own fashion store. She had enough money to start a new life and stop depending on him. But she still chose to do what her father wanted, because she knew him better than anyone else. If she ever went against his will, he would make sure she regretted it.

She wasn’t dating anyone. Her last relationship had ended a year ago, not with heartbreak but with quiet indifference. They had simply fallen out of love. Since then, she had poured her energy into her fashion business.

So getting married, she told herself, meant she had nothing to lose, and yet it felt like everything.

A strange mix of emotions churned in her heart. Maybe it was because she didn’t know who she would be marrying, not even a picture of him was shown to her. Or maybe it was because she knew deep down that her father was using her as leverage to secure a business bond.

Now she stood at the church’s grand entrance, clutching a bouquet of flowers and wearing a practiced smile.

The silk of her gown clung to her legs as she shifted nervously. The murmurs and music from inside the church melted into a muted haze, distant and unreal.

“I still don’t get why you haven’t considered acting,” her younger sister, Wendy, teased as she adjusted Aurelia’s veil.

Aurelia arched a brow. “Huh?”

“You look like a happy bride,” Wendy said, grinning.

“I’m only doing what Dad wants me to,” Aurelia replied softly. Her eyes scanned the crowd at the far end of the hall. “By the way, where on earth is he right now? He’s supposed to walk me down the aisle.”

“He’s coming, as I was told.” Wendy replied with an eye roll. “Do you think your husband is cute? I’m trying so hard to see him from here, but I can’t.”

Aurelia squinted her eyes, trying to view the man standing at the altar with the priest but she couldn’t see him. His back was turned against her direction.

She scoffed. “I couldn’t care less.”

It was weird she hadn’t seen who she would be getting married to. Her father once told her her soon to be husband was a busy man and he was out of the country, he only returned last night.

Last night was an eventful night for her. She could remember waking up to lots of missed calls from her dad. He wanted her to meet with her husband before the wedding. Unfortunately, she’d had her own plans.

When she heard footsteps approaching from the back, her heart beat quickened. She would be walking down the aisle any moment from now.

She turned, expecting her father to be there with a little proud smile on his face, but to the uttermost shock of her entire life, it wasn’t her father, it was the last person she expected.

Her heart skipped a beat at the sight before her. The bouquet slipped from her shaky hands, hitting the marble floor with a dull thud. The petals scattered at her feet.

Her forced smile faltered.

It couldn’t be.

She wanted to believe that she was dreaming or hallucinating, because what on earth was the man who had her screaming for more pleasure last night doing at her wedding.

He stood motionless, dressed in a sharp black suit, looking even more composed and devastatingly handsome than he was last night.

His brown eyes swept over her slowly, tracing every inch of her until she shifted uncomfortably beneath his gaze.

“Aurelia? What’s wrong?” Wendy’s voice sounded distant, even though she was near.

He didn’t look like the man who had nearly driven her insane with pleasure last night. He looked different.

His jaw tightened and beneath his dark cold gaze, she could read his eyes. They displayed shock.

Then almost immediately, his pink lips, which she had almost eaten off last night, curved into a smirk.

“Hello.” His voice was low enough to make her blood run cold.

He took a step towards her and she could feel her heart racing fast at the sudden closeness.

His cologne teased her senses, it was same one he was wearing last night.

Despite it being a chill day, she felt a wave of heat rush through her.

“Sister-in-law.” The words rolled out his tongue, teasingly.

And that was all it took for Aurelia’s world to crumble.

Sister-in-law??????

She shook her head in denial, it just couldn’t be. It wasn’t possible for the man she had a one night stand with to be her brother-in-law, it just wasn’t possible.

Her lips parted, but no words came out. She was dumbfounded.

She badly wanted to believe he was playing a trick on her. But then nobody else knew she didn’t know her soon to be husband’s family, except his family of course.

He didn’t speak again. His brown eyes held hers captive, burning with a slow intensity. And all she could see at that moment was how those eyes looked down at her last night while she was on her knees giving him a blow job, and how he stared at her when he went deep inside her.

She could feel her legs becoming weak and unstable. A warmth spread across her cheeks and her fingers curled around the fabric of her gown, gripping it tightly.

She needed a reality check. If really he was her brother-in-law, she was supposed to be thinking of ways to erase the memories off her head, not reminiscing on the moment and getting almost turned on.

“I don’t know what is going on with you, but dad’s here, and you have to put on a smile.” Wendy whispered to her ears.

She shifted her gaze, and there he was,

Mr. Tancredi. Impeccably dressed in a black tuxedo, silver hair slicked back, a man whose presence filled any room before his voice ever did. His expression was calm, almost unreadable, but his eyes carried that same quiet command that had ruled her entire life.

She puffed out air from her mouth, trying to stay normal.

“You look beautiful,” he said as he approached her. His tone was composed, but not warm.

“Thank you,” Aurelia replied, her lips barely moving.

When she looked away from her dad, she couldn’t find the guy standing there. She saw him walking into the church, his steps calculated and majestical. He walked in like he owned the place.

She took a deep breath, trying so hard to calm herself.

Mr Tancredi offered his arm, and she hesitated for a while before taking it.

“What happened to the flowers?” He asked, upon noticing the petals on the floor.

“It… it accidentally slipped off my hands.” She quickly said.

“You must have been nervous.” He assumed. “I’ll make a quick call.”

“No.” She shook her head. “There’s no need to get another one. I’m sure everyone is waiting for us, let’s just… get this over with.”

“Good luck.” Wendy kissed her cheek and scurried into the church.

Luck wasn’t what she needed at that moment. She needed to run away from the hall and get rid of the silk gown itching her skin. She needed fresh air, she needed to think.

What would people say if they found out she slept with her brother-in-law? It would be a disaster.

She took in deep breaths, trying so hard not to show her fear and nervousness.

As she walked down the aisle, all eyes were on her. She looked down, putting in so much effort to resist the urge of pushing her Father’s arm away and rushing out of the church.

They got to the altar and her dad gave her a reassuring smile. “I’m so proud of you.”

Of course he would. He ought to be proud of her because she was always doing everything he wanted without complaint.

“Thank you, dad.” She smiled back at him.

He nodded gently as he unlocked his arm from hers and went to join others to sit.

Slowly, she looked up and for the very first time, she set her eyes on the stranger she was about to call her husband.

He was tall, broad shouldered, with a confidence that filled the space around him. His features were refined; a straight nose, firm jawline, lips thin and light pink.

Now that she thought of it, he had a slight resemblance to the man from last night. He was devastatingly handsome like the man.

She blinked repeatedly. ‘They don’t look alike. It’s his words getting to me.’ She reassured herself.

He didn’t speak to her, not even a ‘hi’. His expression remained cold and unreadable.

The priest began speaking, his voice echoing through the grand hall.

Aurelia’s palms turned cold, she dug her fingers into it, trying to hide her shaky hands. She was beginning to sweat despite the cold air.

The air seemed to grow thicker with every passing second. She could feel eyes on her, though she didn’t dare look up to find whose they were.

And then the priests spoke again, his calm voice pulling her back to the moment.

“If there is anyone here who has any reason why this couple should not be joined in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace.”

The church went silent. Not a breath, not a whisper.

Then…

A chair scraped against the floor.

Aurelia’s head snapped up, her breath hitched as a familiar voice rang out from the back of the hall.

“I do.”

Her vision blurred for a second.

Standing at the back of the hall, ready to say the forbidden words was no other than the man from last night. Her brother-in-law.