I married the love of my life

The day finally arrived-the day she had dreamed of her entire life—the day she would marry the man she had loved for 11 years.

Sitting in front of a huge mirror, she took a look at herself in her wedding dress. She was nervous—rightfully to the point that she felt bloated, her hands were sweaty, and her mouth was dry. 

Arranging her hair and the veil her maid asked,

"Do you like the makeup?"

"Yep, I do," She said with a soft smile

"It's almost time, do you need anything?"

She looked around and noticed that her bouquet was missing so she asked the maid to find it.

"Okay", the maid replied as she walked out of the room.

"Millie!"Jessica screamed at the door and came in spreading her arms to hug her. 

Jessica and Melissa were best friends. Jessica was loud and funny and was the polar opposite of Melissa. 

She met Jessica in her senior year of high school and have been together ever since. They shared a lot of moments of happiness and sadness because of which they were each other's other half. 

"Bestie! I'm so sorry I couldn't be there on the day you chose your wedding dress. I was supposed to wear some of them with you" Jessica whined. 

Melissa giggled and asked, "How do I look?"

"You look like a goddess! And it would be a waste to not take any pictures." Jessica raised her eyebrows and gave her a big smile as she took out her phone from the bag.

They kept clicking so many pictures as though a thousand pictures were not enough. They took pictures in different angles and poses making multiple faces, laughing at each of them. 

After carefully selecting a perfect picture Jessica stated," This will go to my Instagram". 

Still typing into her phone Jessica asked, "Millie, are you happy?"

"Yes, I am!" Melissa replied with a soft smile as she looked at herself in the mirror. "Only you know how I feel about him", she added.

"Honey, you deserve the world! I'm so happy for you. You're marrying the man you've loved for so long! What's better than this?". Jessica said, blotting out the tears that had formed in the corner of her eyes with a tissue.

Melissa held Jessica's hand and asked,

"What if he never feels the same? What should I do then?"

At this moment Melissa had a unique gleam in her eyes. Jessica could see and also feel how much she cared about what he felt and how much she loved him. She held Melissa's hand tighter and replied," Sweetheart true love is loving unconditionally without expecting anything in return. Don't worry, you have all the time in the world. I believe that you will be able to make him feel for you. Don't lose hope".

Melissa hugged her as her mind played her a memory from the past. 

She clearly and distinctly remembered the day she met him for the first time and the conversation they had. She remembered every moment in detail from the clothes he wore to the words he spoke. 

She fell in love at first sight with Jasper. To her, he was the most perfect being to ever exist and as she got to know him better she fell deeply in love with him but could never muster the courage to tell him.

The maid interrupted them by knocking at the door," Excuse me miss, it's almost time for the entrance. Please get ready."

Jessica quickly stood up and fixed Melissa's hair and said," Okay! It's time. Let's go".

"Mhm." Melissa nodded.

Melissa's father was at the door of the hall, waiting for her.

"You look so beautiful, my child. I can't believe I'll be giving you away today. I'm happy but I'm also sad at the same time. Didn't I tell you? Not to grow up so fast?" her father said with tears in his eyes.

To his words, Melissa teared up. She hugged him as though it was going to be the last time, "I will always be your little girl. I love you, Dad."

"I love you too, my princess".

"Now, now it's no time to cry! You do not wanna go in with all that makeup ruined before the main thing." Jessica interrupts.

The maid gives them the cue that it's time for the music to start and the door to open. Melissa nods at the maid and takes a deep breath in.

'This is it! Here we go!' she speaks to herself.

The door opened with the song playing in the background and all the people in the hall stood up as she walked in with her father. 

Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Jasper standing at the end of the aisle as perfect as the day she saw him for the first time.

He was dressed in a well-fitted black suit, his facial features were accentuated by the room's flattering lighting. He stood as the most handsome man in the room, and it was no surprise. His unique charisma had a magnetic quality that drew people's attention, making him stand out wherever he went.

She tried to focus on her steps so that she would not fall but she couldn't look away. Her gaze was fixated on him and so was his. This was the moment she had dreamt of her entire life—to marry the man who was standing there at the end of the aisle. It was a dream a few years ago and a come true today and she couldn't help but smile and be thrilled.

With every stride she took she felt her heart beating faster. The background became blurry as she walked closer to him and could feel his sharp gaze still upon her.

As they reached the end of the aisle, Melissa's father handed her hand to Jasper

"I leave her to you", he said and walked down. Jasper gave him a slight nod indicating that he understood what he meant.

Now that they were standing right in front of each other she was too nervous to even look at him when the priest spoke. She swallowed at the intensity of the gaze she felt on her and her breathing picked up a quick pace as she stood there.

"I now pronounce you as husband and wife". 

The words 'husband and wife' felt surreal. Melissa was filled with happiness. This was what she wanted to be—his wife! To be loved by him was all she wanted and she was a step closer to that. 

They walked down the aisle and the crowd cheered for them and showered them with flower petals and congratulated them. 

They got into the car that would take them to the reception hall. 

There were no words exchanged between them when they were in the car. Jasper was busy on his tablet scrolling and reading some emails. He seemed annoyed at the amount of time wasted at the wedding instead of working. Melissa read the look on his face and also the atmosphere in the car and chose not to speak. She just sat in silence stealing glances at him every now and then.

They reached the wedding reception and the food and the cake were served. Friends and family came to congratulate them individually. 

"I now invite our newlyweds to conclude this party with their first dance together as a couple", the DJ announced followed by a loud cheer from the crowd.

"We don't have to do it if you're not comfortable", Melissa said to Jasper.

"It's not like I have a choice," Jasper replied with a resigned tone. He rose from his seat and extended his hand, inviting her to dance. She understood that his interest wasn't in her or the dance, but rather a response to the crowd's expectations. Nevertheless, she felt a momentary happiness in sharing this dance with him, even if it was just to please the crowd. She pursed her lips and placed her hand in his, ready to dance.

The dance floor glowed as beams of light shot out from the rotating lights in the ceiling. 

As Melissa looked up at Jasper while they danced, her heart began to pound in her chest. The lighting in the room accentuated his facial features, with occasional flashes of light from the rotating ceiling lights. Their eyes locked, and she couldn't help but feel the intensity of his gaze. His dark, deep eyes held a cold intensity that left her wondering, "Will they ever look at me with love?" She couldn't help but ponder as they continued to dance.

The party was over and they were heading home. The atmosphere in the car was dead silent and cold in contrast to the party they just left. 

"Thank you for putting up with the wedding and everything else," Melissa said, trying to break the silence.

There was no response from Jasper.

She knew that he wasn't into the wedding and that he did it just to satisfy his parents and also hers.

"Since everything is over now we can both go back to our own lives", she said, expecting some kind of response from Jasper but it was of no use.

She gave up after getting rejected the second time and the car fell into a deep silence.

As soon as they reached the mansion, he got out of the car and went in without waiting for her. She was prepared for the cold and indifferent treatment from him and so she got out of the car and silently walked in after him. 

Inside, she was warmly greeted by the housemaids who led her to their bedroom. It was a luxurious space featuring a king-size bed, a spacious bath, and an expansive dressing table. To her surprise, her belongings were already neatly arranged and placed in an organized manner.

The mansion was situated in a secluded area, far removed from the hustle and bustle of the city. It was enveloped by a stunning garden that added to its charm. In the daytime, the place exuded a cozy and refreshing atmosphere, while the nights transformed it into something truly magical. The starry nights were particularly mesmerizing, as if the stars themselves had descended to the ground, visible in all their glory because the city lights were distant, allowing the celestial beauty to shine brightly.

…

…

When she got out of the shower she saw Jasper taking out some extra pillow and blanket intending to sleep on the couch.

"I'll sleep on the couch, you can take the bed", Melissa said.

He furrowed his brows and while still looking for a blanket he responded,"Miss Melissa, this is my house and I will do what I want to. Besides that, a person like you who has lived her whole life comfortably wouldn't find a couch comfortable".

"Please stop caring about what I do and as you said, let's go back to our own lives. You don't interfere with mine and I won't with yours". He swept a glance at her with his dark and emotionless eyes and walked out of the room tossing the blanket and pillow on the couch.

She was stunned at what she just heard.It was the first time he ever gave her a proper response and that too was cold and harsh. Those words left an indescribable sharp pain in her chest and she could not say anything further.

Watching his back as he walked out, her mind played her the memory of how he used to be when she met him before. How could a person so gentle become so cold and harsh? She realized that making this man fall in love with her was gonna take more than just effort and it would not happen any time soon.