The Bastard Daughter

PRIMROSE

“What are you trying to prove? Coming here to say the wedding is off?” Jaliyah Sanchez said, walking up to Prim. “My son dumped you!”

The guests who had strayed away began to congregate again.

“Stop it Jaliyah. Let the poor girl be.” Julian’s father said, stepping up, trying to steer his wife away, but she shrugged him off.

“How can you pity this wh*re. We will be the topic of gossip for years. She has ruined our family name.”

Prim shook her head, unable to speak through her tears. 

How could this woman blame her when she had just caught her son with her best friend. She was the victim here. 

She never slept with that dirty old man. But she had no proof.

“I am never wrong.” Jaliyah Sanchez continued, turning back to her, “I knew you had to be rotten. The daughter of a woman who had children with different men and married none. You don't even know who your father is.” 

The people nearby gasped. 

Prim wanted the earth to open up and swallow her. 

“Don't do this here.” Mr Sanchez pleaded with his wife.

“You were never good enough for my son. And after this, no one will ever think of marrying you.” She continued, ignoring her husband. 

“Don't speak to my daughter like that.” Prim’s mother finally spoke up.

“You think I am lying? Let’s see.” 

Mrs Sanchez walked to the center of the stage, relishing her dramatic performance. 

Her voice rang clear as she said, “Would any man like to marry Primrose Barlos? I'd pay you handsomely.”

The crowd gasped. 

Prim could not raise her head as a pin-drop silence fell.

Then something unreal happened.

“I will.” A deep voice said from the crowd. The wedding guests took a collective gasp.

Prim looked up to the entrance along with everyone to see a tall gorgeous man walking towards her. 

The closer he got, the more all the air left her lungs. 

He was exactly like a Greek god. Chiseled jaw, long, long nose, rosy lips, and eyes as deep and blue as the ocean.

His body was intimidating. 

He looked like every single muscle had been chiseled into place. 

“You don't have to do this, Primrose”, her mother whispered urgently to her.

“I agree with Ms Mia.” Sol said. 

The man stood before her, and stared at her. 

Jaliyah Sanchez walked towards them with a laugh. 

“Do you know the sort of dirty past she has?” 

“I don't care.” The man shrugged. 

This response twisted Prim’s heart. 

He did not care, a stranger. And the man she had been in a relationship with for five years did not even wait to hear her side of the story before he left her at the altar.

Before he ran off into her best friend’s arms.

More like ran in between her thigh stockings if she was being practical. 

Julian knew how important marriage was to her, he knew her history and how everyone thought her mother was a wh*re just because she was never married. 

They did not care that all the children were born of mutual love, they called her a wh*re regardless. 

Prim noticed a second man walking down the aisle towards them. He stood beside the man who she still did not know his name. 

“Then you want to marry her because of the reward?” Jaliyah Sanchez sneered. “I should have known. That is the only reason anyone would agree to marry a rotten woman. You’re a perfect fit for each other.”

“Mind your words.” The man's friend said angrily. “You are speaking to Egan Alexakis.”

Everyone gasped. 

Alexakis? 

Egan Alexakis? 

How was this man related to the billion dollar conglomerate?

“Will you marry me? We can do it now.” Egan said, pointing to the altar and the priest, who was still waiting, watching the unfolding drama.

“You don't even know him,” Sol whispered fiercely. 

Prim frowned. 

What did she have to lose? This man was offering to cover her shame, he did not care about her past. 

If she married him, she would not have to go back home and listen to people gossiping about her and her mother. She would finally show her mother they were not cursed.

“Mi amor. Don't think of me.” Her mother said as if she could read her mind. “I could never live with the thought that you ruined your life on my account.” Her mother pleaded. 

Prim wiped her face. 

Her subconscious was screaming at her to walk away and deal with this shame alone. 

She turned to Egan Alexakis. She placed her hand in his, ignoring all her family’s protests. 

“I will.” 

She noticed Egan's friend shaking his head at him.

She and Egan walked hand in hand to the altar. Coincidentally, he had on a suit so a stranger would not have doubted he was the real groom.

The priest sighed when they stood before him, and the wedding guests laughed. 

The first real laughter since the whole drama started.

“You're sure you want to do this?” He asked. 

“Yes.” They both said. 

She could hear her mother sobbing behind her, but she did not look back. 

“Well, true love has been birthed from even harsher arrangements,” The priest said.

Prim sighed. 

She did know about love, she only knew she would be the best wife to this man. She hoped he would continue to treat her as well as he did today. 

They repeated their vows but could not exchange the old rings. 

The priest declared them husband and wife. 

Primrose Barlos became Primrose Alexakis. 

As Egan Alexakis kissed her on both cheeks, Ms Mia fell to the ground. 

***

“Mamita. You can't do this.” Prim said softly to her mother, who lay unconscious on a stretcher. 

She was riding with her in the back of an ambulance, still in her wedding dress. 

The sky was dark with a coming storm, and she had no idea where her siblings were.

She hoped Sol would keep an eye on them. 

She looked out and saw a convoy closely following the ambulance. The convoy belonged to her new husband. 

She laughed bitterly, drawing an odd look from the paramedic. 

She was married as planned, but to another man.

What a day!

Egan said nothing to her as they sat together, waiting in the hallway of the hospital. 

He had not said more than ten words since she met him earlier that afternoon, and it was beginning to make her uncomfortable. 

He just sat, quiet, like he was carved out of stone. 

She stood up and began to pace the hallway. She didn't even know how to act around him, because she did not know him.

A doctor stepped out of the ward her mother had been wheeled into. 

“Family of Ms Mia Lascano?” She called. 

Prim hurried to her. 

The woman looked at her huge wedding dress curiously, then she looked behind her.

That was when Prim noticed Egan was behind her. She almost jumped, she had not heard him walk up to them. 

“We did all we can, she is out of danger.” The doctor said, “Does she have a history of heart problems?”

“She had heart surgery a few years ago,” Prim said.

The doctor nodded. “Tell her to take better care of this one.”

Prim nodded. 

“She is asking to see you. Remember not to say anything that may get her agitated.” 

Prim nodded again. 

She looked up at Egan, he just stared at her with those glassy blue eyes. Then he moved his head a little. The gesture was so slight that for a whole minute she stood confused.

“Oh.” Her eyelids fluttered involuntarily, as she finally realized he had just gestured for her to go in.

“Mijita.” Her mother said as soon as she saw her. 

“Mamita.” Prim hurried to her and hugged her.

“Listen, I need to tell you about your father.” She said as soon as Prim released her from the embrace.