Estrella’s big day already dawned and she and Sia already have everything set while on the other hand Ethan, Lucas, and Adriano did their part. The church location has already been fixed and everything is set there as well.
Considering they’re not as popular as Lucas and Sia are, only a few, obscure reporters from a local TV channel gathered at the church.
Sia gave them the Monson group hotel’s ballroom for their reception, not minding the high-end price.
Sia helped her contact one of the best makeup artists in the State breezily. Someone Estrella had been trying to reach for over a month, two weeks, and three days now.
“OMG! You see the reasons why your popularity is of essence?”
Estrella verbalized when Sia called her over the phone to inform her that she had contacted the artist.
“You can say that again. Popularity is a bittersweet shit.” Sia commented. Her light chuckles crawled into Estrella’s ears.
“I’m super grateful, girlfriend.” She told Sia over the phone then. “So, I should be expecting her in three days, in my place?”
“Yes, and her assistant will handle me.”
With Sia’s influence, Estrella was able to get many things done in a breeze especially when she ordered her pump wedding heels from Zara’s headquarters in Italy. The heels were delivered quickly as the company had it in mind they’re serving the second richest woman in the world and most populous in the State.
The feeling is overwhelming. Like Sia said days before in her phone call with Estrella, the popularity is a bittersweet shit ’cause sometimes when she wants to hide it becomes incredibly difficult.
Her private life is always out in the public and whenever she sneezes in her bedroom, different blogs will publish articles that the richest woman in the State and the second richest woman in the world just ‘sneezed in her bedroom’.
As fictitious as it sounds, that’s the shit Sia witnesses. That’s one of the reasons she went off the grid ’cause reading articles about her activities makes her worried about growing more enemies or rather giving her unknown foe clues about what she’s doing at the moment.
So it appears being off the grid is a little better and lessens her paranoia.
Now, she’s in her vanity, getting glammed up for her bestie’s big day.
As mentioned days before, the lady’s assistant is the one fixing up her face while Michelle bustles around in her boudoir, gathering the dress Sia said she’d wear, shoes, and bag.
“Close your eyes.” The beautician murmured when she wanted to apply mascara on Sia’s eyes. She did as told and in a matter of minutes the beautician perfected her face.
Her red lipstick made her lips fuller, the bronzer highlighted her cheekbones, and the mascara shade light on the eyeshadows and artificial lashes.
Twirling her face in the mirror, registering the changes made on her face, a grin plucked at her lips.
Without wasting time, she hastened and donned her sea- blue off- the- shoulder sequin dress and matching heels.
The beautician applied some cream on her hair, making it wavy and cascade down her shoulders.
Sia scrambled to the Bugatti Liam already gave life to its engine. So when she shoved in and he sprinkled his greeting and compliment, they put the car in reverse and headed to Estrella’s house.
Though Sia’s already married, Estrella still chose her as her maid of honor. Something that took a lot of convincing on Estrella’s side.
“When do you plan to get married, Liam?” Sia asked. She’s becoming more comfortable and familiar around Liam but the latter is yet to open up to her which Sia doesn’t know why.
She had wanted to ask him the reasons, even the incessant stare he throws at her but she’s his boss and it’s not deemed right for her to do such.
If Liam wants to talk it’s fine by her and if he doesn’t it still doesn’t affect her. All she knows is that she’s more comfortable around him now.
With a chuckle, Liam uttered, “Not certain yet, until I find whom my heart chooses.”
“That’s cool. That means you believe in true love?”
Peering at her through the rearview mirror, he said, “Yes, I do. True love does exist. You don’t believe in that?” He asked.
Sia knows she harbored such belief before. She knew outright that Lucas is her true love until he said the most hurtful words ever. However, Estrella’s admittance that she still loves Lucas rings in her ears all day.
Sia wonders if she can trust herself around him this time ’cause as Estrella’s words hammer her head, the thick walls in her heart give away.
“I don’t know exactly. But I’m not a staunch supporter of love.” She said, peeking outside the window.
Liam knew more than anything that it has a lot to do with Lucas. No matter how close he is now with Sia, asking such a thick question is more like meddling in her affairs.
Consequent to that, Liam muted.
They drove into Estrella’s driveway and Sia hobbled outside. As the bride and groom ain’t suppose to cross paths before the wedding thus Ethan and his pals settled in the Monson hotel room where they prepared while Estrella prepped at home.
Before Sia could step an inch into the house, Estrella and three other bridesmaid pranced outta the house. She shared hugs and greetings with Sia then clenched into the car. Like a convoy, their cars fly outta the house and rolled to the church.
Ethan already arrived before Estrella and was standing patiently at the altar while Lucas and Adriano waited by the threshold to monitor Estrella’s arrival. The church environment was brimmed with security of which Sia put in place for her safety.
They file out of the car and Sia scurried to hold the hem of Estrella’s wedding gown. As they strutted into the church, Sia’s eyes clashed with Lucas.
The intensity of his gaze sent bolts of shivers down her spine. Quickly. She peeled her off of him, took a gulping breath, and focused on the aisle.
Lucas’s jaw taut with sadness. It’s not Sia’s day but she looks like an angel. She looked more like the bride with her simple, yet sophisticated makeup. It grieves him to know it’s not their day and he might not be able to touch her.
How much Lucas wants Sia by his side again is beyond words.
The ceremony at the church went by quickly and by the time the priest offered the groom and the bride to kiss, Lucas and Sia shared glances.
It happened that all the while the mass was going on, Lucas pegged Sia with his stare.
He wants this. He wants to stand on the altar, hold her hands and promise her his soul till eternity. To promise her he’ll be there until it ends. With a heavy heart and conflicting mind, Lucas holds Sia prisoner in his gaze.
Sia was caught in a trance. She wasn’t able to blink nor move away despite how much she wanted to.
‘What is he doing to me?’ She mumbled inwardly, her skin covered with goosebumps.
Sia was only able to shift her gaze from Lucas when Estrella waved her hand in the air, showcasing her ring likewise Ethan.
Her friend’s life is now sealed with Ethan then what about her?
The reception hall was brisk and crammed with high-profile individuals. Estrella cupped Sia’s arms and moved around introducing her to her family members.
Sia made a mental note of beating Estrella in due time.
The waiters and waitresses served wines and different dishes to guests.
“Hello, slum girl.” Sia paused speaking with one of Estrella’s cousins when she heard someone speak behind her.
Without a doubt, that’s Danika’s mantra and her voice gives Sia more confirmation.
Slowly, elegantly, Sia whirled around and connected her stare with Danika.
Chuckling, she shook her head and turned back to the person she was conversing with.
Danika heard and saw Sia’s debutante. Obviously, she’s the richest in this ballroom and the security outside likewise in this place all works for Sia. So if she should mess up, they’ll throw her out.
Danika advised herself to control herself and be mindful when taunting Sia.
“I wonder why you’re being so proud. Is it because they tagged you the wealthiest in the State?” She whispered in Sia’s ears.
Humiliation drenches her when she got no response from Sia. She sat on the seat beside Sia, aiming to taunt her more.
“Danika’s back. Who even invited to this wedding?” Adriano asked Lucas when he spotted her.
Surprised, Lucas trod his eyes in Danika’s direction.
“What’s she saying to Sia?” Lucas questioned. He doesn’t trust Danika around Sia. It might spoil his chances of getting closer to his woman.
“Have no idea dude,” Adriano said.
Danika called another waitress and took a glass of white wine before looking back at Sia.
“I believe it took your husband an arm and a leg to make this money and fame you’re enjoying. Poor thing, he just died…”The skin at the corners of her eyes wrinkled as she squinted her eyes. “Or did you kill him so you can take over?” She asked.
Danika instantly got a reaction from Sia. A heated stare. Sia gritted her teeth but reined on the frustration choking her
“Oh, please don’t give me that look. There’s every possibility you did it. I mean from what I read from tabloid news, he was almost healing from that diabetes. After a few days to be discharged from the hospital he died. So I’ve every right to say that. The whole thing looks suspicious” Danika rattled on.
Sia never read the news but what Danika said now is true. Mr. Monson’s death is very suspicious, considering he’s almost healing and was about to be discharged from the hospital.
Sia muted but her mind was warring with thoughts.
“And you didn’t give him a seed. An heir. Because you slept with…”
Sia shoot up to her feet and whisked away from all eyes. What Danika just said dredged up her suppressed feelings. It just reminded her of her inability to produce an heir or heiress for Monson.
It just reminded her of her miscarriages which warranted from Silas’s abuse. It just reminded her of her baby that died years ago.
With watery eyes, Sia took the elevator to the first floor and stomped into a room. Shutting the door behind her, she perched her back against it and slipped to the floor.
Like a spring, her tears rushed down, ruining her makeup.
The words are so harsh. She would never kill Monson. She never killed him but why did Danika say this of all things? Sia wonders.
A light knock sounded at the door and Sia crept to her feet and fumbled with the knob.
Pulling the door open, Sia spotted the man obstructing her mind’s ability to think standing there.
“Lucas!” Her heart skittered a mile a minute as the name slipped from her lips.
Lucas held the door and pushed it back so he could come in.