Chapter 1 - I can't do this.

~Brittany's POV

My eyes were glued to the gigantic mirror in front of me as I stared at my reflection in a daze.

“My lady, could you please move your head a little to the left?”

“My lady?” The makeup artist called out again, pausing for a moment when I didn't bulge, and I glanced at her through the mirror.

“Leave.” I uttered instead.

My gaze was hostile towards her, but I cared less at the moment.

“My lady, we don't have much time........”

“Leave this instant, I want to be left alone.” I shut her up immediately, also referring to the workers she came along with.

I heard her sigh beside me. She bowed slightly to me before walking out of the room with her co-workers.

A tiring sigh escaped my lips as I heard the door close behind me. I glanced at myself again in the mirror and a lady looking down in the dumps was staring back at me.

She was dressed in an elegant white sleeveless wedding dress, her face beautified with makeup, but it didn't hide the pain.

Her face lacked emotions even if the makeup was perfectly made, but there were hints of pain in her eyes.

Staring back at the lady in the mirror, I was convinced that she wasn't happy about what today was.

Today being my wedding day gave me all the creeps and I couldn't help but to think of the reason I was not happy when I was supposed to be over the moon.

I heard a knock on the door and I spared a glance to see my mom coming in.

“Oh my goodness!” She shrieked as she halt for a while.

“Your hair is still undone?!” She added in horror.

“Why the hell did you send out the makeup artist when she wasn't finished?” She asked again and walked to where I was.

I didn't answer, and I wasn't ready to give an answer to that.

“Mom?” My voice came out softly as I called her attention.

“Am I really doing this?”

She heaved a low sigh and placed a hand on my shoulder.

“Yes, you have to get married and today is the day, so braze up yourself.” She let out in another deep sigh and took her hand from my shoulder.

And that was it!

Tears gathered in my eyes that it made it hard to even see my reflection in the mirror.

It seemed like Mom noticed this because in the next second, she turned away from me.

“I will get the makeup artist back into the room. This time, don't send her out. We don't have much time left.” With this said, she walked out of the room, leaving me to my tortuous fate.

A drop of tears rolled down my left cheek, then another rolled down my right cheek, and I let the rest fall.

I wasn't concerned about the makeup in the first place, neither was I going to care now.

Maybe, if I cried, all the pain and anger that I felt within would reduce, if not vanish.

The door opened again and this time, it was the makeup artist and her colleagues.

“I'll like to continue from where I stopped, my lady.” She uttered and signalled the other girls to probably continue.

I didn't hinder any of them, instead I let them do their job. They probably had their job doubled by now because I could have ruined the makeup on my face with the tears.

Thank goodness none of them complained, else I would have as well lashed out on them this instant.

AT THE ALTAR*

“Do you, Ace Miller, take Brittany Anderson to be your lawfully wedded wife? To love and to cherish, till death do you part?” The priest read out the marital vow, and the hall became dead silence that if a pin were to fall, it would be heard.

“Yes.” He replied and I glanced at him.

He was staring directly at me with a smirk that was almost invisible. If not that I've known this man for long, then I would have also been ignorant.

I let out a small scoff.

Such guts! He still had the nerve to smirk to my face?

What the hell am I even putting myself into?

Would I really be happy if I got married to this butt face standing in front of me?

Well, that name wasn't entirely true, but he deserved it after everything he did to me in the past.

“Everything you thought happened between us were all just your imagination and being that you were a fool, you didn't realize that.” Those words resounded in my head, almost bringing me to tears, but I held it all in.

There were all still fresh in my head and even the scene, just as if it were yesterday, but unfortunately, it'd been years already.

I couldn't break down again, not in front of him or in a public like this.

I glanced at him again, and he was raising a brow at me.

I wish I could spit on his face right now and see a frown instead of the bright look on his damn face.

He brought his face closer to mine and I took my head back a little, but that didn't stop him.

“Why don't you answer to the vow before you begin to zone off on the altar?” He scoffed out in a smile that I knew was fake.

Wait a minute! It seemed like the priest had read the vow to me already, but I was yet to reply.

I glanced at the congregation to see their gaze fixed on me. The hall was as quiet as a burial ground, with everyone's attention on me and maybe the man in front of me.

I turned to the priest, and he wasn't left out either.

He noticed I was now staring at him and attempted to read out the vow again.

“I heard you the first time.” I lied and gulped down nothing.

What was the point of repeating when every words was filled with lies?

Yes, none of the love promised in the vow were true. So, why bother letting him waste his time in the first place?

Without hesitating any further and my face holding a very straight look, I uttered loudly, “No, I don't.”

I heard a few murmurs from the congregation, but I couldn't help but feel less concerned.

“I am not ready to accept him as my husband…" I went further to say boldly, staring at the man in front of me.

He was staring back at me with mouth wide agape and I could feel his surging shock within our distance.

That shouldn't be the case already because I was about to give him the shockest news he'd heard today.

“So, I hereby cancel this wedding.” I continued in between gritted teeth.

There was an uproar in the congregation.

I saw my parents sprang up from their seats, and I guess there was definitely a shocked look on their faces too.

~~~~~~

I watched my dad pace round the living room. Anger was written all over him, and I made sure to give a lot of space between us.

We were at home already after the huge commotion I had caused in the church. My father was the first to stomp out, followed by mom, and they left even before I got outside.

I didn't know what happened to the other people around, especially the man who was the reason I created this mess in the first place.

No matter how I try to think back to what I did in the church and I wanted to badly regret, a part of me couldn't help but feel proud of myself.

My gaze fell to an empty couch when I could no longer hold mom's harsh gaze. She was sitting on one of the couches while staring at me directly.

I flinched back instantly when I saw a vase flying in my direction. Luckily, it crashed before it got to where I stood, not far from me.

I turned to where the vase was thrown from, and I saw my dad breathing heavily, his dark squinted eyes staring daggers at me.

Goodness! Was dad trying to kill me?

“What was that stupid act you played at the altar?” He roared with his nostrils flaring up.

“I'm sorry, dad, but I had to.”

My voice came out quiet and bold.

“You had to?” He repeated and chuckled.

“Yes dad, I did what I felt was right at the moment.”

I was standing my ground on this and wouldn't allow his expression or actions intimidate me anymore.

My happiness was all that mattered, even if they didn't matter to him.

“What you felt?” He yelled and tried to march towards me, but mom was quick to hold him back, thankfully.

“How dare you bring in feelings into this?” His voice was louder than earlier.

I had definitely triggered more anger in him.

“Because what I feel matters a lot, dad. I can't live with a man whom I don't even see my happiness within many years to come.”

“Do you even know what this marriage is about? This was meant to strengthen our relationship with the Millers, but you ruined it all.” The tone behind each of the words was filled with anger and spite which were obviously for me.

But I expected it. I knew he was going to throw tantrums but I wished it would all end soon as I least thought he'd also want to kill me like he attempted earlier.

“I'm sorry.” My head fell in a bow immediately.

Even though I was already burning inside with rage, I still apologized, not because I wronged him but to maybe put an end to all this drama.

"Sorry? Well, you would be when I am done with you."

"Dear, please take it easy on her. She will handle this mess, I will make sure of that." My mom butted in.

I lifted my gaze up immediately and mom was staring at me fiercely.

What did she mean?

"Really? Then she better acts fast else she should be ready to pay back every penny I spent on her because I would disown her." He spat out in between gritted teeth then stomped out of the house.

My mom shot me a glare, and she also left to her room upstairs without saying a word to me.

I heard a chuckle and I glanced at the bar to see Lora, my step-sister sitting on one of the stood chairs with a smile, more like a smirk on her face.

She was the least of my problems right now.

But wait, did dad really mean what he just said?