Heart hammering against the wall of his chest, mind churning in thought, pulse-quickening, and palms clammy, Lucas woke up to the said wedding day of his.
For normal people they’d be happy, gathering their suit together, fixing their hair, getting waxed, and taking the longest bath they ever had because it’s their wedding day. The day they’ll sprinkle the forever vow to their soulmate and have their hearts connected on a deeper level.
Only Lucas might not be like normal people in this context which resulted from the fact that the woman he’s going down to the alter with was never his lover much less a soulmate. The woman is a pain in his ass.
Instead of bustling to glam up, Lucas woke up from sleep and helped himself with a bottle of Martini.
While wetting his esophagus with alcohol, he mindlessly turned his room in tatters. Pulling the sheets off the bed he sprawled it across the floor.
Inching close to the TV in his room, he carried it to the floor, he rummaged his room, transforming it from a neatly, arranged state to a tattered state. Clothes, shoes, his suitcases and all were splayed across the floor.
The blinds of the window were torn and the door of his balcony was fluttered open. Scooting to his living room, he disoriented the couch, threw the cushion across the floor, and pulled the TV down.
He rolled toward the kitchen and pulled out the ketchup he bought from his fridge, pop open the lid, and began sprinkling it across the white marble floor of the kitchen, the living room, hallway down to his room.
Ketchup…blood.
He hid the bottle in his drawer and bolted for the door when he heard a light knock.
Flapping it open, Ethan snaked inside the room and put on his phone’s camera, recording the state the apartment was in.
Lucas sprawled by the hallway, the foam he formed in his mouth with a beer was dribbling down to his neck and he rubbed ketchup on his face, wrist, arm, and neck where he let it form a puddle of blood.
The 911 siren was already blaring in the vicinity and the sun is yet to come down. Ethan quickly recorded Lucas’s devastating state and rushed to the door when someone hitting on it.
Pulling it open, Adriano and two of the paramedics stormed into the apartment.
“Everything set?” Adriano asked Ethan as they raced back to where Lucas lay.
“Taken the pictures?” One of the paramedics asked and Ethan nodded.
They pulled Lucas up and hurried downstairs.
Everyone knows what today is to Lucas and a few of the reporters and paparazzi …paid ones already started taking records of the scene.
**
It’s Danika’s day. The long-awaited day is finally here. Yes, she’s about to tie the knot with her long-time lover. She’s about to trudge down the aisle and say the words she had long wanted to say.
After six years of being engaged but finally, they are about to seal it. To seal their hearts forever and whisper the ‘I do’ every girl wants to hear their lover say to them.
The joy is dizzying her. The prospect of being Lucas’s wife is driving her nuts.
Lucas will be hers and they’ll live in this very villa. The Woods villa. What a milestone!
She wanted to call Lucas on a video call to see his face and know how the preparation is kicking but she decided against it.
That’s bad luck, right? For the bride and groom to see each other before they assemble at the altar?
Oh, she’s definitely not going to take any chances. Not today at least.
She already knows Lucas is preparing now, so why hassling him with calls? Danika flipped her phone aside and readied for her beautician to perform her magic on her face today.
She already waxed, of course, for a long time she had yearned to have Lucas buried inside her, shattering her into pieces yet Fix her together like scattered pieces of puzzle.
The sun already graced the sky and Danika already finished her morning routine. Before long, the beautician had already stationed in her room, fixing her hair, coating her face with makeup, fixing her nails and all.
“Danika.” Hera yelled as she waltzed into her room.
Spinning on her swiveling chair, Danika spared Hera a glance. “Yes, mummy Hera?” She called. Her eyes flare up in glee when she sighted the velvety box in Hera’s hands.
“No, tell me you didn’t fucking get that!” Danika hooted happily, her hands to her mouth as she screamed, hugging her mother.
“The diamond necklace, mother!” She said when they parted from their embrace. That’s the necklace Hera bought from a popular French jeweler and it’s more than pricey considering the ruby on it. Danika saw it when the man came to the villa to sell other jewelry to her mother and her interest peaked.
To think Hera went all out to get her the necklace!
Danika was at a loss for words. Taking the necklace, she faced the beautician again so they could resume their magic.
By the time the beautician finished their wonders on Danika’s face and body, time already ticked for the celebration to kick off.
In her glory and majestic appearance, Danika crawled downstairs, spotting Hera at the base of the stairs, a broad smile décor her lips.
Her flower in hand, her veil cloaking her face, and her crisp, white fairy tale wedding gown sweeping across the floor, Danika knit her eyes with Hera’s. Her complacent smile pinned on her face.
Hera outstretched her hand to Danika and she laced hers with her mother’s, looking her dead in the eyes.
“I’d have said so many things like other mothers literally do when their children are about to hobble down the altar.” She beamed a sharp, contagious smile at Danika.
“Sadly, I’m not like every other mother. I am Hera Woods. The only thing I’ll say is that you keep your pride even when married, hold your head high ’cause you know whose child you’re and you keep your last name. No changing of your last name.” Hera huskily sputtered.
“I need not be reminded, mummy Hera. I know I shouldn’t change my last name.” She said with faux haughtiness.
Nodding in satisfaction, Hera shepherded Danika to her limousine and a convoy of three SUV cars followed their limousine.
At the church, a cluster of paparazzi and reporters had assembled, eagerly waiting for the groom and bride’s arrival.
On sight, Hera’s convoy pulled into the church, and flashes of lights greeted them as she walked out of the car.
The news was already circulating the whole State, the heat nuptials of Lucas and Danika. Hera’s escorts wedged the reports from throwing a barrage of questions at Danika.
However, they haven’t taken notice of Lucas’s absence.
Guiding Danika down from the car, Hera led her into the church, down the aisle.
In a normal context, the groom is the one to wait at the alter, watching his bride walk down the aisle, and extend his broad callused hand to welcome her. But here, the groom is absent and the awkward glances thrown at her made Danika hyper-aware of the situation.
Journeying her eyes to the altar, she sighted only the priest but Lucas wasn’t there.
Lucas didn’t prepare for the wedding.
Lucas didn’t call her.
Heart spiking in fear, Danika veered to Hera and whispered.
“Lucas isn’t here, mummy Hera.”
Fucking fuck!
Hera in an instant, raised her head and rolled her tiger eyes around the church but no…the said groom isn’t there.
The thudding of Danika’s chest turned into an overdrive and disappointment took residence in her heart. She had long prepared for this wedding. She can see all her foreign friends. The curious gaze of the priest and the reporters.
The news…it will write her off! She howled inside her.
Reining on her frustration, she snapped her purse from her mother’s hand in an attempt to reach for her phone and call Lucas.
She already pasted the phone on her ear while looking at the entrance in expectation.
Only she saw Ethan with a shirt painted with blood and look so disoriented.
Adrenaline kicked in and Danika became hyper-aware of the lingering problem.
Dropping her phone on the floor, she let the question leave the seam of her lips in a haste, “Where is Lucas?”