"James Craige planned to have a civil wedding with you, Eliza. And please stop frowning at the ceremony, you're going to break everyone's expectation about our family."
Eliza was in the table with her family, their breakfast was made of greens because her mother wanted her to look sexy for her upcoming wedding, a week after. Eliza's uninterested face nodded as if it was not a big thing anymore.
Her parents told her what kind of person is James and from her perspective, it seems lLeo her future husband would be lLeoly to be part as one of her responsibilities. Including their expenses.
Eliza wasn't making enough money as a jeweller, it was enough for her yes, but for a pair? She rather spend all of it for Mae's medication.
"How can you arrange me to an idler lLeo him, mom? I don't even know that he was a useless guy and you almost trapped me to marry him." A hint of repulsion can be heard in Kate's voice before she continued eating.
Even Eliza felt disappointed after hearing his future husband doesn't even have a job. An idler and probably a drunkard which she hated the most.
Among all, everything that Eliza hated the most in a man was in the person of James Craige. She already feel pity for herself even if she haven't seen him for once.
"I'm going to work." She finished her food and went out without looking at any of her parents. She still hated them for the decision they made, giving her with no choice. It was a decision between her freedom and the only woman who treated her lLeo a real family, she's not that heartless and selfish to choose herself over Mae.
Still not in the mood to talk with anyone, Eliza drove her way to the company where she was working, the renowned Larimar Company in the design industry. She's a jewelry designer and she loved her job so much, as much as possible, she wanted to fill her thoughts with words so that her fastly approached wedding wouldn't make her go frenzy.
"Eliza, you're late."
When Eliza glance at the owner of the voice, her head instantly lowered to hide the dark circles under her eyes. It was Leo, the design director of the department where she was currently working.
"I'm sorry, sir. I promised this won't happen again." She apologized with full of sincerity but Leo on the other hand, just tapped Eliza on her shoulder. His hand trace down to her elbow, slightly caressing her arm in an intimate manner, making Eliza uncomfortable.
"It's alright, why don't we go to our department together." He invited, causing Eliza to swallow the lump in her throat. She was left with no choice but to follow her boss and while in the elevator, it was only her and Leo inside. "May I know the reason why you're late? I just want to make sure that you're not having trouble with anything. You know I can help if you need something." Leo broke the silence between them.
Eliza let out a sigh, not wanting to sound disrespectful to her boss so she answered honestly. "Nothing much to be honest, I'm just getting ready for my upcoming wedding." She didn't know why it suddenly tastes bitter talking about marriage. When she was happily in love in with Aaron she would always imagine herself getting married and building a family with him. But now, talking about marriage was lLeo talking about being in prison.
It feels suffocating.
Eliza busied herself with all the works her company was giving her that she didn't realize tommorow would be the day of her wedding ceremony. She remembered her mother buying her a dress that looks lLeo has been worn by many.
Sadly smiling at herself, she went to visit Mae, unsure if it would be the last time she'll visit but she wanted to see the mother figure she had looked up to.
"Hi, how are you feeling?" She asked in a sweet voice and kissed Mae on her forehead. The middle aged woman still looks joyful even after her diagnosis.
"Oh, I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me, Eliza. Look at you, you look so thin from the last time I saw you. Have you been into diet's lately?" She's right, even Eliza could tell that she was losing weight and it was because her mother want her to be sexy for her civil wedding ceremony.
"I'm fine, I'm just too busy with work that I often forgot to eat." She lied because she doesn't want to worry her. She stayed with Mae until sun down and when it's finally time to go back to their house, she was having second thoughts about what her life would turn to after her marriage.
"Now, where is that groom of yours? Seriously? He really did made us wait?" Kate was seated across Eliza as both of them waits for her groom.
Eliza felt a little anxious knowing that she'll be marrying a worthless man who maybe don't even have a job for his own little addictions. Her palms feels sweaty as she continued to fidgets her fingers.
The guests were also waiting together with them but almost half an hour passed when none of the Craige Family has ever showed up.
Hope slightly rose inside of Eliza, thinking that that James Craige might back out on their wedding, she felt happy and giddy that she doesn't have to marry an irresponsible man. But as time passes by the guests slowly lost interest in waiting, causing Kate to boiled in embarrassment.
"Where the heck is that son of a bitch!? Didn't he know who's waiting for him?" Her eyes pierced through Eliza and gossips started to fall.
"I can't believe one of Ariella's daughter would marry someone as poor as a beggar."
"I know right? She looks so desperate in getting married and couldn't wait for a much better man."
"I just knew both of them would starve to death. I don't even want to imagine an ugly creature sitting here with us–"
"Will you, please, stay quiet? I am the one getting married here and not you. So what if my husband is poor? So what if he's as ugly as a rat? You're not the who's going to suffer all of them, so shut up." Eliza rolled her eyes and slammed the table that fell everyone in deep silence.
She crossed her arms in front of her chest and didn't revealed the tense and nervousness she suddenly felt. Another minutes was finally about to end and all of the guests, including Eliza herself, was about to go out of the venue when the door in front hastily opened, revealing a tall, handsome and perfectly built man.
Everyone looked at the newly arrived visitors, some of them even have their mouth hang open while the new man was recklessly fixing his suit in front of everything. When he finally realized that the center of attention was drawn to him, he flash out his charming and alluring smile, almost making everyone speechless.
"Hi! My name is Kate, I was supposed to be your bride–" Kate hurried to greet him but what James did stunned her.
Yes, the charming and alluring creature who just popped out from nowhere was James Craige, and he just walked past through Kate before sitting beside Eliza who became more nervous and uneasy.
"I'm sorry for being late." He didn't even sounded a bit sincere as he apologized on the guests.
Eliza who was sitting beside him watched each and every part of his clothes. Even if she wasn't that rich to afford luxury clothes, she was so sure that the brooch James was wearing can cause her lifetime salary as a jewelry designer.
But I thought he was poor?
Eliza's forehead wrinkled while checking the attention seeking aura his groom holds. He looks so good looking and the perfectly sewed luxurious tuxedo made more lLeo of a god.
She was too focused on adoring him inside her mind that she totally forgot she was staring at him while they sat beside each other. James who saw the blank stares that her bride was giving her, he chewed his lower lip to hide the amusement in his smiles.
He leaned closer to Eliza which bring her back to her own senses, "I'm sorry for keeping you waiting." His voice changed into a much softer and gentler phrase. Eliza felt her cheeks blush after hearing his slightly deep and husky voice but eventually shrug it off before secretly rolling her eyes.
He looks lLeo a playboy to her, but at least, hearing the merits from the guests about how good looking his groom was, it eventually put relief in Eliza's heart with unexplained reason.
Though his brooch really costs millions.