“Thank you,” Clarisse replied with a slight bow and a smile, as the artist applied the lipstick for her. This would be the first time she had ever worn lipstick. It felt strange but exciting to finally use makeup.
It was time to put on the wedding gown. Once again, Clarisse felt heartbroken, but she swallowed the bitterness and managed to smile.
“Were they blind when they picked this dress?” Abby said, irritated.
“It’s fine. I’m sure it’s not their fault. I’m just too lean,” Clarisse replied, swallowing hard as she adjusted the gown, which was way too big for her. The sleeves were falling off her shoulders, but she still put it on and smiled at the other maids.
“You should smile too, I’m getting married,” she said, and Abby burst into tears, along with the other maids who knew the truth.
Clarisse giggled, feeling that, after all, some people would miss her absence. They weren’t her tightest friends, but these people had offered her a grain of rice when she was starving, created space for her to sleep when she was thrown out. She held them all dear to her heart. They might not all be friends, but they had once offered her a handkerchief to wipe her tears when there was no one, and to keep her company when she was alone.
“Can I… hug you?” With her voice breaking, she asked the few of them present. They immediately engulfed her in a big bear hug, wishing her a happy marriage, though they doubted it.
(A few hours later)
Clarisse distracted herself by speaking to herself in her mind, trying not to break down or let the humiliation overwhelm her. She could hear the side laughs, probably mocking her gown and the oversized heels that made her drag her feet. The whispers and disdainful looks were all too evident. All she could do was keep talking to herself in her mind to block out the negativity.
“It’s finally happening. Be rest assured, Clarisse, it’ll be over soon. Remember those stories you read about how a lady in distress married a billionaire who fell in love with her? He took good care of her, brought her nice and fitting shoes, beautiful and expensive dresses. She ate good food and became happy. You never thought you’d be in that position, right? So don’t be heartbroken, don’t cry, and don’t be scared. You’ll finally get to be happy, start a new life, and forget all that has happened. Most importantly, you’ll finally get to visit Dad and Mum again after 12 years. Everything is about to be fine…”
“The bride?”
She heard a voice beside her and a nudge from someone. She looked up through her veil and realized that everyone was looking at her. She had been so lost in thought that she hadn’t realized the priest had begun speaking the vows. She looked at her husband, who was smiling at her. He looked so handsome, and that brought a smile to her face.
“Heaven is indeed accepting my prayers,” she thought to herself.
“Do you take Mr. Victor Arthur as your lawful husband…”
“Yes, I do,” she interrupted the priest, not letting him finish. She was ready, ready to run away with him, to start a new life. They exchanged rings, and she let out a sigh of relief.
“You may now kiss the bride,” the priest permitted.
He must have said his “I do” while I was lost in thought, she reflected.
Victor moved closer to her and lifted her veil slowly. Clarisse’s heart was pounding so fast that she thought he might hear it. She smiled nervously and looked up as her veil was lifted, but his smiling face suddenly changed when he saw who the person was. He had suspected something was wrong when he saw her, and when they called her name, but he desperately hoped he was just overthinking.
His facial expression twisted in disgust, and he nearly puked.
“Who the hell is this?” he yelled.
Clarisse’s heart sank, and her chest tightened, making it impossible for her to look up. She couldn’t bear to face his expression again.
“What are you doing?” Patricia and Victor’s mother hurried to his side.
“Who’s this?” He gritted his teeth, scanning the guests. His eyes fell on Alice, who was smiling at him, and it suddenly dawned on him.
“That’s Clarisse. I have two daughters.”
“You have one, and that’s Alice.”
“Son, they have two daughters. You didn’t specify which one you wanted.”
“Fuck!” he grunted, barely able to contain his anger. “I can’t go through with this marriage,” he whispered back.
“What about the shares? You know what’s at stake,” his mother threatened.
Victor’s face turned red with fury. His blood was boiling, like a volcano ready to erupt. He glared at the woman in the wedding gown with hatred before turning back to Alice.
“This is not over. You’re mine.”
Alice read his lips and smirked. “In your dreams.”
The wedding was finally over. Clarisse followed Victor to his home, which was just a few steps away from his family house. She trailed behind him like a shadow, silent and submissive. The air was heavy with a sense of dread, and she could feel her heart pounding like a caged bird. Her gaze remained fixed on the floor, afraid to meet his eyes, fearing what she might see in them.
Victor stopped when they reached the sitting room. He yanked off his suit and threw it hard on the floor, yelling loudly, startling her.
His face was a mask of anger, twisted into a snarl of hate. His eyes blazed with a furious intensity, like two coals in a dying fire. He loathed his new bride with every fiber of his being, resentful of the marriage and the trick that had been pulled on him. He felt stupid and humiliated. As he led her into their home, his rage surged like a tidal wave, threatening to wash away any shred of humanity left in him.
“When did you plan this?” he shouted. She could hear the hatred in his voice, making her shiver in fear.
“Plan what?”
“Don’t play dumb with me,” he yelled, his voice cutting through the silence. “When did you plan to trick me? Whose plan was it?”
“What plan are you talking about?”
“Alice is supposed to be here, not you!”
Clarisse’s heart sank as the realization hit her. This was the reason for his anger. It wasn’t her he wanted to marry-it was Alice, of course. What was she thinking? Who would want a woman like her? She had been so lost in her fantasies that she had failed to face the harsh reality.
Victor jolted her out of her thoughts by grabbing her chin roughly. “Don’t think you’ve won. I can never like, let alone love, such an ugly duckling. I’m going to make Alice mine, so you better make yourself invisible.” He released her chin roughly and stormed away.
Clarisse winced as the pain in her jaw surged. She slipped off her heels and squatted on the floor right where she stood. Tears streamed down her cheeks freely. She cried with heartache, knowing the feeling of rejection would never grow old.
She was a fragile creature, lost in a world of darkness, and the weight of her new husband’s cruelty pressed down on her like a leaden blanket.
Clarisse glanced at her belongings probably the smallest collection any bride could ever have. She didn’t want to put her old clothes back on; they were worn out and faded. But she had no other clothes to wear, and she couldn’t keep on wearing the oversized wedding gown, sighed. She pulled it off and went to shower. Afterward, she put on one of her old gowns.
She sat down on the large king-size bed, unsure if it was safe to lie down. It looked so big and comfortable that she was tempted to jump on it, but she felt like she might stain the sheets. She couldn’t even remember the last time she had slept on a bed like this.
Just then, she heard a knock and jumped to her feet.
“Who’s that?”
A maid walked in and bowed slightly, which Clarisse returned. The maid glanced at her, furrowing her brow at the old, patched-up clothes she wore.
“By the order of Mrs. Arthur, I’m to guide you around the house and then bring you to the big quarters for dinner.”
“Big quarters?” Clarisse asked, not understanding what she meant.
“Yes.”
“Okay,” she replied, following the maid out.
“What’s your name, if I may ask?”
“Alicia.”
“Wow, that’s a nice name. Can I call you Ally instead?”
“As you wish, ma’am.”
“Clarisse, that’s my name.”
“Okay, ma’am.”
“I mean… call me Clarisse. I’d prefer that.”
“I’m sorry, but we’re not allowed to.”
“Don’t worry. You can call me that when we’re alone.”
“Okay, miss.”
“Clarisse.”
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.