chapter 2

After a moment of staring at each other, Rachael asked the woman, "Are you lost, stranger?" in the nicest possible tone she could put out. 

The woman eyes rolled slowly from Charles to Rachael. "This is the house of the Lord, Rachael," she retorted, still expressionless. 

Rachael, for few seconds, wondered how the woman knew her name when they hadn't interacted, or seen each other before. She erased the thought when she remembered who she was— Rachael Blade, the most famous fashion designer; fiancee of a Billionaire's son, and daughter of the senator of Montserrado state, Luther Blade. 

Her fame still didn't justify the harsh response from the woman that came out smoothly but had a greater force. 

Many people talked to her nicely when they saw her. The woman inevitably wasn't. 

The woman turned back to Charles again. This time, she was glaring. "You degraded your wits the moment you thought you could get marry without my knowledge, Charles," she stated. 

Charles remained silent, staring at the woman with disbelieve. He barely blinked. 

"Who are you?" Rachael asked.

The question wasn't asked because she wanted to know the woman but otherwise...

"Don't tell me Charles didn't tell you about me." She scoffed. "If I tell you who I am, you will wish you didn't know me, momentarily. Sad thing is you have to because I'm—" she was interrupted by Edward who stood behind Charles. 

"Not today, Vivian," he told her with a pleading facial expression, shaking his head. 

She gazed at Edward for a moment. "Because I am your mate," Vivian completed her statement, turning back to Rachael. 

The whole church went into a whispering-session after what Vivian said reached them. Some who hadn't been taking pictures or recording began taking pictures, and doing different kinds of video immediately. 

Paparazzi things. 

Rachael couldn't believe that Charles was trying to prank her on their wedding day. He was good at nighing-death pranks. And that had to be one. 

Rachael began laughing hysterically. Few people joined her. 

Vivian darted her eyes at those laughing, trying to find the funny word she said or missed. 

"You're such a darling, Charles. That's why I love you," she stated while laughing. "I guess you chose a very good actress to play the role." She looked at Vivian. "I'm, too, excited to play along. I guess we should resume the ceremony." She attempted turning around. 

"And who said a wedding is resuming?" Vivian asked, stopping Rachael on her track. "This is no joke."

"What do you want, Vivian?" Charles finally spoke for the first time since Vivian entered the church. 

Rachael didn't get why they were still going on with the act, when they knew fully well she wasn't falling for it. They were already busted. 

"Is that a question?" Vivian asked.

"Guess you heard it well, didn't you?"

Rachael stood still to look at them do what she had no interest in. 

"I don't know how much Charles paid you to do this. But you really have to take a seat or leave, now," Rachael told Vivian. "This isn't an audition for a movie, it's a wedding."

She jerked Charles' hand a little; signaling him to continue the process of putting the ring on her finger. He didn't move an inch. 

Nothing shocked her. It wasn't the first time for Charles to be dead-serious while pranking her. He's downright good at that. And she knows. 

Since Rachael thought it was a prank, Charles saw it as an opportunity to get rid of Vivian, knowing fully well it wasn't going to be close to easy. 

"What a good show that was," he said smiling. "Wish I could continue, but my bride is waiting." He carried the ring back to Rachael finger. 

"I've got it right here with me Charles," Vivian told Charles, showing the regular box. "Not another inch!" 

Charles stopped on her command. 

Rachael was shocked. She was shocked that just when she thought Charles was calling off the show, it was just the beginning of it.

The beginning of something she couldn't apprehend. 

She knew Charles very well to know when he was pressured or not. The look in his eyes conveyed tension, but it didn't matter, because Charles is good at acting. 

If he did it before, doing it again is inevitable; with a different tactic. 

"Please stop it, now, Charles," Rachael pleaded. "Can't you see that I'm not falling for it? Even a thousand or more years from now." 

"Charles!" Vivian interrupted their moment of staring at each other. "You either marry the both of us here and now, or call off the wedding until I notify you to go ahead," she said. 

"You must be out of your head to think I will agree to what you're asking for." Charles blasted at her. He stood face-to-face with her, inhaling her rose perfume and nice hair spray. 

"You know what follows if you refuse."