All Chapters of These Reckless Vows: The Billionaire's Bride: Chapter 191 - Chapter 200

Ava ~~~ I hate how Nicco’s smell soothes me. Not because he’s looking at me like I’m the most beautiful thing he’s ever laid eyes on, but because he’s familiar, everything about him is: chocolate brown eyes, comforting scent, firm but soft arms… I scurry away from him, grateful that - somehow - my hair has kept its bun. But, with the look on his face, I have a feeling I’m not going to be grateful for much longer. “How did you get into Leonel’s backyard?” I breathe out. He eyes me like he didn’t hear me, and a look between awe and jealousy crosses his handsome face. “Wow.” He whispers, taking a step forward as i immediately back away, “You look beautiful.” I blush, unsure how to take a compliment. “You look like you’re committing a felony. Why are you in Leonel’s backyard?” He raises his face back to mine, as if breaking out of a trance, “I pushed down some empty tables, and when the guards in that area went to check out the sound, I jumped over the fence.” “Tha

Leonel ~~~ My mother ignores my question and wraps me in a hug that smells like expensive vanilla. “Oh darling, you look so good.” She coos into my ear. When she pulls back, I catch her pristine blue dress, and I cringe, “and you look off theme.” She smiles innocently at me, but of course that's her play. She wants to show the press that she disrespects the wedding. Maybe I shouldn’t have invited her, but wouldn’t that have been just as bad? Of course she would be the one trying to tear my wedding apart. In all my years of enduring her bad parenting, I’ve never thought of disowning her like I’m doing now. “Why did you invite Genevieve?” I ask incredulously, looking between the two women who give each other knowing looks. My mother places a palm over her chest, her mouth open in shock, “Darling, I thought we all got a plus one? Surely I can use mine however I want?” I narrow my eyes at her, irritation spiking every vein I have. Something has to be going on here. I d

Ava ~~~ Some seconds change your life. Some of them are good. Some of them are bad. And some of them are in the in-between. Wearing this gown on a chilly New York night while holding the most dazzling bouquet of pink roses as I see Leonel. That is plastered in the in-between. In-between longing and fear. Hatred and love. Wanting him and fearing what that means. My hands shake so hard I worry some of the petals on the roses will start falling off, but I’m sure Leonel has a florist who can make roses last forever if she wants them to. Leonel. In his dark pressed suit with a small pink handkerchief sticking out of his pocket, arms folded in front of him while he stares at me, looking so stoic nothing gives away how he’s feeling. Nothing but the glimmer in his grey eyes. The wedding march starts and I jump. Luckily for me, no one notices. There are too many eyes on me, and I must seem like an ant to many of the guests until I walk past. All that’s left for me to do n

Ava ~~~ Everyone is staring at Evie, mouths wide open. I’m doing the same. There’s no way she just said that, and for me. But sure enough, her eyes are still wide, and she’s still looking at Jaxon with accusation. Everyone turns to Pierce, and my heart stutters at what he’s going to do next. But before he can even assess her, Genevieve is already pushing past guests to reach Evie. When she can’t get any closer, Genevieve stretches out her microphone at my best friend like a gun “And who exactly might you be?” She asks Evie in that no-nonsense interviewer voice. All the eyes turn back to Evelyn as she stutters and looks around for help. I want nothing more than to save her from this back-and-forth hell, because she’s already drained of colour, and I know keeping this lie going too long might break her. “Who am I? Oh!, um… I’m just a woman.” She stutters and throws her hand with the bouquet in the air for emphasis. I fight every urge to face palm as she adds, “a wo

Ava ~~~ The entire wedding is in an uproar. For the first time in my life, I watch a mic get shoved in Genevieve’s face, and she pushes it away aggressively. I’m sure she probably thinks if she avoids it enough she’ll escape the press, but she has to know there’s no way will happen. Madison, on the other hand, has no interest in not being on TV. She just wants to be there with her name cleared. “You must have started drugs.” She says softly to Leonel, her hand to her chest in fake worry, “It’s the-the-the only way you could ever come up with such a story.” Leonel smiles at her again, the same cruel, detached smile he began when he started “telling the truth”. My chest lurches each time I see it, because in a way it reminds me of the sickness in Jaxon. “Then why are you stuttering Madi?” He whispers, loud enough for everyone to hear, “Are you scared I’m going to ask you to do a paternity test?” “No!” She yells quickly, pulling Rafael closer to her chest. The guests do