Chapter 25 I can't wait...
Dahlia.
" The business mogul, the youngest billionaire and business genius, the country's most eligible bachelor, Dalton Riggs, is finally tying the knot." The female reporter announced, and before she proceeded, she took a dramatic pause, allowing the news to land.
All the eyes were on the huge TV screen, my father's, Sofia's and Gwen's, and mine too. I mean, Dalton was a sensation in the country, and whenever news about him was announced, everyone was compelled to stop whatever they were doing.
" His wedding will take place tomorrow." She added, and the way her voice hitched with envy wasn't concealed to me.
Dalton was almost every woman in the country's dream husband, so, the female reporter's envy-laced voice as she announced the news of his upcoming wedding was totally to be expected.
" I guess this will break many hearts, mine not spared." She added, faking a laugh to mask her true emotions, but she failed.
I guess the female reporter represented the many in the country, who fantasised about marrying Dalton, my soon-to-be husband, and well, a foreign possessiveness gripped my heart when I imagined all the women who'd practically undress just to have him look at them.
" As for the bride?" There were traces of professionalism in the reporter's voice as she announced, and my breath hitched, when she brought up the bride part.
I was the bride, after all, and I didn't want the news of my wedding to go public, at least, not before Jason and Sofia got married first.
If the news of my upcoming wedding with Dalton were leaked, that could potentially ruin all my revenge plans, so, I held my breath as I waited.
" Sadly, the Riggs have decided to keep the bride's identity under wraps. "
" But stay tuned. We will be doing the reveal tomorrow after their wedding."
" We send our congratulations to you, Sir Dalton Riggs. " And with that, a shaky breath escaped through my mouth, and with it, came out the tension that had been swirling through me.
My identity as Dalton's bride was kept under wraps, and from my first interactions with Dalton, it was almost like I could understand why he chose to reveal it in that manner.
Although I didn't tell him, he was probably in the know about my revenge plans towards Jason, my father, and Sofia.
By announcing his upcoming wedding to the entire country, he wanted to create suspense, draw attention to the matter, so that way, when the bride's face would be finally unveiled, the whole country would see, and so would Jason, my father, Sofia, her mother and their circles.
When that time comes, not only would Jason turn into Goldville's high society joke, he would also be mocked for discarding the real heiress for some cheap social climber.
When my name as Dalton's wife would be announced, I wouldn't be just Dahlia Brooks. I was going to be introduced as Dahlia Banks, the rich Banks' princess.
That identity will by itself create a huge stir, and honestly, I loved that approach. I could already picture Jason's bitter and remorseful face when the news will finally hit his ears.
With his character, his hunger to climb the social ranks, and his sickening obsession with Dalton, he was very likely to regret it, but it was going to be too late.
I would be his uncle's wife, by then.
In other words, my soon-to-be husband was helping me take my revenge, and to say I was touched? That was an understatement. My heart was violently humming in my chest with emotions I couldn't accurately place, and yeah, gratitude was one of them.
" I wonder who the lucky bride is." I stood there, savouring the feeling of being protected by Dalton from a distance, several thoughts about our future playing in my mind, when my father's curious voice seeped through my senses, bringing me back to reality.
" I wonder which rich family she comes from. " He added, and as his words sank in, a mocking slime curved itself on my lips.
I could almost taste the greed in his voice. Even at that point, all he thought about was connections, and political benefits.
He probably wished that it was his daughter who was marrying into the Riggs family.
And yeah, I was marrying into the Riggs, but sadly, he was never going to taste the glory that came with it.
After tonight, I wasn't going to have anything to do with him anymore, after all.
Even after the news was changed, with some advert playing on the screen, their eyes were still glued to the Tv, but their minds were elsewhere.
I could see the jealous and regret written all over Sofia's and Gwen's faces. Those social climbers were already lamenting over the lost opportunity. If Sofia had been the bride, a union with the famous Riggs would have permanently changed their lives, after all.
Well, since they were distracted, I took the stairs, heading towards my bedroom.
I had some packing to do. After twenty-one years of staying in Goldville, I was about to relocate to the Capital, and I wanted to sever all ties with the place that had been my home for the first twenty years of my life.
After a few hours of sorting and grouping, I stood in the middle of the room with just a medium-sized suitcase, and in it was everything that I needed to carry.
Well, those were just documents, notebooks and tolentries.
I didn't intend to carry the baggage of my past to my future. I intended to leave behind anything that even remotely reminded me of my life with my Dad and Jason, and that included shoes, clothes, and jewelleries.
Besides, it was not like any of the clothes that filled my walk in closet were to my liking..They were all clothes that Jason had insisted I wear because they were in line with what the future Mrs Riggs should look like.
They were of dull and boring colours, suitable to be worn by his grandmother, even.. I had worn them, not because I liked them, but because I had been too eager to please. But now, now that I was intending to live my life fully, why would I carry those with me?
After making sure that everything was in order, I stepped into the shower, took a long and relaxing bath, and by the time I was coming out, my eyelids were already heavy.
I intended to sleep early, the next day was the day I became Dalton's wife, after all.
Surprisingly, I had slept pretty well, and I was only stirred to reality by the ringing of my phone.
It was around four in the morning.
I had probably slept for over six hours.
Well, all traces of asleep vanished from my eyes as I stared at the caller id.
It was Dalton, and my heart skipped double beats from just staring at his display picture.
" Did I wake you up?" Deep and magnetic, his voice seeped through my senses, and every nerve in my body tickled with a sensation so foreign I couldn't accurately name.
That damn voice! I would give anything, my soul included, just to wake up to the sound of it every morning, for the rest of my life..
" Well, I am fully awake, now." After seconds of trying to compose myself, these words finally escaped past my lips.
Everything I felt for Dalton was confusing, you know? In the past, I used to think I was in love with Jason, but after my encounter with Dalton, I was convinced that whatever I thought I felt for Jason wasn't love.
What I felt for Dalton was love. The heartbeats, the butterflies fluttering softly in my stomach, the heated air between us, the way my body reacted to his touch, those were things I hadn't felt for Jason.
" I am looking forward to putting my ring on your finger, Miss Banks." Deep, possessive, and husky, his voice cut through the air, and my mind went foggy as the air left my lungs.
" Wrap things from your end earlier. "
" I will come to pick you up two hours before the time."