Chapter 13: “The height…”

LISA’S POV 

As I stood outside, fidgeting with my dress, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. My parents were supposed to be here, but they were nowhere to be found. Leo, my fiancé, tried to reassure me, but I could see the concern etched on his face.

"Maybe I should get someone to stand in for your parents?" he suggested, his voice soft and gentle.

I immediately shook my head, feeling a surge of panic. "No, you can't do that! It's not the same, Leo. My parents need to be here."

Leo sighed, his eyes scanning the crowd. "I know, but they're not coming, Lisa. We have to face that. And with Grandma here, we can't afford to have an empty seat where your parents should be."

Just then, Leo's grandma appeared beside us, her warm smile a stark contrast to the anxiety churning inside me. "Darlings, what's going on? You look like you're about to face a firing squad."

I forced a smile, trying to hide my distress. "Just a little nervous, Grandma. Waiting for my parents to arrive."

Grandma's eyes narrowed, her gaze flicking to Leo. "And where are they, might I ask?"

Leo hesitated before responding, "They're running late, Grandma. But we're managing."

Grandma's expression turned sceptical, but she said nothing more, her eyes fixed on my trembling hands. The air was thick with tension as we stood there, waiting for something – or someone – to break the silence.

Grandma's voice cut through the tension, "Let's go inside, dear. We can't keep the guests waiting." But Leo could see the worry etched on my face, and he knew I wasn't ready to give up on my parents yet.

"Just a minute, Grandma," Leo said, taking my hand and leading me further away from the villa. "We'll be right there."

Grandma's expression turned concerned, "But Lisa, we can't wait any longer. We have to start the wedding."

Leo's grip on my hand tightened, "We can't start without Lisa's parents, Grandma. Our friends, your friends, everyone will be worried if they don't see them involved in the wedding."

Grandma sighed, "Fine, but we can't wait forever."

As we walked further away from the villa, I couldn't help but feel a sense of desperation creeping in. Where were my parents? Why weren't they here?

Just as we were about to turn back, I stopped and turned to Leo, my voice barely above a whisper, "Why did you invite so many people, Leo? Your friends, people from work... why did we have to make this so public?"

Leo's expression turned sarcastic, "Oh, come on, Lisa. You know exactly why. This is an arranged marriage, and we both have our reasons for going through with it. You want revenge on your ex-husband, and I want to show the world that I can marry my rival's daughter."

His words stung, but I pushed on, "But why the elaborate wedding? Why invite all these people?"

Leo's smile turned mocking, "Because, my dear, I have enough money to splurge on a lavish wedding, and I want to show everyone that I can afford to marry a beautiful woman like you. It's all about the fame, Lisa. And if you're not here for the wedding, then what's the point of marrying you?"

My voice rose, "So, it's all about the fame and money for you? You don't even care about my feelings or what I want!"

Leo's smirk infuriated me further, "Oh, come on, Lisa. Don't pretend like you're some kind of victim here. You knew what you were getting into when you agreed to this arranged marriage."

I took a step closer to him, my eyes blazing, "I knew I was getting into a marriage with a man who respected me, not some arrogant billionaire who only cares about his image!"

Leo snorted, "Respected you? Ha! You're just a pawn in my game, Lisa. A means to an end."

His words cut deep, and I felt a stinging sensation in my eyes, "How dare you! I'm not just a pawn, I'm your wife, or at least, I'm supposed to be."

Leo's expression turned cold, "Not until we say our vows, darling. And even then, don't think for a second that you'll have any real power in this marriage."

I laughed, a bitter sound, "You're unbelievable. You really think I'll just sit back and let you walk all over me?"

Leo shrugged, "Why not? It's what your father does, isn't it? Roll over and play nice for the sake of appearances?"

My hand itched to slap him, but I restrained myself, "How dare you bring my father into this! You know nothing about our relationship."

Leo's eyes glinted with amusement, "Oh, I think I know more than you think, Lisa. And I know exactly how to use it to my advantage."

The argument escalated, our voices growing louder and more heated by the minute. We stood there, locked in a fierce stare-down, the tension between us palpable.

I was so caught up in my argument with Leo that I didn't even notice my family's arrival. But as soon as my sister, Louisa, spoke up, I knew we had an audience.

"Look who's fighting on their wedding day," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "How sweet."

I felt my face heat up with anger as she clapped her hands together, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "This is going to be better than I thought. You two are already getting started on the drama."

I turned to face her, my voice low and even, "Who invited you to our wedding, Louisa? This is none of your business."

But Louisa just smirked, "Oh, I invited myself. And trust me, I'm not missing this for the world. You're going to be fighting with him every day, sis. Get used to it."

I felt a surge of frustration at her words, but before I could respond, my mom stepped forward, her voice firm, "Louisa, stop. This is not the time or place for this discussion."

But Louisa just kept going, "No, mom, let her hear it. She needs to know what she's getting herself into. He's not some knight in shining armor, sis. He's a billionaire with a reputation for being ruthless."

I felt my anger boil over, "Shut up, Louisa. You don't know anything about him."

Louisa just laughed, "Oh, I know enough. And I know you're making a huge mistake. But hey, it's your life. Ruin it if you want.”

I watched in anger as Louisa continued to taunt me, her words cutting deep. But before I could respond, Leo stepped in, his face inches from Louisa's.

"I'm sure nobody invited you to this wedding, or asked for your opinion," he hissed, his voice low and menacing. "How dare you come here and speak to my fiancée like that?"

Louisa's eyes flashed with excitement, and I knew she was reveling in the drama. But before she could respond, Leo's father appeared out of nowhere, his hand on Leo's arm.

"I wouldn't appreciate it if you spoke to my daughter like that," he said, his voice firm but controlled.

Leo's eyes narrowed, and he shook off his father's hand. "Oh, so you decided to show up," he sneered, his gaze flicking to Louisa's father. "I didn't expect you to have the nerve, considering how your daughter has embarrassed this family."

Louisa's father's face reddened, and he took a step forward. "How dare you," he growled.

But Leo just laughed, a cold, mirthless sound. "I dare because I can," he said. "And I'll do whatever it takes to protect my family's reputation, even if it means marrying a woman from a disgraced family like yours."

I felt a surge of shame at his words, but Louisa just rolled her eyes. "Please, you're one to talk," she said. "Your family's not exactly spotless either."

Just as it seemed like the argument was about to escalate further, a gentle voice cut through the tension. "Hi, my dear ones!"

We all turned to see Grandma, her face beaming with warmth and love, as she made her way towards us. Little Louisa, sensing an escape from the drama, quickly ran to me and wrapped her arms around my waist, pretending like everything was okay.

Grandma smiled knowingly and touched our heads, blessing us with a gentle pat. "Lisa, those are your parents, and this is your special day. Let's not let anything spoil it."

She then turned to my parents, who were still looking frazzled from the argument, and greeted them with a warm hug. "Sorry you're late, my dear ones. We need to get started soon, but first, let's get you two settled in."

With Grandma's calm and gentle guidance, the tension began to dissipate, replaced by a sense of warmth and love. She ushered my parents towards the villa, chatting with them about the ceremony and the festivities to come.

Once we were all inside, Grandma took charge, expertly coordinating the ceremony and ensuring everything ran smoothly. And as I stood at the altar, looking into Leo's eyes, I knew that this was just the beginning of our journey together.