Aurora stood quietly by the window, imagining herself marrying Julian in the future. As she mused, a smile blossomed on her face. Susan, upon seeing Hayden enter, beamed at him, “Hayden, I’ll be ready soon.”
However, when Susan faced Hayden, she realized he was not looking at her but was gazing at Aurora.
The woman he watched was oblivious, looking into the distance, unaware that she had become the most beautiful scenery in someone else’s eyes. Susan’s smile stiffened, “Hayden!!”
There were other people in the room, so Susan could not lash out and could only call out again softly.
“I just came to see if you needed any help.”
Hayden finally regained his composure, turning to Susan while his gaze still lingered towards Aurora.
“Everything here is almost ready; the makeup will be done soon, and then we can go outside,” Susan tried to mask her displeasure.
“Alright, I’ll wait for you outside.”
Hayden feared that staying any longer might make him hallucinate that today’s bride was Aurora, not Susan. The photographer began filming, “Miss Simmons, give us a smile.”
Susan tried to smile sweetly, but her heart was knotted, “Come on, Mrs. Barnet, could you help Miss Simmons with her veil?”
“Sure,” Aurora approached to adjust her veil.
“Miss Simmons, Miss Montgomery, both of you smile. Aren’t you good friends? Why so stiff?”
The photographer aimed to capture a naturally beautiful style.
Though both women were attractive, there was no real interaction in their eyes.
“Miss Simmons, please turn and look at Miss Montgomery, and Miss Montgomery, please bend down a bit towards Miss Simmons,” the photographer instructed professionally.
However, both of the women were lost in her thoughts. Aurora remembered how, three years ago, Susan clung naked to Hayden’s waist, a sight so repulsive to recall even though she no longer loved Hayden. Susan, on the other hand, was preoccupied with how Hayden had looked so infatuated with Aurora just moments ago; how could they possibly manage a genuine smile now?
“No, no, your smiles are a bit creepy,” the photographer commented after several unsuccessful attempts.
“Let’s shoot some long shots instead,” he said, somewhat exasperated. Susan had invited Aurora intending to irritate her, but it was Susan who ended up feeling annoyed.
“Alright, let’s go outside, call Mr. Alvarez in,” he instructed as they prepared for more pictures. The door opened, and Hayden and Julian entered together. Although both looked in the same direction, their eyes fell on Aurora.
“Mr. Alvarez, walk ahead and kneel before Miss Simmons to offer her the bouquet,” the photographer directed again. Hayden, somehow, pictured Aurora’s face on Susan as he approached her step by step. Susan, thinking he was gazing at her, finally smiled genuinely, making for a beautiful shot under the photographer’s lens.
The white canopy fluttered in the wind as Hayden, holding the bouquet, approached the bride and finally knelt before her, catching the bouquet with her red-nailed hands.
“Miss Simmons, bow down to kiss your groom.”
Their lips met, and as Aurora watched, she felt deeply moved, recalling how Susan always followed her around back in school.
At that time, she thought Susan enjoyed her company, but now she realized that it was Hayden whom she had always been chasing. The trio from those days had come to this situation. While she was reflecting on this, Julian pulled her aside, “So, you’re thinking about marriage?”
Out of the camera’s reach, everyone’s attention was on Hayden and Susan, unaware of Aurora and Julian. Julian pressed her against the window, his fingers gently lifting her chin, their faces inches apart, their closeness unspeakably intimate.
“Yes, I am thinking about getting married.”
She spoke openly, a change from her previous disinterest in marriage. Suddenly, she tiptoed, gently nibbling on Julian’s ear.
“I want to be your bride.”
Hayden and Susan, having finished their photo session, looked up to see this scene. The room, already meticulously decorated, was filled with flowers by the window where a woman in a white dress was tiptoeing to bite a man’s ear as he embraced her waist. Though their movements were subtle, they captured everyone’s attention, especially Hayden’s, who felt particularly displeased.
Even the photographer, captivated by the beauty of the scene, aimed his camera at them. Compared to Hayden and Susan, Aurora and Julian seemed more in tune with each other. Aurora, who couldn’t quite smile properly with Susan earlier, now in Julian’s arms, appeared tender and coquettishly sweet.
“Cough, cough.”
Seeing her thunder stolen again by Aurora, Susan coughed softly, prompting the reluctant photographer to finally move his camera away.
“Alright, now Mr. Alvarez, could you please carry Miss Simmons out to the lawn?”
The photographer changed the subject.
“Mr. Barnet and Miss Montgomery, I’d like you to do the same.”
Perhaps aiming to capture better material, the photographer instructed.
Hayden carried Susan reluctantly, while Julian’s eyes and brows beamed with smiles.
“Let’s pretend it’s a rehearsal for our wedding.”
“You better be careful then; if you drop me, I won’t forgive you,” Aurora joked as she lay on his back.
“Yes, yes, how dare I?”
Julian carried her. The last time he had carried her was fifteen years ago on a deck when young Aurora wanted to play with Julian.
“Let’s play a game. I’ll be the princess, and you be…”
“The prince?”
Julian knew kids loved playing such games.
“No, no, you be the prince’s white horse, and you carry me.”
Aurora’s thoughts were uniquely her own, but Julian, raising an eyebrow, obediently crouched before her.
“Alright, my little princess.”
Young Aurora climbed onto his back, letting him run around with her.
“Hurry, horse, faster, I’m about to catch the wind.”
As Julian ran faster on the deck, the wind grew stronger, and Aurora’s laughter louder. A sudden lurch of the ship sent them tumbling onto the deck.
“Did you catch the wind now?”
He picked up little Aurora, brushing off the dust from her.
“Almost caught it.”
Those past scenes were vivid in her mind, and now she was no longer that little girl.
“Aurora, want to catch the wind?”
“Can I still catch it?”
Aurora raised an eyebrow.
“Let’s try.”
Julian, carrying her, sped up toward the front, a joke known only to them.