1 Wedding day

'They said first love is impossible to forget.'

'They say first love casts a spell on our heart.'

'They couldn't be more right about it.'

And Desiree knew it well, even if she couldn't admit it to herself. Deep down, she knew that her heart forever belonged to one man since the first day she met him. She was irrevocably gone, marked, and given away. Riven was the one and only whose she belonged to.

Riven was the most handsome, cold, smart, wise and diligent man Desiree had ever met. But all those good features were hidden beneath an impassive face.

Desiree was the only one who had access to the deepest vulnerable hidden side of him, just for a fraction of an instant. Still, as soon as she caught a glimpse of who he truly was, as soon as he let his walls down for her, he retraced back and clammed up, walking away from her as if she meant nothing.

As if 'they' never existed. 

Just like that, she was left with a sour taste in her mouth and a broken heart to carry. 

She thought she would never see him again, but destiny always played its cards as it pleased, and gave their love a second chance.

Desiree had changed now already 10 different dresses, but not to appear beautiful at her sister's wedding. At least, that wasn't the primary reason. The motive behind her desperate search for the right dress was that she knew her first one, her only love, her beautiful excruciating love, would be there. 

Because he was the goddamn brother of her sister's fiancee.

Her heart skipped a beat. Would Riven still take her breath away? Would he still make her soul die and be reborn with his mere presence?

"Desiree?? Are you ready?"

Her sister bumped in the room.

"Oh, you changed your dress again. What's up with you today?! I had never seen you change so many dressed in all your life! Haha, you're gorgeous, anyways. I like this one."

"I .. I am not sure. Maybe the first one is better, though." Desiree replied, perplexed, she glanced at the reflection in the mirror and her lips pursed. Her forehead frowned, "yes I don't like this one."

Desiree wondered if she was still worth of Riven's attention now. They had split years ago, and she had never heard of him since that day.

Although, her mind spent every day and night wondering where he was and how he was doing.

How shameful of her to care more about a guy she spent the summer with rather than her sister's wedding, but she couldn't help herself.

"Oh my! I had never seen you like this. Are you keeping something from me huh?"

Desiree immediately shook her head. She knew her sister enough to know she would harass her with questions if she learned of the relationship she shared with her boyfriend's brother.

The big difference between Desiree and Riven was that he was her first, but she was just one of his many.

Just one of the decades of names he had in his list of conquests. Because his ability was breaking hearts and making people fall for him, and even if she hated to admit it, she was just the exception that proves the rule.

And she wished she wasn't. But the heart wanted what it wanted.

His charm was impossible to handle, even for her and she could do nothing but give herself fully to that love.

She changed the dress one last time before she decided she would either choose that one or not choose any and never step out of that changing room.

She put her gold earrings on, the ones she wore when she met Riven, and she tied her hair up, in a long elegant raffinate and daisy braid.

'I almost look decent' she thought to herself.

She fixed one last time her dress's braces and the folds of her skirt before finally walking out.

Desiree checked on her sister, she was already dressed up and looked just as flawless and beautiful as she was.

The blonde hair of her sister, long and straight as silk, her gorgeous face, adorned with freckles and stunning emerald eyes. Desiree couldn't compete with that. Her sister didn't need to change her dresses as many times as her because she would slay any piece of clothing. She was the kind of girl who was naturally effortlessly pretty.

Desiree, on the other hand, always underestimated herself and felt like she lived in the shadow of her sister her entire life. Shining only thanks to the reflection of Sophia's light. 

"You're beautiful,"

Desiree commented smiling and staring at her stunning sister. She looked like a princess in that long mermaid wedding dress, showing off her majestic body and emphasizing her curves.

Sophia hugged Desiree, "thank you!" Her eyes filled with tears of commotion, "I can't believe I'm getting married."

"I know!" Desiree replied, "you have always been the one who claimed she didn't believe in weddings and fairytales and look at you now!"

"I never thought I would love someone this much but what can I say? I had fallen completely in love with Damian and I can't help it." 

"You deserve all the love and happiness in this world and I'm sure Damian would give that to you." 

"I'm sure too. However, he said that some of his friends are single and you know what they say.." she winked, "single and ready to mingle. Maybe you could take them up on that."

"What? No!" Desiree immediately answered shaking her head just at the thought.

"Well. He said they are good guys and handsome so why not try meeting them? You have to get to know them anyways since I'll spend much time with him and his friends."

"I'll see." She gave up, rolling her eyes at the sky, the only person she wanted to get to know better was Riven. The one who never left her brain since the day she met him.

The bride's family gathered in five different limousines to reach the church at the same time. The atmosphere was chaotic and the tension palpable. They were worried Sophia would have some sort of remorse or rethinking so everyone was flipping out on their own.

Everyone except Desiree. She had her own concerns and, although her sister was probably the most important person in her life, she couldn't avert her mind from the thought of meeting Riven. 

Her heart already exploded and cracked at the thought of seeing him again while she looked at the entrance of the church. Her chest tightened. Would he remember her? Would he still feel the same feelings for her? Were those emotions even real or just one-sided? Or was she just one of the many women he had? 

She took a deep breath.

"We shall go," her mother said, nodding at Desiree. "Damian just texted me, all his guests have arrived." 

That was when her chest tightened even more and her vision blurred for a second.

Her fingers trembled. She was going to see him again. After 5 years, the one and only man she had ever loved.

He was standing right there, just a hundred meters away.

"Desiree. Did you hear me? You are pale, are you alright? You have to do something with this anxiety of yours, Desiree. You can't be this agitated. It's your sister's wedding not yours!" her mother rebuked with her useless tactless manners. 

Not minding her daughter's distress, she hurried to get out of the car and slammed the door close.

Desiree walked down as well, the ground under her feet seemed to move and curve, but she squeezed her eyes and clenched her fists, ordering herself to snap out of it to avoid ruining her sister's day.

Oh, how she wished anyone of them knew what happened between her and Riven. Maybe they would understand her, or at least support her, instead of discrediting her like her mother. But deeply down she knew that her feelings were too strong and fragile to be exposed to the world.

She swallowed the gum in her throat and gathered all the strength in her body. Just then, she nodded to her mother, who was impatiently waiting for her, tapping her feet to the ground and folding her arms in annoyance.

"I'm ready. I'm fine." 

"Of course, you're fine. Why wouldn't you be fine? God, you always try to catch all the attention on you, don't you!"

Her mother definitely wasn't in a good mood, but Desiree was used to it. Whenever her mother was annoyed, she turned into a little arrogant mean woman.

One second later, the other relatives gathered behind them and Desiree admired her mother's sudden mood change. Her face morphed into a smile and her voice peaked. "hii! I'm so excited, I am the happiest proudest mom in the entire world! I was just telling Desiree how agitated I am."

They began to chat as they all walked inside.

They crossed the entrance and Desiree lifted her chin, bloating her chest as she took deep controlled breaths. Her eyes immediately darted around the room, looking for their prey.

No sign of Riven.

Wasn't he there?

"There you are! Ticia, Desiree let me you guys introduce to my brother!" it was Damian's voice.

Desiree and Ticia unconsciously turned around at the sound and that was when Riven and Desiree's eyes met.

Her voice got stuck in her throat, her eyes lit up and she felt the ground under her feet opening.

Riven was more handsome than she remembered, if that was even possible.

He lifted his hand to shake's Desiree's, "nice to meet you, I'm Riven." he shoved his bright big beautiful smile.