Fallen Apart

The large doors of the Cathedral opened as the bridal march began to play which was my cue. I walked down the red carpet that extended from the entrance to the altar in a white flowing wedding gown.

On each side of me were seats filled up with the friends and family of the Mendez family from all over the world with a few of my friends and family scattered around in the seats on my right-hand side.

Every girl's wedding day, she was supposed to have thousands of butterflies erupting in her stomach and excited to be trying the knot with the man of her dreams, but that wasn't the case for me.

All I could feel was anger, hatred, and despair toward the man smiling at me from the end of the aisle because he was the man of my nightmares. A man I still used to love with all my heart a few hours ago but he repaid all my love with lies and deceit and expected me to spend the rest of my life with him.

If I could have my way, I would stab him to death on our wedding night and flee far away from this country but I knew that would be the end of my peaceful and free life. The Mendez family would never let me go scot-free after murdering their son in cold blood.

I climbed on the altar and stood opposite him. The constant smile on his face fuelled my anger but he couldn't see the angry expression I was wearing because of the wedding veil covering my face.

"We are gathered here to witness the union of Dave Mendez and Aria Stephenson..." The priest started but all I could think of was what the Mendez family did to hurt me and my family, and there was the only way I could think of repaying them for what they did.

The priest turned to Dave. "Do you Dave Michael Mendez take Aria Carter Stephenson to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love and cherish in times of good health and bad health, rich and poor till death do you part?"

"I do," Dave answered with a big smile on his face.

He turned to me. "Do you Aria Carter Stephenson take Dave Micheal Mendez to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love and cherish in times of good health and bad health, rich and poor till death do you part?"

My fingers tightened on my gown as I turned to the side, searching through the crowd. I locked eyes with my brother who had a blank expression.

"Aria?" The priest called my attention.

Taking a deep breath, I turned back to look at Dave. "No, I don't."