Chapter- 02

The bride and her Love

The maroon lipstick glided over Jennifer's lips, a stark contrast to the pale reflection that stared back at her from the mirror.  The room was filled with the soft rustle of her bridal gown and the scent of jasmine from her hair. The maroon gown and the seamless makeup made her look elegant, just like any bride would love to look on the big day of her life. 

Her brother's voice, a familiar anchor in the storm of emotions, reached her ears. "Jennifer, Rosy D'Silva is looking for you," he said, his tone carrying the weight of the day's significance.

"Tell her I'll be there in five minutes," Jennifer replied, her voice steady despite the storm of emotions brewing inside her. She turned to face John, her protector, her confidant, her best friend, the one person who had always been reliable in the chaos of her life.  

John's eyes were filled with a concern that mirrored the worry etching her heart. "Jenny," he whispered, his voice a soft caress against the tension that filled the room. "I will be there for you, always. You know that, right?" His words were a promise, a vow that transcended the bond of siblings.

"Even at your worst, i had always been there and i will always be there, even if the whole world was against you, i will stnad by you against all odds," he promised, his words a clear assuance to her that he will not judge her decisions but stand by her. 

Jennifer's smile was a silent acknowledgment of his pledge. "This life, when it becomes too much, when you feel suffocated, just call, and I'll be there to take you away," he said, wrapping her in a hug that spoke volumes of his love and fear for her.

As she finished her makeup, Jennifer's gaze lingered on her reflection. The woman staring back at her was beautiful, yet her eyes lacked the spark of life that should have been present on what many would consider the happiest day of her life.

Unconsciously, she caressed her nuptial chain, a symbol of her undying love for her husband. A mocking smile left her lips. 'What have you done to yourself Jennifer?' she wondered. She made the biggest decision of her life just like that and now her foreseeable future remained unclear. She practiced a smile, and to her surprise, it looked genuine. She appeared to be a woman on cloud nine, a bride who finally got married to the love of her life.

But the reality was far from it. 'Love of her life,' her mind mocked the phrase, and she quickly silenced the cynicism. She knew the path she had chosen was fraught with challenges, but she was determined to walk it. she had no other way, nonetheless. 

As she walked out of that room John's words from earlier that day echoed in her mind. Just an hour before her weddind, he had conforted her, hoping to get a hint that would allow him to halt this wedding and let his sister walk away without any pain. 

isolating her from everyone, he asked her "Is this what you really want, Jenny?" He had seen through her facade, recognized the hesitation she had tried to mask. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he had asked, his voice laced with concern.

"Do you believe Derik would make a good life partner for you? Remember, he has changed," he emphasized, wanting to ensure she understood the depth of the ocean she was so determined to swim across

John's concerns were valid. Derik, the man she was about to marry, was not the same person she had fallen for in college. Life had reshaped him, hardened him, and the relationship they once shared had withered in the face of reality. Yet, Jennifer was adamant, her resolve to marry him unshaken.

"Jennifer, the Derek you knew and loved Madly in college is not the same man anymore. His life has changed, his life has changed, and he harbors no feelings for you. So why are you so adamant on entering into this so-called marriage?" John is aware of Derek's past that Jennifer is oblivious to and he feared that Jennifer is walking straight  into some doom.

John knows that Derik is never going to give the love his sister deserves, and he is never going to accept her as his wife, but Jennifer is too adamant to marry him, and John wondered why.

"Didn't you just say the answer? I loved him 'Madly' and I must prove my love in one way or another right?" she paused adjusting her earrings and looking at her reflection for one last time. The next time she saw her reflection in this mirror she will be Mrs. D'silva and that thought itself made Jennifer feel an unexplainable fire inside her.

"He will only bring you pain," John had warned, "And Rosy D'silva won't save you from that pain" his voice a low murmur of last-minute pleading. But Jennifer had dismissed the caution with a bittersweet philosophy, "The pain love brings is sweet in its own way." With those words, she had stepped out, leaving behind the safety of her room for the chapel that would change her life forever.

She had lied to John, just as she had in the days leading up to the wedding. A part of her longed to confess everything, to release the burden of her secrets into the care of her brother. But it was too late; she was now Mrs. D'Silva, and nothing could alter that fact.

"I'll be okay, John. I promise. If i ever want to walk away from this life and this marriage, I'll call you, and let you take me away from this" she had said, the smile never wavering from her lips. "And I love Derik. I'll be happy. He wasn't ready for this marriage, but he'll understand my feelings one day. That day isn't far," she had added, more to convince herself than to reassure her brother.

As Jennifer approached Rosy D'Silva outside the reception hall, she was met with an unexpected kindness. "Just wanted to make sure you're alright, dear," Rosy had said, her touch gentle. "And this is my gift for the most beautiful bride," she said as she placed a pair of diamond bangles on Jennifer's hand. Jennifer looked at her, puzzled. This woman seemed different from the one she had met a few days ago, and the stark contrast in her personality left Jennifer confused, yet she maintained her composure.

"Xavier gifted this to me when i was pregnant with Derik, now this belongs to you" Rosy D'Silva smiled, remembering that sweet moment between them. The diamond bangle she gifted Jennifer was a symbol, a link to the past and a hope for the future. "You made my dream come true," Rosy had said, her eyes welling with tears that made her seem, for the first time, like a loving mother.

"I married Derik as i love him and wanted to be a part of his life not for you or anyone else, Mrs. D'silva" the coldness in her voice made Rosy D'Silva take a step back. "You can add any justification you want, my dear. in the end, i got what i wanted" There she is, the Rosy D'silva Jennifer had always known with same dominance and arrogance in her voice. 

"Happy married life Jennifer, Believe or not, no one wants this marriage to work more than i do. i want nothing but you and Derik to live happily dear" Jennifer just smiled at her words. Jennifer wanted to believe her, atleast then she would have someone to rely on, but again she had seen many brutual betrayals to believe a woman who made her son's life a deal. 

Jennifer walked towards the stage, her saree a cascade of elegance, her heart a mix of emotions. The reception was small, intimate, just as she had wanted. As she joined Derik, she felt the sharp sting of guilt. His pain was palpable, his remorse hidden behind a neutral mask.

She climbed the stairs, her eyes locked on Derik's. His smile was a facade, but for a moment, when he held her hand and complimented her beauty, she allowed herself to believe in the illusion.

But it was just that—an illusion, shattered by Akash's call for a photo. Derik's affection was a performance, and Jennifer's heart sank with the realization.

The reception passed in a blur of well-wishes and smiles that felt hollow. As the day drew to a close, the weight of her decision pressed down on her. She was about to enter a new home, a new life, and the fear was overwhelming.

So guys here is the second part. i will publish the next part tomorrow and then you can expect one update every week. 

and what do you think about Jennifer's stance in this marriage.