Her Betrothed Prince CHAPTER 15 by Jennifer Brunner (new ebook reader txt) 📖

Chapter 15
Symphony’s P.O.V.
***
I held in my screams as I sobbed silently, my whole body shaking the bed. I had gotten good at pretending, but now that my mother was back, I couldn’t help but let my walls crumble and have every past thought rush into my mind.
I walked into the bathroom and looked in the mirror at my reflection. I pushed the short and unhealthy pieces of hair, which were starting to grow out and become beautiful again, out of my face. I whipped away the tearstains and grabbed a Kleenex to wipe my runny nose.
My whole body wanted to scream.
How could someone not tell me I had another brother?!
Was I not that important enough to know?
I felt nothing but a waste of time, space, and money; a bug that everyone wanted to step on and lie to and keep secrets from.
But all those years—to keep a secret that long—why?
My body went still then shook with every other emotion that flowed through my veins.
The pain—stillness.
The anger—a shake.
The depression—stillness.
The sadness—a shake.
I moseyed myself over to the wall/mirror and pressed my back against it gently, as to not break the glass, and slid down.
I hummed gently to myself, completely losing my mind.
The tune sounded familiar but I didn’t remember where it could have come from.
Well I couldn’t remember a lot of things so it was nothing new.
Landon found me like that, folded into a small odd shaped ball, crying so hard that I had lost track of the time and yet still humming the odd tune.
My head pounded in my heart and my heart pounded in my ear, but I still heard the soothing words of Landon’s voice as he carried me into the room and laid me onto the bed. He kissed my forehead and sat down next to me, drawing me into his arms and just held me for the rest of the night.
He said nothing, if he did, I was too zoned out to hear. Before I knew it I was at peace in his strong arms.
In the morning I clutched at the sheets, my hands searching and not finding the only comfort that I was trying to seek. The only comfort that I could seek.
My whole life was a lie. I didn’t know what or who to believe any longer.
At least I knew Landon wouldn’t keep a secret or lie to me. He just wouldn’t.
My life had changed in 3 different stages.
The first was when I knew the whole truth, before the crash.
Second and the most depressing time was when my life went down the slide into a slippery, black, nasty mud puddle. My eyes were filled with muck so much I couldn’t see a thing.
The third is my present day mixture of the first two chapters.
I clutched at my forehead and squeezed my eyelids from the searing pain of a morning migraine. As I stood there was a small knock on the door.
Landon came in a few moments later holding up a cerulean blue silk dress for me to wear to the engagement party. It hung loosely onto my body and had a one-shoulder sway to it, so that it was revealing one bare shoulder. The black belt was what made it all fit together though.
“What no new shoes?” I asked with a small smile.
He pulled out a box from behind his back.
I pulled out some black pumps with lacey edges.
Landon told me I had two hours and a half to get ready. Colin’s wife, Judith came to help me with my hair and makeup. In the end you could say I looked like a Disney Princess but with a little more sex appeal.
I heard the light sound of music flow to the upstairs.
I was told by Judith to wait ten minutes and use the excuse that beauty takes time.
She told me that Landon would be at the foot of the stairs and waiting.
I giggled to myself. “Doesn’t that seem a little prom/Titanic to you?”
Judith just smiled at me and said, “Let him treat you like a queen. You deserve it.
Seven minutes had passed and I didn’t want to wait any longer. I walked down the stairs, being careful not to trip.
I looked at my feet the whole time to keep from looking into the piercing blue eyes I knew would hypnotize me.
I reached the landing and Landon took my hand and kissed it like we were in old England.
“Lois.” He smiled, bringing up the joke from what felt like a century ago.
“Yes Superman?” I giggled.
“I must say Lois; I could sweep you away and take you away from all these boring people before they even get to meet you. We could fly away into the night.” He kissed me and I felt all the eyes glued to the picture it was sure to crate. I blushed deeply and I felt hot all over. “You are absolutely breathtakingly beautiful, Lois.”
“Women generally like being called by their own name, not another woman’s. It brings the suspicion that their man is cheating on them. “
“Well Symphony, I promise never to cheat on you or hurt you in any possible way whatsoever.” He held out the crook of his arm to me, “Shall we?”
“We shall.” I smiled and took his arm.
I felt out of place among the rich girls and the dazzling men wearing Louis Vuitton and Gucci suites. It was my own engagement party and yet I was being ignored, and if I wasn’t I was being compared to Kim.
Life sucks.
A man came over to me and Landon and congratulated us. Landon said that it was a buddy of his from collage. The one Kim cheated on him with.
“Hiya! My name is Liam Silvers.” Liam sounded like a sales person trying to get buyers He shook my hand. He then turned to Landon and smiled. “You sure do know how to pick them, don’t ya Landino? She is beautiful.” I felt as if he were talking about me like I was out of the room. He lowered his voice to Landon and said, “What did you do knock her up too? Is that why you guys are getting married?”
Landon ground his teeth together and clenched his teeth. “You sure know how to steal them.” He murmured through a tight and fake smile. He then spoke louder and said, “No she is not pregnant. If I were going around marrying the ones I knocked up wouldn’t I be married to Kim?”
“Well yeah but—” Liam started.
“But she cheated on me with you and you guys got married a month later because she found out she was pregnant. You thought it was yours.” Landon gave a small, sarcastic laugh. “You are such a hypocrite.”
Liam’s face was red. “How am I a hypocrite for asking if you got her knocked up too?!”
“Because you married Kim because you thought it was your baby. So what if Symphony was pregnant? I love her. That is why I am marrying her.” Landon was getting really pissed.
“That’s not what I heard.” A man from the crowd around us said under his breath.
Landon whirled on him. “Oh yeah, what is that Mr. Scavoch?”
“She was forced into this marriage.” The man said rolling his gray eyes. His wrinkled eyelids seemed to droop and he looked high.
I stepped up to stand before Landon. “I can assure you I was forced of nothing. Landon and his family are great people who I care deeply for.
“And what about your father? Is it true that he is a drunk who raped and abused you?” Mr. Scavoch saw that he hit a soft spot and an ominous grin spread across his face.
A tear leaked out of my eye to my dismay. Landon put an arm around me. “Colin?!” He called out. When Colin appeared he told him to take me up to our room so I could rest.
When I got up to the room I heard Landon yelling a whole bunch of profanities at the old man.
I smiled as I took my pills and brushed my teeth. I laid to rest in hopes that my wedding day would come faster than ever. Just a day and I would be Mrs. Landon Taylor.
***
This morning was no different than yesterday except for the fact that I had slept for fourteen and a half hours.
I woke up without Landon and a knock on the door. I stood up and put on my new kimono robe Landon had bought me.
I called out a quiet, “Come in,” not sure if my voice was heard or not.
It squeaked open a few moments later and I just stood there until the figure was in full view.
“What do you want Colin?” I rolled my eyes with a small smile.
“I-uh, it’s about your wedding.” I nodded and patted the bed to tell him to sit.
“What about it Colin? Do you not want to walk me down the aisle anymore?” I patted him on the back.
His eyes glistened as he looked up at me. “You mean, I still can even though you have your mothers new husband? I don’t—”
I rolled my eyes again. “What has that man ever done for me except keep my mama safe and help give me three adorable little siblings? Jack squat. As long as you want to, you are walking me down the aisle.” He hugged me tightly. “Uh, Colin?” I whispered.
“Yes Miss Symphony?” He pulled back quickly.
“What was it that you wanted to talk to me about?” I whipped my sweaty palms onto my pajama bottoms.
“Well, your dress is laid out with your shoes and veil. Mr. Taylor was wondering if you needed someone to assist you.” He gestured to the hall that led into an unused dressing chamber from when the house was first built like one-hundred-and-something years ago.
My wedding day.
I smiled to know that I was forever out of the cloches of Mick and that Landon would always be here to protect me.
Crystal and Judith came in with less than a knock. Crystal walked over to me, her face composed, but with a slight smile playing on her lips.
“So?” she whispered in and excited tone.
“What?” I asked, smiling in return.
Last night or the night before didn’t matter. Nothing was going to ruin my buzz. I was happy today.
I was going to be free in four short hours. “Where is Landon?”
She laughed, “Psh… Do you think that I would let him see you on your wedding day before you walk down the aisle? Creo qúe no!” A giggle escaped her lips like she was a sixteen year old girl. “That means: I don’t think so!, in Spanish.”
I shook my head slowly as a smile spread. “I love you.” I gave her a hug.
She sobered and pulled out of the hug.