The big day finally came, their wedding day.
Céline’s house was bubbling with activities. Two of her aunt Elizabeth’s close friends from work came to the house to help out with final arrangements. Not like there was any arrangement to be done anyway -Mrs Culhane had single handedly taking care of all preparations- they just mainly came for emotional support since Céline didn’t have other relatives aside her aunt.
Her old friend from college, Olivia also came as she was the maid of honor.
Céline sat in front of her dressing mirror, letting Mary fix her hair and makeup. Mrs Culhane had borrowed her Mary, one of her trusted attendants to take care of her. The young girl had been more than helpful. She did everything from Céline’s dress, her nails and her shoes; and now she was fixing her face.
Mary pulled her hair back, letting just small red curls frame her face. And for the make up, she carved her brows perfectly, highlighting it with just a little amount of foundation to draw a bit of attention to her captivating sea blue eyes. The contrast her eyes and hair color created was something people found unbelievable at first glance. Most thought they were faux lenses or her hair was dyed.
Céline blushed, remembering the first time Damien had seen her in that club, even he thought she wasn’t real until he touched her. Yes, he was drunk but Céline found it to be the best compliment anyone had ever given to her.
She was so lucky; she thought.
Damien was everything she needed. He was everything she ever wished for. He was handsome, he was masculine, he was kind and most of all he loved her so much he even wished to never get a divorce after their reunion, so much so that he had papers made for both of them to sign off their rights for a divorce.
“Oh my God, Céline! You look so beautiful!” Olivia gasped dramatically, walking to where Céline was seated.
Céline blinked and stared at her own reflection in the mirror. Mary had finished applying the last touches to her makeup, she took a step back and allowed Céline examine her own face.
The make up wasn’t a full glam. It was mild and light, perfect for her features and personal taste -she never liked ever make overs- she did indeed look beautiful.
“Now, I see why Damien asked you to marry him! Girl, you look like an angel!” Olivia exclaimed.
Olivia was elated when Céline had called to invite her for her wedding; but she was even more shocked with she heard the man her best friend was marrying was Damien Culhane, one of the four very famous and handsome billionaires she couldn’t stop crushing on. Olivia was more than happy for Céline. She had taken the first bus she could find and rushed to Céline’s town in order to take part in the wedding.
“Thank you, Olivia.” Céline beamed. She was starting to turn a light shade of pink on her cheeks with the compliments.
“You know, I still can’t believe you are marrying Damien Culhane! Gosh! I still have pictures of he and his friends on my bedroom walls!” She fanned herself as she spoke. “You are so lucky girl!”
Céline only smiled. She was so excited, she couldn’t talk. She feared if she opened her mouth she would start crying out of joy and then she would ruin all of Mary’s hard work.
There was a soft knock on the door and her aunt popped her head into the room.
“May I come in?” She asked.
“Sure, aunt come in, I was just about to kidnap Mary here. She needs to make me look as pretty as Céline, who knows maybe Lucas Smith will marry me next fall!”
Everyone fell into laughter and true to her words, Olivia took Mary out of the room, leaving Elizabeth alone with her niece.
“Olivia has not changed at all since you guys visited during your last year in college.” Elizabeth remarked as she took a seat near Céline.
“No, she is still her funny wild self that one…” Céline commented softly.
“Céline… I am very happy today.” Elizabeth took Céline manicured fingers into her hands and held them lightly.
“I am sure my sister is also happy today. Look at you…” She placed one of her hands on Céline’s cheeks.
“You look so beautiful my dear child and happy. Yes, Céline I can see the joy in your heart and that is what makes me so happy today.”
Céline felt her cheeks heat up and she dropped her eyes to her hands, which Elizabeth still held. Her heart was filled with every kind of happy emotions that existed, she was soaring in joy.
“… but Céline, one thing still bothers me…”
Elizabeth words made Céline’s inside squirm as her heart skipped a beat and her happiness took a pause.
“What is it aunt?” She asked, her voice dripping with concern.
“Have you told Damien about your parents?”
Shoot.
This was the part she dreaded talking about with her aunt. She would have to cook up something to divert her attention.
“When are we suppose to get to the church aunt?” Céline asked instead. Her aunt frowned but checked her watch anyway.
“In like an hour, thirty minutes. But that was not what I asked you.”
Damn it.
Her aunt will never let go of a thing until she got the answers she wanted.
“I haven’t told him.”
Throughout their short courtship, it had not occurred to her to tell him. Was it even necessary?
“How do you plan on getting the money you need if you don’t tell him?” Elizabeth’s frown deepened.
Céline hadn’t thought of that yet but she knew marrying him would give her access to some of his accounts. Once that was done she would just make a quick transfer to John and Damien would never even have to know about it. He had more than enough money, a withdrawal of twenty million will not even make a significant change in any of his accounts even the smallest of them. So, in the end it wasn’t necessary to tell him things like that.
“It is necessary you both share information about yourselves before anything…” Elizabeth hissed, answering Céline’s inner question.
But that was one information she never planned on sharing with Damien. How would she explain that she hired a psychopath to kill her parent’s murder and needed her husband to pay for it? That would be too crazy! No, she wouldn’t do that.
“You see why I said this whole thing was going too fast? I am sure you know nothing about him, Céline!”
“Aunt, I am his personal assistant, I know everything there is to know about him.”
“But does he know about you?” Elizabeth asked, becoming impatient.
Céline sighed. It was never easy winning an argument with her aunt.
“I will tell him aunt. I will.”
“What if he turns out to be a psychopath?”
Tension grew in the room as Céline didn’t want to continue with the conversation anymore. She was sure Damien was not a psychopath and would not turn out to be one. Yes, he had a few mood swings once in a while but it was not a big deal. He loved her and would never hurt her.
“You met him aunt, did he look like a psychopath to you?” Céline said through clenched teeth.
“Céline you never know how much a person changes when they are in a marriage.”
“Aunt, I am getting married in half an hour. I don’t think these are the kind of pep talks I am suppose to be listening to.” Céline pulled her fingers away from her aunt’s clasp and folded them on her own thighs instead.
Elizabeth was quiet. Her niece was right. She was getting married in a few minutes. She shouldn’t be telling her things like these.
“I am sorry, my child. Please do not be angry. I just want to make sure we are both not making a mistake here… I just want you to be happy.” She took back Céline’s fingers and squeezed them.
“I will be happy, aunt. I promise.” Céline squeezed back and they hugged each other.
“I will miss you, Céline.” Elizabeth whispered, her voice shaking with unshed tears.
“I promise to come visit.”
They remained like that until a knock came against the door again. Olivia was back.
“The drivers are here, we have to go now.” She chirped happily.
Mrs Culhane had arranged two limousines for Céline’s family. A white one for the bride, her aunt and her maid of honor. The black was for her aunt’s friends that had come to accompany them from the house.
Elizabeth held Céline and they both got up on their feet. “It’s time.” She sniffed, offering Céline the hook of her arm.
Céline placed her hand in it and they both stepped out of the room to the waiting limousines outside.
“Céline, you look beautiful!” Her aunt’s friends chorused the moment they set their eyes on her.
“Thank you.” Céline responded, smiling gently.
This was it. She was finally getting married and there was no going back.
They all mounted the vehicles and zoomed off to the Cathedral.