Substitute Groom: Married To An Enemy novel Chapter 2

It’s a beautiful springtime morning in England, squinting, Moriah looked at the sunlight that was already peering at the half opened curtain. Every single cell in her body was charged with excitement, she jumped out of the bed, darted to the French window and flung it open.

The chirping of the birds and fluttering sounds of their wings waltzed into her ears like a symphony. Countryside fresh air filled her lungs as she took a deep breath.

A smile painted on her face, she couldn't contain the joy in her heart and it's overflowing. The entirety of her body was filled with energy like that of a four year old child that could jump and run around for hours without feeling tired.

What made her feel that way? Today is the day she had been waiting for. The day of her wedding.

Finally, the love of her life, the man of her dreams will be forever hers. She would spend every waking moment of her life with him.

Shaun Stanton, one of the heartthrobs in London, her boyfriend since high school. Many women envied her for having caught Shaun’s attention.

Waltzing into the room, Anastacia Chen's eyes watered. Her daughter dressed in her wedding dress made her heart swell with pride.

“You're so beautiful, dear.” Anastacia said to Moriah, surveying her. Her eyes conveyed how much she adored her daughter.

“Thank you, mama. I got yours and baba’s (dad) genes, ” said Moriah shakily while she’s stifling her tears. Expecting her father to make his entrance but didn’t, Moriah opened her mouth, “Where’s baba (dad)?”

Moriah’s eyes were on the door waiting for her father to show up. She wanted to see her father who’d always give her courage whenever she’s feeling jittery.

Suddenly she felt her heart banging inside her ribcage like it was going to jump out of her chest. Perhaps it is the feeling of all brides she thought.

“Oh, that is, he went ahead at the chapel to see if everything was fine. You know your baba (dad), he always wanted the best for his princess,” Anastacia answered, but at the back of her mind she knew that something was amiss. However, she couldn’t tell what it was as Jianyu left at once when the groom's best friend Ethan Miller whispered something to him.

Anastacia was about to say something to her, but she got cut off by Moriah's best friend, Cindy.

Standing at the threshold, she exclaimed while holding her own face. “Wow! You’re the most gorgeous bride I’ve ever seen”

Moriah gave in to an unladylike reaction, snorted and rolled her eyes, saying, “Sweet talk!”

“I know you won’t believe me. Let’s wait and see until Shaun sees you. His eyes will pop out of his head,” Cindy was chuckling as she talked.

Peals of laughter permeated the room that gave a festive vibe to the rather quiet room.

“Let’s go,” said Anastacia once they stopped laughing, then went on, “The limousine is already waiting outside. You wouldn’t want your groom waiting, are you? ” Anastacia chuckled.

She walked down the villa towards the waiting limousine, Anastacia and Cindy in tow, carrying the train of her wedding gown.

When assured that everything was well for the bride, Anastacia and Cindy board their own car.

The chapel wasn’t that far from the villa, after a couple of minutes the car halted in front of the chapel at Miller Estate.

Unsuspectingly, the bride waited impatiently in the limousine. She’s eager to walk down the aisle and exchange vows with the man she dreamed to spend the rest of her life with.

Finally, her dad fetched her, after half an hour, which seemed like decades of waiting for a bride who was too eager to see her dashing groom.

Every fiber of her being was immersed in euphoria which made her oblivious to the presence of the guests.

Her joy spilling over that it radiated on her face, making it glow. Moriah looks through her wedding veil, to glance at the man her heart belongs to. But, bewilderment replaced the joy she had, seeing that Shaun wasn’t there and that the man standing down the aisle is not her groom but her enemy.

She stopped in the middle of the aisle and looked at her father quizzically.

“Shaun, jilted you at the altar” said Jianyu shakily, he’s holding back to break down at the myriads of emotions flooding his heart.

The full force of what her father told hit her like a thunderbolt, she stood there dumbfounded, unable to say anything. Slowly, pain etched on her beautiful face.

Looking at his daughter’s shock and anguish, he squeezed her hand to console her and continued to speak, “Ethan Miller had proposed that he is going to marry you.”