Chapter 11: “Fruitless…”

LISA'S POV 

I took a deep breath and tried to calm down. I looked at Leo, and saw the concern etched on his face. I knew I had to reassure him, to let him know that I was okay.

"Leo," I said, my voice shaking. "I'm sorry. This isn't how I wanted our wedding day to end."

Leo's face softened, and he took a step closer to me. "It's not your fault," he said, his voice gentle. "We'll figure out who did this, and we'll make them pay."

I nodded, feeling a surge of gratitude towards him. He was standing by me, even in the midst of all this chaos.

Grandma cleared her throat, her voice firm. "We need to focus on the task at hand. We need to appease the priest, and find out who brought that band to our wedding."

I nodded, determination rising within me. "I'll do whatever it takes," I said. "I won't let anyone ruin our marriage."

Leo's eyes flashed with approval, and he took my hand. "We'll do it together," he said.

As we stood there, united, I knew that nothing could ever come between us. Not my family's drama, not the sabotage, not anything.

But just as we were about to start our investigation, a commotion broke out outside. The sound of shouting and scuffling grew louder, and I felt my heart sink.

"What now?" I muttered, my eyes rolling in frustration.

Leo's face turned grim, and he released my hand. "I'll go check it out," he said.

As he walked out of the room, I followed close behind, my heart pounding in my chest. What was happening now? Was it another sabotage attempt?

We walked out into the courtyard, and I gasped at the sight before me. Marcus, the troublesome person who had been a rival to Leo, was standing in the center of the courtyard, a smug look on his face.

"You think you've won," he sneered, his eyes fixed on Leo. "But you haven't. This is just the beginning."

Leo's eyes narrowed, and he took a step forward. "What do you mean?" he growled.

Marcus just laughed, a cold, calculating sound. "You'll find out soon enough," he said, and turned to walk away.

As we walked back into the house, I could feel the tension building up inside me. We had to appease the priest, and fast, before things got any worse. Leo seemed to sense my anxiety, and he took my hand in his, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"Let's get ready," he said, his voice calm and steady. "We'll go see the priest and sort this out once and for all."

I nodded, taking a deep breath. We walked into our bedroom, and I began to change out of my wedding dress, my hands shaking slightly as I fumbled with the buttons. Leo helped me, his fingers brushing against mine as he undid the delicate fastenings.

As I slipped into a simple white blouse and a long skirt, Leo changed into a pair of dark trousers and a crisp white shirt. We looked at each other, and I felt a sense of determination wash over me. We were in this together, and we would face whatever came our way as a team.

Grandma was waiting for us in the living room, her face set in a firm expression. "I'll come with you," she said, her voice brooking no argument.

We nodded, and the three of us set out into the bright sunlight. The air was thick with the scent of blooming flowers and fresh earth, but I couldn't enjoy it. My mind was focused on the task ahead.

As we walked through the winding streets, I could feel the weight of the community's eyes upon us. They knew what had happened at the wedding, and they were waiting to see how we would react.

The priest's house loomed ahead, its tall spires reaching towards the sky like giant's fists. We walked up the path, our footsteps echoing off the stone walls.

Inside, the priest was waiting for us, his face stern and unyielding. "So, you've come to apologize," he said, his voice dripping with disdain.

Leo stepped forward, his eyes locked on the priest. "We've come to make things right," he said, his voice firm. "We know what happened at the wedding was unacceptable, and we're willing to do whatever it takes to make it right."

The priest snorted, his expression unimpressed. "You think a simple apology will suffice?" he sneered. "You've committed sacrilege, and now you must pay the price."

I felt a surge of fear, but Leo's hand on mine kept me steady. We would get through this, together.

"What do you want us to do?" Leo asked, his voice calm.

The priest's eyes glinted with triumph. "I want you to perform a ritual of purification," he said. "And I want you to do it now."

I felt a shiver run down my spine as the priest led us to a small room deep in the heart of the house. The air was thick with incense, and the walls were lined with strange symbols that seemed to pulse with a malevolent energy.

But I didn't hesitate. I knew what I had to do. I took a deep breath, and began the ritual, my voice chanting the ancient words as Leo and Grandma watched, their faces set in determination.

As we finished, the priest nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "It's done," he said. "But remember, this is only the beginning. You've still got to find out who sabotaged your wedding, and make them pay."

I nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. We'd done it. We'd appeased the priest, and now we could focus on finding out who had tried to destroy our happiness.

But as we walked out of the house, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched, that unblinking eyes were trained on us, waiting for us to make our next move.

We went back home and I was surprised to see that my parents had not gone yet, my parents and Louisa were still there, sitting in the living room, their faces turned towards us like expectant masks. I didn't want to deal with them, not now, not after everything that had happened.

I walked past them, my eyes fixed on the floor, my heart heavy with suspicion. They were suspects, every single one of them. I couldn't trust them, not anymore.

"Lisa, where are you going?" my mother called out, her voice sweet and innocent.

I didn't answer. I just kept walking, my feet carrying me to the safety of my bedroom. I locked the door behind me, leaning against it as if to barricade myself from the world outside.

Leo followed me, his eyes questioning, but I just shook my head. I didn't want to talk, not yet. I needed time to think, to process everything that had happened.

I walked over to the window, staring out at the garden below. The flowers were blooming, the trees swaying gently in the breeze. It was a peaceful scene, but I couldn't enjoy it. My mind was too busy, too caught up in the events of the day.

I heard a knock at the door, soft and tentative. "Lisa, can I come in?" It was Leo.

I nodded, even though he couldn't see me. The door opened, and he slipped inside, his eyes fixed on me with concern.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked, his voice low and gentle.

I shook my head, feeling a lump form in my throat. I didn't know if I was okay. I didn't know anything anymore.

Leo walked over to me, his arms wrapping around me like a warm embrace. "We'll get through this," he whispered. "Together."

I nodded, feeling a sense of gratitude towards him. He was my rock, my safe haven. I didn't know what I would do without him.

We stood there for a long time, holding each other, the tension between us slowly dissipating. Finally, I pulled back, my eyes locked on his.

"We need to talk," I said, my voice firm.

Leo nodded, his eyes questioning. "About what?"

"About what happened today," I said. "About who could have done it."

Grandma's voice echoed from the living room, warm and inviting. "Please, stay for dinner. We have a lot to discuss."

I felt a surge of annoyance, but Leo's hand on mine kept me calm. We walked back into the living room, where my parents and Louisa were still seated, their faces expectant.

Grandma smiled, her eyes twinkling. "I've asked your parents to stay, Lisa. We need to talk about what happened today."

I nodded, I knew we had to discuss it, but I didn't want to.

Dinner was a tense affair, the conversation stilted. My parents and Louisa seemed subdued, their eyes darting towards us with a mixture of guilt and defiance.

Grandma, however, was her usual self, warm and gracious. She chatted about everything and nothing, trying to lighten the mood.

But I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. I knew that we were all thinking about the same thing - the sabotage, the accusations, the suspicions.

As we finished dinner, Grandma leaned forward, her eyes serious. "We need to talk about what happened today," she said, her voice firm.

My parents and Louisa exchanged nervous glances, but Grandma continued, undeterred. "We need to find out who did this, and why."

The room fell silent, the tension palpable. I knew that we were all thinking the same thing - who could have done this? And why?

Grandma's eyes locked onto mine, her gaze piercing. "Lisa, do you have any idea who could have done this?"

I shook my head, feeling a surge of fear. I didn't know, but I knew I had to find out.