Chapter 78 I Hear Church Bells,

Chapter 78 I Hear Church Bells,
♤》Alezandra's P.O.V《♤

My white silk robe ruffled as I paced back and forth in my bedroom that was makeshift into a dressing room. I’d woken up to the villa’s garden decorated with chairs and tables, bouquets of expensive flowers, and the scent of roses heavy in the air. A few guests were already here‐ some I recognized, but the others were no doubt business associates. Even a number of reporters from major news outlets had shown up.

The guest list was beyond me. I didn’t know three hundred people, yet three hundred individuals were walking and chatting in and around the villa. A beautiful home that was meant to be sacred to Jaxon and I was being invaded by strangers who had judged me from what they’d seen in the media.

My bedroom was filled with presents. Gifts I’d received from strangers. Flowers of all kinds covered the bed. There were a few teddy bears and boxes of expensive chocolate. A black box labeled Golden Hub was placed neatly on my nightstand. My best friend was the CEO of Golden Hub, a very successful company that manufactures sex toys of all kinds‐ I could only imagine what variety of toys were in that box. It was two sizes bigger than a shoebox. That gift could only have come from Katherine.

Then there was the dresser with half of it covered in jewelry boxes‐ Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Tiffany & Co... All these expensive gifts from people I’d never even met.

And not even a card from Jaxon. The man I was about to be tied to for the rest of my life.

Taking a deep breath, I stopped infront of the floor‐length mirror. My hair was pulled tight into the most beautiful chignon, with tendrils falling around my face and shoulders. My face was caked in layers of makeup to the point where I was almost unrecognizable.

I didn’t like this makeup look one bit. It was too bright, with glitter around my eyes and too much blush. I’d never done my makeup like this before. I fucking hated the shade of pink covering my lips‐ I looked like the Barbie doll I’d gotten Lucianna last Christmas. And on my robe, the word Bride was written in pink.

This was the total opposite of what I imagined my wedding day would be like.

I heaved, the air leaving my lungs in a wheeze. The girdle I was wearing allowed little to no air. With my white acrylic nails, I dug at my side. My soon-to-be mother-in-law had brought it by this morning, saying it was mandatory to wear one with a wedding dress. She also said it was fine to wear while pregnant‐ that she, herself had worn one when she was pregnant with Jaxon, and he came out fine. I was going to comment on that, but stopped myself. I wasn’t sure she’d take my humor lightly.

My bedroom door opened, and I didn’t bother to tie my robe when I saw it was just Jaxon. He was already dressed in his tux, looking handsome as always.

A particular drink in his hand caught my attention as he got closer.

“Valentino stopped by to drop this off. It’s from...” Jaxon examined the label on the nine ounce plastic cup, his brows pulling together in confusion.

“I’m not even going to try to pronounce whatever this is‐ who knew fancy Italian restaurants made milkshakes like these?” I recognized the cup from the Italian restaurant Valentino had taken Kathy and I to.

I finally adjusted the girdle enough so my airflow wasn’t as restricted.

“Isn’t it bad luck to see the bride before the wedding?” My voice was light and playful as I met his eyes through the mirror.

Jaxon’s brows shot up, surprised, before his gaze lingered on the gifts scattered around the room.

Then there was a flash of hesitation. Had he realized he hadn’t gotten me‐ his bride to be‐ a wedding gift?

Whatever that expression was, he brushed it off quickly, turning his attention back to me. There was still tension from last night.

“I didn’t know you believed in that nonsense. And I don’t think the universe is that cruel‐ we’ve already been through enough.”

Jaxon set the cup down on the dresser, the pink milk sloshing inside.

His cologne wrapped around us and bile rose in my throat as he stood beside me, our shoulders barely brushing.

Then he spoke,

“You look… different.”

My brows crinkled, my lips parting. My eyes dropped to my white‐painted toenails, then to the twenty‐plus bobby pins scattered across the floor.

Jaxon must’ve picked up on my sudden shift in mood.

“I’m sorry, Alex. What I meant to say is‐”

I couldn’t wait around to hear the rest of his sentence. I wanted to, hoping his vocabulary had a word that wasn’t ‘different’ ‐something much better than that. A part of me feared he didn't..

I sprinted to the bathroom, dropping to my knees in front of the toilet and emptying the contents of my stomach. There went my breakfast… at least I hadn’t had the milkshake yet. I’d be pissed if I had, only to throw it up after.

I heaved again, my stomach clenching as I gripped the bowl.

A warm hand came in contact with the exposed skin of my shoulder. Jaxon.

“I really wish there was something I could do to help. I hate seeing you sick like this.”

I winced, shrugging away from his touch as I stood and rinsed my mouth. I took longer than necessary, making sure I didn’t smudge this godforsaken makeup.

Then I turned to him.

“I’m not fucking sick, Jaxon‐ I’m pregnant.”

“Alex, that’s not what I meant‐”

“I need to get dressed.”

“You should go.”

His mouth opened, then shut. Jaxon straightened, nodded once, then walked out. Seconds later, the bedroom door slammed, making me flinch.

Back in my room, I struggled with the mechanics of this huge fucking wedding dress‐ a dress I never even chose. The one I did choose hung in the closet. I was told it wasn’t “traditional enough” for a wedding like this.

♤》
Onto the next chapter♡