5 ~ Olive

~2018~

My hands were sweaty. I had rubbed them on the white satin dress I had on, over and over but no, they just got sweatier - the result of nervousness.

"Why am I doing this?" I asked myself as I looked into the mirror in front of me. This was such a bad idea. I should have run off when I had the chance but I was so lackadaisical about it and now the day was here.

I reread his text, 'Don't show up or you'll regret it'. I gulped as my heart raced once again. His warning was clear but did I listen? No. I had promised his grandmother that I would go through with this just to make her happy. Now I was not sure if this was so much of a good idea.

"Ready?"

"Yes." I sighed and took my brother's hand. I was so glad he flew in to walk me down the aisle. As the only family I had, it was heartwarming to see him come through on the one day I needed him the most. I was going to be in a room full of strangers, so it was comforting to have him here.

"You look so beautiful." His smile was warm and reassuring, the very same one that my father usually had on his face before his untimely demise.

"Thank you." I said, returning his smile the best way I could so he would not know how nervous I was. He didn't know the situation of things and I wanted it to remain that way.

He led me out of my bedroom in the large mansion that belonged to the Giovanni family. The wedding was to be a small affair but the number of guests I had run into made it look like a different story.

Jamine led us downstairs as the cameras flashed, capturing almost every movement of ours. The hall was still quite a distance away so we kept walking until we made it there in one piece.

My hand tightened on my bouquet as we walked into the hall where the ceremony was to be held. There was an obvious scowl on his face as I approached. I swallowed as my grip grew even tighter on the white peonies that had been put together to give a tasteful look.

The vows went by like a breeze. I was hardly conscious of what was said even as I felt his firm grip on my hands as we held each other to take them.

I couldn't look in his eyes because I was sure that he was frowning at me and like a fire breathing dragon, he was probably more than willing to consume me just then.

I could feel his grudge when he slid the cold metal on to my ring finger. I could feel it even more when he forced a kiss on my lips after his obvious hesitance to remove the veil and do so. And when we were pronounced husband and wife, everyone else seemed to be more excited than the couple. The strangeness of such a union...

~

It all began a couple of months before. I found myself in the Giovanni mansion for a job interview. The job description was for that of a caregiver but little did I know it was going to be a whole different story.

That fateful day, I looked my best as I headed there. Knowing the caliber of people in that household, I was fully aware that my interview would start from the very moment I walked through those giant gates. The corporate pants and frilly chiffon shirt plus heels I had on seemed to fit the part seamlessly. I put my hair up in a pony tail, applied lip gloss and that was it.

The worst happened when I got there. First off, it began to rain unannounced. I held myself up and picked up an umbrella, determined to not be late. I got to the premises in one piece and was so close to getting into the house when someone drove past and splashed a puddle of water on my outfit. I screamed in horror.

The car stopped right in front of the huge house and I stormed there ready to give the person a piece of my mind.

"Hey!" I yelled as I stomped there with a thick scowl on my face.

He paused and turned to give me a condescending stare. "And who are you?"

"That's not the issue here. You splashed a puddle on me and you are yet to apologize."

"Excuse me?" He looked puzzled.

"You heard me. Look at me," I gestured at myself, showing him the damage he had done to the outfit that I took time to prepare.

"So?"

"Apologize." I shrugged.

"Why would I apologize to a low life? You saw a vehicle coming, you should have moved out of the way."

"Okay listen you egotistical asshole, I was literally walking on the pedestrian pavement, you drove like a madman."

"What did you just say to me?" He took off his shades and I was almost drawn in by the beauty of his blue eyes. Never though. He was an asshole.

"That you're a madman?"

"I'll have you thrown out of this premises right now if you do not take that back."

I scoffed, "And who do you think you are to do such a thing?"

"Alexander Giovanni."

I wouldn't lie my heart skipped a beat at the mention of his name. What if he was the person to interview me and I had failed his test? I thought. But then again, screw it!

"And so? Am I supposed to bow before His majesty?"

He was shocked. Though he managed to hide his emotions well, I saw the look of surprise flash through his features when I did not give him a desired response.

"Xander? Who is that?"

His arrogant aura immediately dissipated, "Nonna, it's no one. She was just leaving."

"I'm here for the interview ma'am." I refused to be thrown aside.

There was a smile on her wrinkled face as she gestured for me to follow her. I gave him a hard glare, one he returned even more forcefully as I walked up to meet the woman I correctly assumed was his grandmother.

"Let's get you a change of clothes."

I don't know how they figured out my size or if they just had a stash of clothing for every body type in a particular place (Rich people never cease to surprise me), but the dress fit so well.

The interview went well and to my surprise, I was given the job despite how disheveled I was in the beginning.

~

I ran into him again a couple of days later when I fully began my job as a live-in caregiver for his nonna.

"Can't you watch where you're going?" His tone was gruff and rude.

"I'm carrying a tray, if there's anyone that should be watchful, it's you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Why do you have sunglasses on in the house? Maybe if you take them off, you'd see clearly."

"I don't even have time for this." He walked off in quick strides but thankfully he took my advice and removed those jarring glasses that made him feel like James Bond.

~

It started like a joke when Nonna said she'd love for me to marry her grandson. I made nothing of it until she repeated it a few times over.

"Nonna I can't marry someone like that."

"But he's so handsome."

"And rude."

"He can be sweet."

"Nope, I doubt it. He does not have one nice bone in his body,"

"Xander just tends to be very guarded."

"Hmm, all the best to him."

"I have an offer for you."

"Okay...?"

"But I need you to promise me you'd say yes."

"Uh..." I was genuinely unsure about it but I said it anyway. I shouldn't have.

"I'm old and I might die any moment from now,"

"Nonna don't say something like that."

"But it is the truth. Nothing would make me happier," she took my palm in hers, "than to see my Xander settled down with a good girl so he can start having a family before I go."

I gulped. Where was she going with this?

"Promise me you'd consider it. You don't have to worry about him, just say yes."

I blamed it on my soft gullible heart and my inability to be comfortable with anyone crying around me. I didn't think things through when I said yes. And by that singular word, I was bound.

Xander was furious. He warned me on so many occasions to leave and never return but I had given my word counting on his rejection to save me from the consequences of the promise I had made. But somehow, Nonna seemed to have hooked him too.

So this was why I was stood there as his bride.