Chapter 104 — A New Bond for a New Life
"I've been good, Lyyana, really good. Congratulations, I hope you are always happy." Lyyana smiled happily, her eyes looking teary. "Don't cry, your makeup is expensive, haha!" said Sarah, laughing at her friend.
"Where have you been, Sarah?"
Sarah gave a thin smile. "A lot has happened, Lyyana. I don't want to spoil your happy day with my sad stories. Now—"
Knock, knock, knock.
"Excuse me, the wedding is about to start, Lyyana," Amber informed according to Petra's instructions.
Lyyana nodded, holding Olive's hand tightly. Luckily, Olive was quite sensitive to Lyyana's mood and anxiety. She gave Lyyana a brief hug and said, "Everything will go smoothly. Let's go down," she encouraged, patting her shoulder and straightening her dress.
Not only Olive, but also Laura, Berli, and Sarah helped straighten Lyyana's wedding dress. She looked very beautiful in a white off-shoulder gown with a mermaid tail design, adorned with motifs of birds, houses, and a serene countryside scene.
"Shall I close it?" asked Berli as she pulled the white wedding veil down.
Lyyana closed her eyes, trying to calm herself so as not to panic too much. "Berli and Sarah, can you help Lyyana walk? Olive and I will walk in front." Berli and Sarah nodded.
They both immediately took Lyyana's arms and helped her walk down the stairs and towards the wedding podium where she and Petra would make their sacred vows to live together. Along the way, Lyyana took deep breaths and exhaled slowly. The sound of the accompanying music indicated her arrival in the middle of the event and among the guests.
Lyyana's heart beat faster, she glanced from the corner of her eye and was surprised to see the number of guests, three times more than Berli and Denzel's wedding yesterday. Lyyana closed her eyes and took a deep breath, 'you'll be at the altar soon, Lyyana. Get ready,' whispered Sarah as she rubbed Lyyana's arm, hoping to calm her down.
Sarah gently patted Lyyana's hand, signaling her to stop walking. Slowly, Berli and Sarah released their grips, and Lyyana's heart beat even faster. She couldn't believe that today she would be shedding her single status and officially becoming the wife of Petra, the young entrepreneur.
"Are you both ready?" asked the civil registrar, who was officiating Petra and Lyyana's wedding that day.
Petra nodded confidently, as did Lyyana, who had made up her mind to embark on a new life with Petra. "Then let's begin."
The romantic music that had softly accompanied Lyyana's steps ceased, and the guests fell silent, witnessing the most historic moment in Petra's life. Some of the attendees took out their phones to record the event.
"Do you, Petra Benjamin Colton, take Lyyana Amarant Ruby to be your lawful wife?"
"Yes, I do." Petra responded firmly and confidently.
The civil registrar nodded, his eyes shifting to Lyyana for a moment before returning to Petra with a serious look. "Do you promise to love, honor, cherish, and protect Lyyana Amarant Ruby, forsaking all others and remaining faithful only to Lyyana Amarant Ruby?"
"Yes, I promise!" Petra answered again with a strong, baritone voice.
Lyyana sighed in relief. "Now it's time for you both to exchange vows. Please face each other," he instructed, allowing Petra and Lyyana to turn towards each other. Through her wedding veil, Petra could see Lyyana's tense face.
"I, Petra Benjamin Colton, take you, Lyyana Amarant Ruby, to be my lawful wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do us part," Petra declared with a serious face and a clear, strong voice.
Lyyana took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I, Lyyana Amarant Ruby, take you, Petra Benjamin Colton, to be my lawful husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to care for, until death do us part," Lyyana responded, her voice trembling but steady and resolute.
Everyone smiled with joy, including Olive and Robert, who were thrilled to see their niece officially united with someone else. Laura cried tears of happiness, witnessing her sister's journey culminating in such a joyous moment.
"Now, please exchange your rings, and the groom may lift the wedding veil," the civil registrar announced, inviting the ring bearer to step forward.
A ring with a curve and adorned with a diamond in the center, containing a drop of Petra and Lyyana's blood, was handed over. Lyyana's delicate fingers fit beautifully into the ring, while Petra's ring was of a similar design but made of different metal and without the diamond.
"With this ring, I wed you, and by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may now kiss your bride!" declared the civil registrar, concluding Petra and Lyyana's wedding ceremony.
Petra closed the distance between their faces, kissing Lyyana on the lips in front of everyone for the first time. Thankfully, Petra restrained himself from kissing her as passionately as he did every morning. "Congratulations on your marriage!" the registrar said after Petra broke the kiss.
Petra and Lyyana nodded and thanked him. The civil registrar stepped down from the podium and walked to a prepared table, accompanied by Robert and Olive. Meanwhile, Lyyana and Petra sat on the wedding dais, holding hands and smiling broadly, making Lyyana's beautiful face look even more radiant.
Romantic music began to play, setting the mood as the guests started to mingle and look for their favorite dishes. Some of them approached the stage to congratulate Lyyana and Petra.
"Congratulations, Lyyana! Congratulations on the blissful sighs! haha!" said Berli, laughing and hugging Lyyana tightly.
"Congrats, bro! No more holding back now!" added Denzel, teasing Lyyana and Petra.
Petra and Lyyana just smiled and blushed at Denzel and Berli's comments. "Mama! Papa!" shouted Garret, running towards the stage with Chala and Mila following closely behind.
Lyyana smiled, welcoming Garret. "Mama! Where have you been? Garret was waiting over there!" he complained, pointing to a table near the dais.
"Mama was right here, sorry for not greeting you earlier. Come sit with Mama and Papa," Lyyana said, shifting a bit so Garret could stand between them.
"Sorry, Sir, we tried to—"