Chapter 5
Abigail’s POV
The man walked confidently towards the altar, his eyes fixed on me. His strides were long and purposeful, his broad shoulders squared. He had a strong presence that commanded attention, and I couldn't help but look at him. My heart beat faster as he came closer, my palms growing sweaty. He had bright blue eyes that seemed to see right through me, making me feel shy and vulnerable.
I felt like I was frozen in place, unable to move or speak. My mind raced with questions - Who is he? Is he my husband to be? Why is he looking at me like that?
It seemed like Zoey sensed my confusion as she spoke up first, her voice laced with rudeness. "Who is this?" She crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes narrowing.
Liam gave her a warning look, and she quickly closed her mouth, but then decided to ask again. "Are you Elijah's brother?" She asked, her tone strange, her eyes fixed on the man.
The man turned to her, his expression unreadable. He didn't say a word, just looked back at her as she stared rudely. The silence was deafening, the tension palpable.
Zoey didn't seem to care, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "So... are you?" She pressed on, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
The man still didn't speak, his eyes never leaving hers. Zoey's face reddened with anger, her mouth opening to speak again.
Liam pulled her back towards himself, trying to shut her up, but Zoey was one rude bitch who couldn't keep quiet.
"Because I've heard rumors that your brother is not as handsome as you, so you must be Elijah's brother..." She trailed off, her eyes fixed on the man's face.
I could feel the tension in the air, the atmosphere thick with unspoken words. I knew I needed to do something to calm things down.
"Zoey, please stop," I said, trying to keep my voice calm. I was already pissed at my sister's rude comment, my anger simmering just below the surface.
“There’s no need to be rude to Elijah’s brother. We’re all here for the same reason- to celebrate Elijah and my wedding.”
The man smirked at those words, still looking at Zoey, who was assessing him from head to toe.
Zoey studied the man in front of her for a moment, her eyes narrowed, her head tilted to one side. She seemed to be sizing him up, her expression skeptical. Finally, she let out a long sigh and turned to me, her shoulders rolling in a dismissive gesture. "Fine," she said, though her tone was still sharp, her voice dripping with reluctance.
The man smirked again, his eyes glinting with amusement, and then turned to face me, his attention focused on me like a laser beam. The priest cleared his throat again, and we all turned to look at him, our eyes swiveling towards him like puppets on a string.
“Shall we begin?” The priest asked, his voice hesitant, his eyes darting between us.
I waved my hand to signal to the priest that we shouldn’t start yet, my palm facing him in a stopping motion. "Not just yet, the groom isn’t here yet…." I trailed off, my eyes flicking towards the entrance, my brow furrowed in concern.
The priest looked at me with a confused expression, his eyebrows furrowed, his head cocked to one side. Then, he glanced at the man standing beside me, his eyes squinting slightly as if trying to make sense of the situation.
“Then…. who is the man beside you?” He asked, his voice laced with curiosity, his eyes fixed on the man.
I looked at the man beside me, my eyes locking onto his, and explained, my voice hesitant. “Oh, him? He must be Elijah’s brother, his best man.” I gestured towards him, my hand waving in his direction.
The priest seemed surprised, his eyes widening slightly, his mouth opening in a silent "oh". "Elijah's brother?" He inquired, turning to the man for confirmation, his eyes seeking answers.
The man smiled, his lips curling upwards, but remained silent, his eyes never leaving mine. The air was thick with tension, the silence deafening, as we all waited for someone to speak up.
“Yes, Priest. He’s definitely Elijah’s brother. He can’t possibly be Elijah, I mean he’s so handsome and from what I heard, Elijah isn’t much of a handsome fella.” Zoey interjected, her voice dripping with sarcasm, her eyes rolling in a dismissive gesture.
I felt my temper flare, my face growing hot with anger. “What the hell is wrong with you Zoey?! Why do you like to say things without thinking about the consequences of your words?” I snapped, my voice sharp, my hands on my hips.
Zoey's eyes widened in surprise, her mouth dropping open in a silent "oh". She clearly wasn't expecting me to snap at her like that. But I was too upset to care. She took a step back, her eyes flashing with anger.
"What do you mean, Abigail?" Zoey asked, her voice rising in anger, her hands gesturing wildly. "I was just telling the truth. Elijah is not a handsome man, and this guy definitely isn't him. Are you sure you're okay? You're not making any sense."
My temper flared even more, my cheeks burning with rage. "I know what I'm saying," I said, my voice shaking with anger, my eyes blazing with fury.
"You're always so quick to judge people, without even getting to know them. You've never even met Elijah, and yet you're already making assumptions about him.
It's not fair, and it's not right. I'm sick of you putting people down just to make yourself feel better. It's not okay, Zoey."
I turned to the man standing in front of me, my eyes pleading for understanding.
“Please, forgive my sister. She didn’t mean those words.” I said, my voice softening, my tone apologetic.
Zoey was taken aback by my outburst, her eyes flashing with hurt and anger.
“How dare you say that to me! You should be grateful you know… That I gave you a man after you couldn’t keep your man in check and he came rushing at me.” She spat, her voice venomous, her eyes gleaming with malice.
She glared at Liam, who was standing with his head bowed in guilt, his eyes fixed on the floor.
Just then, the man who had been silent for what felt like an eternity suddenly spoke, his deep voice breaking the tense silence.
“My name is Elijah Wright,” he said, his eyes sparkling with confidence. He extended his hand, his smile charming. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, my soon-to-be wife.”
I felt like I’d been punched in the gut. My heart stopped. I was sure I must have heard him wrong. There was no way he had just said what I thought he said. I stared at him, my eyes wide with disbelief. But then he repeated it, his words dripping with sincerity, and I knew it was true.
“You’re joking, right?” I asked, my voice shaking. I took a step back, my eyes fixed on his face. Elijah’s smile widened, his eyes crinkling at the corners. He took a step closer, his hands reaching out as if to grasp mine.
“I’m afraid not,” he said, his voice low and husky with emotion. He paused, his gaze intense.
“You see, I can’t bear the thought of you leaving me.” His words were laced with vulnerability, his eyes pleading. He took another step closer, his face inches from mine.
“You have always been in my heart,” he continued, his voice cracking with emotion, “And now that we’ve found each other again, I will not let you go……