Anna William's POV

"Lucy, come here. I need your help," my mom yelled suddenly, causing me to jolt upright.

"I'm coming," Lucy replied, her voice sounding muffled. I could hear the sound of people's footsteps on the wooden floor downstairs, the chatter of both men and women filling the air. Here I am, trying to get some much-needed sleep, while downstairs, no one can seem to keep quiet for even five seconds. I groaned in irritation, exhausted from the bachelor party we girls had the night before. I despised staying in, but I did experience something strange that day. A discovery.

Rather long and thick one.

"Where the hell is Anna?" My mom asked Lucy, her irritation clear.

"She won't get up from her bed," Lucy replied back, and I hugged my bear tightly to my chest.

My mom started to yell loudly, making the whole house shake. I heard soft footsteps that got louder by every second. Lucy slammed the door of my room, and I peeked open an eye to see her face filled with anger, which made her look funny.

"Anna, get up! It's your wedding day!" I chuckled softly as I hugged my teddy bear tighter. 

"It's all because of you I am tired," I grumbled as I got up and sat on my bed. 

"It's not my fault you enjoyed it." Lucy said with a wink, making me think about that steamy scene, causing me to blush slightly.

"I didn't enjoy it." I crossed my arms over each other while rolling my eyes, unwilling to admit the truth to anyone, least of all Lucy.

"Oh, baby. We both know the truth," Lucy scoffed. "Now get up from the bed. Your dearie future husband sent the hairdresser and makeup artist for you."

"What? He didn't have to do that," I said, blushing slightly. Although I loved taking my parents' money, I didn't like when someone else spent on me.

"Oh, come on, he's your husband after all," Lucy stated confidently. Deep down, I was thinking about how sweet he was to provide me with this treat. Today I was getting both my wedding and the freedom I desired.

"LUCY!!" My mom called her, and Lucy cringed.

"Okay, okay, your mom will start blasting us any moment now if we don't get you ready on time," Lucy said, holding my wrist and practically dragging me.

Avoiding eye contact with my mother, I responded to Lucy's statement with a chuckle. "Is your mom pregnant or something? Because she is really emotional," Lucy spoke. My mom's eyes flashed with a look of annoyance, although she restrained herself from yelling this time.

"Where the hell were you both?" My mom demanded, but I was planning to answer. However, her hand grabbed the back of my neck, and I hissed in pain. She lead me into a little room, where two ladies in their thirties holding makeup and hair accessories followed. I flinched as my mother let go, and my face hurt. The ladies smiled at me, and I forcefully smiled back, ignoring how my mother treated me. My mom rolled her eyes and left the room. Once she was gone, Lucy sat me down as the ladies got to work on me, it took them quite a while. As they were done I was told to look at myself for the final look.

"Damn, I look gorgeous," I whispered to myself with a wide grin, staring at my reflection. The makeup was simple, yet brought out the natural beauty on my face. I loved how the dress fit my figure perfectly, its material so soft that it felt like I was walking in the clouds.

I was confident that I could make it big in the big city, with my newly gained confidence. And I was going to give it my all! I turned to Lucy, who was still right next to me, with her eyes sparkling at the sight of my stunning appearance.

My mother appeared behind me, her eyes beaming from tears.

"I can't believe it ... my daughter's getting married," my mom said with a glint in her eyes. I walked over to her, wrapping all my arms around her tiny frame and taking a hold of her. 

"I'll miss you, Mom," I said softly as I tried my hardest to stop the tears that were welling up within me. I might want my freedom but I'd miss them terribly.

"You're making me cry," my mom responded, trying to wipe her own tears away. "I'll miss you too, Lucy." I added as I pulled away,

"I'll visit you soon enough," She responded as my slender fingers were held in her soft ones.

"Yeah, we should go. The carriage is waiting for us," I nodded, looking forward to our wedding at the same church where my parents were married. I stood in front of the mirror, periodically looking at my reflection. I thought to myself how lovely I looked, and how my husband would be fortunate to look at me all day.

I knew this was an arranged marriage and even if the tradition was disappearing, it still very much existed.

 At the 40s it was everything a girl could ask for, freedom.

"You look lovely, just like your mother," my dad told me gently as he held his arms wide open. I sighed and approached him, nestling my head on his shoulder while he rubbed my back.

"I'll miss you, dad," I said, wiping a tear that had fallen from my eye.

"I'll miss you too, darling," he responded sincerely.

"Don't cry, I'll always be there with you." I chuckled and placed my hands in his, remembering all those times when he held me during my younger years.

"Dad, you can visit me whenever you want," I reassured him as he kissed my palm and then my cheek, nodding in response.

"Come on, let's go," he ordered as he took my left hand and placed his own on his bicep. Together, we walked slowly towards the church doors, where Lucy was about to leave, and the flower girl waited patiently. Our turn had come, and everyone stood up to gaze upon me. I gulped and started to feel anxious, my nerves slowly vanishing as my father's large hand lightly gripped my own. As I stool near the altar my father let go of my hand, replacing it with my soon to be husbands hand.

At long last, I worked up the courage to look up and see the dashing and handsome man I was about to marry. His perfectly shaped jaw, grey eyes, hair the color of charcoal, and perfect, tanned skin tone, were enough to take my breath away. To top it off, his white tux with a vibrant pink tie matched my white dress with the trailing pink fabric. To say I was mesmerized was an understatement.

My eyes quickly locked onto the dimples on his cheeks, further adding to the charm he exuded. His smile was contagious, and it was hard not to crack a grin in return. The way he stared at me with such adoration in his eyes sent butterflies fluttering through my stomach.

"Now we shall start, We gather here to unite these two people in marriage. Their decision to marry has not been entered into lightly and today they publicly declare their private devotion to each other. The essence of this commitment is the acceptance of each other in entirety, as lover, companion, and friend. A good and balanced relationship is one in which neither person is overpowered nor absorbed by the other, one in which neither person is possessive of the other, one in which both give their love freely and without jealousy. Marriage, ideally, is a sharing of responsibilities, hopes, and dreams. It takes a special effort to grow together, survive hard times, and be loving and unselfish." The priest said and I kept staring at him, trying to study his features with my head tilted.

"Now Ace, Please repeat after me. I Ace, promise to love and support you Anna and live each day with kindness, understanding, truth, humour, and passion. With this ring I thee wed." The priest said and Ace, my future husband took mine hands in his while he said the vows his voice husky and rough making me gulp. I didn't even notice him sliding the ring on my finger with ease.
"Anna, Please repeat after me. I Anna, promise to love and support you Ace and live each day with kindness, understanding, truth, humour, and passion. With this ring I thee wed." I repeat his word and took the thick and heavy ring and slipped in his finger. I peeked up, to see him giving me a heart melting smile. I quickly broke our stare as my cheeks heat up by his magical gaze.

"Go now in peace and live in love, sharing the most precious gifts you have- the gifts of your lives united. And may your days be long on this earth. I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." The priest said and my eyes widened. I forgot about this part. 

Ace's lips touched mine, and his breath tickling my lips made my heart start to pound at an unrelenting rate. His arm wrapped around my waist before he leaned in to place his lips on mine, as the crowd cheered and clapped for us. I attempted to mimic his movements, but he quickly stopped, leaving only a soft smack on my lips. I set my gaze on my best friend, seeing her wink at me, making my face heat up even more. I had never thought that a simple kiss could leave me feeling this good, and I was sure I would never forget this moment ever again.

My best friend winked at me, and I felt my cheeks heat up. Although she had only made a simple facial gesture, it was enough to make my whole face feel warm. I never thought a single touch with another's lips would have such an affect on me. The touch of his lips on my own was like nothing I had ever felt before. My heart danced and my body trembled with every sensation. It definitely wasn't something I expected from a simple, sweet kiss.

********

My feet moved along the dancing floor slowly, and he stood on the other side, appearing a little stiff. Maybe he wasn't too big a fan of dancing. I quickly brought our dance to an end when I noticed his sigh, grateful that I could help him out. He had introduced me to his parents, and I introduced him to mine; for both of us, it was the first time we were meeting each other's families. The sweet nature of his parents made me realize how he had inherited his fair skin tone. And it certainly didn't hurt that he was also quite handsome.

"What are you thinking about?" Ace asked, and I turned to face him with a forced smile on my face.

"Just about getting out of here quicker. My dress is too tight," I replied softly as he chuckled and licked his pinkish lips.

"Well, that makes two of us," he said, seemingly nice in my eyes.

"What is your reason?" I asked, slightly curious about his thoughts on being at the wedding. "I hate crowds," he answered simply, and a hint of annoyance crossed my mind.

"Can I ask your intentions on this marriage?" Ace asked sternly, his eyebrows raising and his jaw slightly sagging as if he already knew my true motivations.

"I mean ... every girl is supposed to get married at one point," I chuckled, sounding less than truthful. He maintained his gaze on me as I tried to smile to passing well-wishers.

"Can you speak the truth? I hate liars," he said, and I groaned. I was torn between speaking the truth and continuing to act; I decided to stay quiet.

"Do you want me to press the truth out of you? Because I can," I took a deep breath and turned my attention to his handsome and charming face.

"I'll be honest now." I admitted, "I was never interested in this marriage."

"What are you interested in then?" He queried, leaning back on his chair with his body fully facing me. Why was he acting so casual about something this important?

"Freedom," I explained, raising my eyebrows. "Going out without worrying about what others think, eating what I like, and exploring the city without limits." He chuckled as I narrowed my eyes at him. Why was he laughing as it wasn't a ridiculous reason?

"That's it? And I thought you had a lover out there," he stated, and I pursed my lips in frustration. 

"How about we make a deal?' He continued, and my ears perked up.

"What Deal?" I asked, gaining interest myself.

"I will respect your decision of going out and you won't bother me. Do we have a deal?" He requested, and I considered his offer. My eyes settled on his rough hand and my hand met his. "Deal," I finally answered.

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