One.......My Marriage.

I sat down with tears in my eyes. I couldn't believe what had just happened. This was really happening. Then I heard those words of mine again in my head. I had really said it. Two words that had now changed my life. As little as they seemed, they meant a lot.

He was staring at me, his eyes never leaving mine. I am sure he must be very happy. I, on the other hand, felt like killing myself. Why I was doing this, I still didn't know. Marrying someone my heart wasn't with was a big mistake but I didn't know just how terrible a mistake it was.

Then he kissed my cheek and pulled away. I heard some whoops as my sister finished her speech about me. A speech that I heard nothing of. She took her seat beside me.

"Congrats. I can't wait to see little Rileys running around.", she said and I smiled, a fake one though. I never liked Daphne, my step-sister.

She was older than me by three years. Ever since she and her mum came into my family, my dad always treated her with more love than me and when I decided to talk to him about it he simply said that he was trying to show her the love her own father didn't.

Theresa's husband was a brutal drug addict who from what I knew would sometimes hit her, especially when he was high on drugs. But after two years of marriage, she wanted out.

I was the third out of four. I had an elder brother, Caleb, my mum had died after giving birth to me. My brother told me when I was five and ever since I always blamed myself for her death. Five years later and my dad married Theresa who already had Daphne. One year after Theresa gave birth to Derrick. My dad was happy even my brother was happy, but I wasn't. How could they be?

Theresa was a gold digger. She was only with my dad for his money. Though she would deny it every time saying she loved my dad but I never believed her. I had caught her one time on the phone with someone, discussing how she would start swiping my dad's account.

I confronted her about it and she just went and cried to my dad that I was being extremely rude to her. Since then my dad would always scold me for the littlest things so far they involved Theresa, cliché right?

I decided to find a way to expose her so that everyone would see her for the gold digger she really was. Ever since then, I have been looking for a way to expose her and now I was gonna leave the house.

Then she stood up. I hope she didn't want to say something, what did she know about me, plus there was no need for another speech, especially from her.

My dad had already spoken, Ansel's mum, Natalie spoke, Caleb spoke, and Daphne also. What in the world was she speaking for? This was gonna be one long ceremony.

"I wasn't in the early years of Riley's life.", she started and I immediately wanted to tell her to stop, but luckily the hatred I had for this woman was less than the love for my dad.

And that was why I consented to their marriage when I was asked, something I had always regretted. I have done so many things that I regret, and now I add this marriage to that list.

"The day I moved into their house, she was just by the corner of the living room playing with her fingers. So I went over and we talked, then she became my close friend, and from that moment onwards she felt like my very own daughter.", she continued.

Yes, I remember that day, she was nice until I found out her true motives.

"Theresa is a very good woman and I'm sure she makes a wonderful mother.", Ansel said to me.

I would have objected, but Daphne was right beside me, and I didn't want any of her tantrums now. She was good at making scenes and I just wanted this day to be done with.

Soon it was time for the father-daughter dance. I stood and went to my father. He was smiling as small streaks of tears were falling from his eyes. He took my hand as the music started to play and we both started to dance slowly.

I can't believe I would move out of the house. I won't wake up to argue with Daphne about who to cook food for him.

I won't set up his bath every morning. It was something I had been doing since I was ten, it was like a tradition to me, and I didn't ever let Theresa do it. I would eat breakfast every morning with him.

But now I would be very far from him and I would hardly see him. I would no longer have him as close as before. I even attended a college that was close to our house just so I wouldn't be on campus away from him.

The thought of it made my eyes teary.

"I am very happy for you Riley.", he said and I smiled, quickly blinking away the tears that were forming. The last thing I would want is him consoling me, and remembering that as his special moment.

"Thank you.", was all I said, all I could say. I wanted to savour this moment.

"You know your mother Ariana would be very proud of you for all you did for me. Taking care of me, helping me with my medication the time I was very ill. Finishing high school, becoming a successful interior designer, and finally being able to give her a son-in-law. Even if you never got to see her, you ended up just how she would have wanted.", he said and I smiled my eyes getting teary.

"Riles, I know that you don't love Ansel.", he whispered. He knew how I ended up here starting a loveless marriage. Don't get me wrong. Ansel has been loving me for like a year now and I know that, but my heart isn't with him. It lies with someone else, someone who just..... left.

"But you know that with time things would work out. Don't rush into it and make sure he understands. People learn to love. No matter what you do, just know that you signed up for this.", he said and a tear ran down my cheek.

"What if Brayden comes back and I find out I still love him? Do you think I'm doing the right thing marrying Ansel?", I whispered.

"As much as I want to I won't question your actions. That's because ever since you were young you always knew what to do. Just like your mum.", he said with a smile

"I love you Dad.", I said and hugged him.

"I love you too.", he said and soon the music ended.

We were in the limo. On our way to my new home. Normal couples would be happily chatting away, I guess, but not us. I was really tired mentally and physically.

I was going to start a life with him, if possible bear children. The ride was silent. So I decided to say something.

"Today was hectic.", I sighed.

He looked at me wide-eyed, then his eyebrows knotted. "W..well does that mean you didn't like it or..."

"No no, it was good but tiring.", I said. He always acted some way around me. Not scary though.

"Don't worry we'll be home soon.", he said and the word 'home' was all I could pick up.

We were going to be living in the same house. To be truthful that scared me. I was gonna start living full-time with him.

"Though you can sleep if you want to. I'll wake you when we get there.", he said and I sighed as I rested my head on the headrest.

"I'm gonna be far from my dad.", I said.

"Hmn.", was all I heard. "Well it's better right, I mean there are worse things that could happen.", he added.

"I can't imagine anything worse than this.", I said.

I understood what Ansel meant. His father was late. I didn't even want to start thinking of how I would be if my father died.

I still remember when Caleb told me my mum died after giving birth to me. I had always been asking him about my mum. When I found out, I didn't talk to anyone. I didn't go to school for weeks, and when I went back it took me a whole week to get settled.

My interaction with my relatives dropped. I pushed everyone away. My dad decided to enroll me in a new high school. I was still the same until I met Brayden. He helped me with the depression I had been carrying for a long time. Though the weight was still with me he lessened it.

He was always there, when I would be extremely moody, he would cheer me up. He would make sure my mind was always far from it. He knew when to talk, how to talk, and what to say to me. He was a nice friend, an amazing boyfriend, he would have been a perfect husband.

Then I heard ringing. It was from my purse. I opened it and checked the ID caller.

Theresa.

What in the world was she calling me for? She knew I hated her. Heck, I didn't even want her at my wedding.

"Who's it?", I heard Ansel ask.

"Theresa.", I said then decided to answer. "What is it?", I asked coldly.

"Riley. I just wanted to congratulate you.", she said.

"You did that already, now what is it?", I asked again.

"Well, then I just wanted to tell you that Ansel is a good man and...."

"Why are you telling me this?", I asked getting annoyed.

"Because I happen to know about Bray...."

"Then don't worry and you don't need to tell me anything.", I said and hung up.

"So I'm guessing your relationship with Theresa is still strained.", he said and I rubbed a palm over my face.

"Yes."

"Don't you plan on doing anything about it?", he asked.

The only thing I plan on doing is exposing her, I wanted to say. But he only knew I didn't like her, he didn't know what she was doing.

"If there's anything you wanna talk about, I'm here. I just want you to know that.", he said and he placed his hand on mine causing me to look at him.

After two seconds and he removed his hand and I looked outside, my eyes fluttering into sleep.

I was in a hall walking down the aisle and my arm was linked with my dad. I looked forward and saw Brayden in a black tuxedo looking ever so striking. Caleb was by his side.

I went and stood in front of him, then his facial expression dropped.

"You don't love me, if you did you would have found me. I won't marry you. I don't love you.", he said and left. Then a hand started tapping me gently, someone was calling my name.

I woke up. It was a dream.

"Riley we're here.", I heard and turned to see Ansel. Oh. I stepped out of the limo.

Ansel was very rich and his house was huge. A mansion built with his own sweat and money. Their family wasn't all that rich before. Things started improving when he got a scholarship from Yale. He went and studied there. He came out with high grades, and one of the lecturers helped him get a job in a business company.

Since he got a job things started changing. He started earning well and then he decided to build his own company, which turned out to be a big business with huge profits. He was into construction. He had a construction firm that was generating enough money.

He had two younger twin sisters, Angel and Anika. They were very different than similar. Though they looked exactly alike and the only thing you could use to differentiate them on sight was their hair.

Angel's roots were darker than the rest of her hair, making them look almost black, unlike her brown hair. While Anika's hair tips were darker than the rest of her hair, making them look like Angel's roots.

Angel hated me and I didn't know why, but Anika was cool with me. Anika was calm and reserved, but Angel was the exact opposite, she was outgoing and outspoken, always airing her opinions. She always did that to me no matter how insulting they were.

"Here it is", he said

"Yeah", was all I said as I came down.

The house was beautiful and big. There was a fountain. The stairs leading into the house were wide and grand. The driver opened my door and I thanked him as I got down. The pain in my legs coming back. These heels were killing me.

Ansel led me into the house and I had to stop myself from gaping at the huge and beautiful sight. There was a huge living room with a very elegant chandelier. The cushions were deep blue and the floor and walls were all white. There was a huge plasma TV that was on the wall.

We walked further and to the left was a dining and a huge kitchen. Forward was a hallway, but we didn't head there. We went up the double stairs, that were coming from two sides to meet at the top. There were rooms upstairs, to the left there were two, and the same for the right. We headed forward and we entered one door, the one in the middle of the four rooms and now I just gaped.

The room was big, there was a huge king-sized bed, there were white pillows on it and the bed sheet and duvet were both blue. I was starting to guess that blue was his favourite colour.

There was also another chandelier, it was the same design as the one in the living room, but this one was smaller. There were two closets and one door which I was guessing was the bathroom. There were two tables, by each side of the bed.

There was also a blue couch and a TV, just like the one downstairs. He sat on the couch and began to take his shoes off.

"You can make use of the bathroom now, I'm gonna head downstairs soon.", he said and I realised I had been standing in the same spot for some time.

I walked and sat on the bed. I took my shoes off and sighed in relief.

"It's been a long day, you need rest okay? Dinner would be ready in...", he paused to look at his watch and then continued. "Thirty minutes, that's enough time."

He wanted to leave when I called him back. "W...where would you be?", I asked. "In case I..."

"The second room on your left when you come outside.", he said.

"Okay.", I said and he left.

Immediately the door closed, and I fell back into the bed, sighing loudly. I ended up taking my clothes off and went into the bathroom. I had a long shower, washing off the day's stress and makeup.

I came out with a towel wrapped around my body and one around my hair. I put on my green night robe and slipped into my flip-flops. I let my black ebony hair loose. I sat on my bed. Then I lay on the bed. My body and mind fell deep into sleep as the air conditioner blew me into dreamland.

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The Sparkling Authoress

Mis-A

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