Chapter 255
The wedding was a grand affair, filled with the crème de la crème of Wye’s high society. Even without hearing their whispers, Amara could feel their eyes on her, mocking silently. Her husband, Finnian, was distant throughout the event, and when she thought about it, the ceremony was just a collage of unpleasant memories.
In the years that followed, Amara made a conscious effort to forget the details of that day to keep herself from feeling heartache. It made sense now why, when Finnian suggested they spend a night together recently, he had booked the Vera Lodge.
“Elysia and Dorian didn’t use this hall for their ceremony. It’s been empty these past few days, so I borrowed the keys and opened it up early,” Finnian explained gently, his eyes tracing her soft features.
A complex mix of emotions welled up inside Amara. Despite the ceremony’s many flaws, revisiting the place oddly brought back some of the few good memories- like the beautiful reception hall, the heartfelt words from the officiant, and the enchanting music.
“The wedding dress was quite beautiful, actually,” she reminisced, a wistful smile playing at her lips. “The diamonds sparkled brilliantly, and the train was so long. If only my face had matched the beauty of the dress p>
Finnian immediately recalled the moment they walked down the aisle together. He had kept a cold distance from Amara, not even holding her hand like a typical groom would. Guilt washed over him.
“Amara, I’m sorry,” he said sincerely. “I was awful that day p>
Amara paused, surprised by his apology. Finnian was apologizing to her? She pondered for a moment before replying, “It’s okay. You were just being yourself. After all, it wasn’t a real marriage p>
Their marriage had always been more of a business arrangement, and she knew she shouldn’t have expected anything more. Her feelings of disappointment were purely personal, and coming to terms with that made her feel more at peace.
Even though her mask obscured her expression, the twinkle of amusement in her eyes was unmistakable.
“You seem happy,” Finnian observed, curious.
“Yeah,” Amara nodded.
“Why?” he asked, a hint of unease creeping into his voice.
Was she happy because of something specific?
“Oh, nothing much,” Amara replied, choosing her words carefully. “I’ve just realized life is pretty good, now. I’m
More open-minded, and can let go of past grievances. It feels nice p>
Finnian couldn’t help but frown slightly at her words.
“Are you saying that being married to me for the past three years was miserable p>
He thought about it; being married to him might have felt like a lonely existence for her, almost like a widow in waiting.
yel
“No, no, Mr. Everly, what are you thinking? Amara quickly reassured him. “We had a marriage of convenience. There was no pain involved p>
Her heart skipped a beat at Finnian’s question. Why would he think she was
unhappy with their arrangement?
In today’s world, many women
met
would find it appealing to have a marriage where they received financial stability and freedom. As long as they weren’t emotionally invested, it was an enviable
situation. But for someone who loved their spouse, it would be a harsh reality.
Could it be that Finnian had realized her feelings for him?