The ceremony wasn’t until evening, and by noon, some stylists were already present to attend to me.
They worked on my hair, which took longer than I’d have wanted. They kept it up in clips while the makeup artists worked on my face.
“You’re about to become a beauty queen, Lyric. Literally,” Jace said, eating from a can of chips on the bed.
My mind drifted to Jaris. If he did return last night, it must’ve been when I was already asleep, which was quite late.
I’d stayed up late, waiting and wondering where he went and what was taking him so long to return.
Even this morning, I’d gone to check on him but still couldn’t find him. I ran into Nerion and asked if everything was fine with him. Nerion simply told me not to worry about him.
I decided to let him be, concluding he was possibly doing some men stuff or something.
By evening, I was dressed in my long, red floral dress.
It was the prettiest dress I’d ever laid eyes on, which had cost a fortune the day I was getting it.
My hair was curled and fell over my shoulders. My makeup was dark themed but just perfect. I’d never seen myself more beautiful before.
“Damn, Lyric! Damn!” Jace shook his head.
I blushed, but deep down, I was so nervous.
Jace held my hand as he led me out of the room, outside to where the cars were waiting.
The drive to the temple was almost an hour. It was dark already.
My father was waiting outside when we arrived. He helped me from the car, put his hand around mine and led me into the temple.
Wow. My father looked good. And very happy.
Entering into the temple with the red bouquet in my hand, I was surprised to find a lot of people already seated. The hall was filled to the brim.
Wow
I was able to recognize some faces from my father’s pack and some from Darkspire. Even Luna Isolde was there already. As well as Marta. They were in the front row.
This was real. It was happening.
‘Don’t get too excited, Lyric. It’s only for a year
I pushed it aside, not wanting it to ruin this special day for me.
The Priestess was already waiting at the end of the aisle. Father dropped me in front of her before returning to his own seat which was also in the front row.
Then, we all waited for Jaris to arrive. He should be here any minute.
The clock kept ticking.
We were all waiting.
But some of the guests were starting to get impatient.
It’s been over an hour and Jaris was still not here. My waist started to hurt from standing for so long I was asked to take a seat.
“Do you think he’s changed his mind? A man shouldn’t be this late to his mating ceremony,” I heard someone ask from behind.
“I really don’t know. I believe he should’ve been here by now if he wanted this to happen.” someone replied.
My heart ached, a sharp painful feeling. Was I being abandoned again?
My fingers shook around the bouquet I held. Father, seated next to me, held my hand.
“He’ll be here. Don’t worry.”
But an extra hour later, he still wasn’t here.
The guests were already leaving. My heart was crumbling.
No. This had to be a nightmare.
An additional hour later, he still hadn’t come. I had already lost my mind.
The people left in the hall were not even up to ten. From hundreds of people that had initially been here.
Luna Isolde had been trying to reach him, but he wouldn’t take his calls. When she called his beta, Kael said he didn’t want to talk to anyone and didn’t want anyone to know where he was.
It dawned on me. I was being abandoned again. I was being rejected.
The realization struck me in the chest, and that pain traveled all the way to my eyes in the form of tears. I couldn’t hold them back. They fell onto my cheeks, ruining my perfect makeup.
“Lyric,” father called with pity in his voice.
He pulled me into his chest for a hug, and there I wept bitterly, knowing I’d been rejected again. Abandoned twice by the same man.
LYRIC
“Why would he do this to me?” I whimpered against father’s chest. “I thought we had a deal. I thought he wanted this.”
The humiliation was crippling. Twice, I tried to end this deal, but he wouldn’t let me. Did he only push it this far just to humiliate me? Was I cursed?
“Jaris?” I heard Luna Isolde call.
Sniffling, I lifted my face off father’s chest for a look, and there he was, striding into the hall with a look of cold detachment.
My face remained pale as I watched him. He did come. After three excruciating hours? After all the guests had left!
“Jaris, where have you been?” Luna Isolde asked in a cutting whisper when he reached her side. But Jaris walked past her without sparing her a glance.
He didn’t spare me a glance either as he walked down the aisle, stopping in front of the altar.
The Priestess must have been informed of his arrival, because she stepped out again, taking her place at the altar.
I’d stopped whimpering, but my tears were still flowing. Was this a joke?
“Lyric Harper. Please,” The Priestess pointed to the spot where I was to stand before Jaris.
But my body was stone cold. I could hardly even blink.
“Lyric. Come on.” Father stood up, pulling me along with him.
I didn’t even have the strength to take my bouquet along. It was a miracle I was able to walk without falling.
My makeup was already ruined by my tears, no doubt.
Everything was ruined!
I was taken to the altar to stand before Jaris. His face was stone cold, like the part of him I despised. He wouldn’t even look at me. At that point, he looked like he’d rather be listening to the sound of nails scraping against a chalkboard than be here with me.
“What happened?” My voice was barely above a whisper, the pain still evident. “We’ve been waiting… for three hours.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.