"Finally."
Aries smiled subtly as she looked at the man standing at the altar. She narrowed her eyes to see him clearer, and her heart almost melted. Abel was gorgeous, like an angel sent from the heavens with that white suit with no spot of impurity. And yet, his bewitching beauty screamed thrilling danger.
Her eyes glossed over the inside of the chapel, smiling at the very few guests inside. Yet, it was rather decorated well that gave off this slightly romantic air. If she knew nothing, she would wonder how the hell they manage to have time to decorate this place with a generous amount of flowers under Joaquin's nose.
"Lady Aries~!" she snapped her eyes ever so weakly in Conan's direction, chuckling upon seeing him wave excitedly.
'He looked happy... as if he was my parent,' she thought, seeing that Conan pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the invisible tears from the corner of his eyes. Aries then caught Dexter's gaze from the corner of her eyes, moving her gaze to him.
"Dani," he breathed out, worry filling his eyes at the sight of her. But Aries smiled in return, nodding reassuringly without saying a word. When she moved her face once again, she noticed Isaiah looking back at her with his classic stony countenance, then caught a man sitting behind Conan's seat, before noticing the Reverend sitting near the altar.
Her brows furrowed, narrowing her eyes to see better. 'Is he plucking his eyebrow?' she wondered, tilting her head but didn't dwell after ten seconds. She couldn't really judge how people soothe their nervousness, right? Although it was weird, it wasn't worth her limited energy.
"Did you wait that long?" she asked under her breath, barely reaching her ears. But Abel shook his head and mouthed, 'Four thousand years of existence... is worth it since you came.'
Her eyes softened as warmth instantly formed in her chest that slowly transferred to her stiff body and chilled bones. She was just happy to reach here, despite the hurdles she overcame before reaching this place. After all, Joaquin sent an entire unit to take her back, and she had no other choice but to fight her way out.
But just like how he patiently waited, Aries could say the same. The hassle... was worth it to get to him. That very second, Aries already felt like a winner. Although the situation on the palace grounds continued to grow worse every passing minute, she was already a victor.
'Not yet...' she told herself once more when her vision zoomed in and out and her head throbbed. Fighting was exhausting, and she was at her limit. Aries was not invincible. Thus, she inflicted injuries while fighting, albeit hidden under the thick blood covering her skin.
She took a step forward to proceed to this wedding; she wanted from the bottom of her heart, but she halted. The softness in her eyes slowly dissipated and was replaced by coldness. Aries slowly turned to her right, blinking ever so tenderly.
"Where are you going?" Joaquin asked, cocking his head to the side. But Aries didn't respond, as her eyes fell on the person near Joaquin's foot.
"Ismael," she called under her breath, but when Joaquin let his hair go, Ismael landed lifelessly with a silent thud. "Ismael."
"Aries." Joaquin's voice turned colder and darker, seeing that her attention was on Ismael. For a moment, he didn't know where he was the most annoyed; was it her not reacting as expected? Or that she was purposely giving him cold shoulders?
"Ismael," she called once more, treating Joaquin as a ghost. "Are you alive?"
"He is," Joaquin answered in a dull tone. "Barely."
"Ismael, are you alive?" she asked once again, keeping her eyes on Ismael's beaten figure. Although he was in such a state, Aries patiently waited for any sign of life. She only sighed in relief when his finger moved slightly.
Seeing the relief in her eyes and that subtle smile that appeared on her face, Joaquin's jaw tightened. He balled his hand into a fist, and without thinking twice, he stomped his feet towards her. Although he didn't mean to move fast, Aries was still too slow to react and before she knew it, he has already gotten a hold of her wrist.
"Were you having an affair with him?" he asked through his gritted teeth, making scenarios in his head, with Aries and Ismael fooling around behind him. He hadn't forgotten the fact that all these months, Aries had been putting him to sleep to hallucinate about their nights of passion.
Was Ismael sneaking into their room and they would make out right next to him? Just the sheer thought of it caused his blood to boil until his skin felt hot. Ismael had been shamelessly parading his inkling towards his wife, and it was not impossible if they really fooled around.
After all, why would she smile like that if that wasn't the case?
"You're... hurting me," she whispered, moving her wrist in a weak circular motion. But she was too tired and weak to even carry a sword now, so she could barely voice out her pain under her breath.
Joaquin's eyes, however, only blazed in anger. He tightened his grip, almost crushing her bones.
"Aries... were you fooling around with him while making me look like a fool every single night?" he questioned through his gritted teeth, tugging her wrist aggressively. She winced, but he ignored it, only seeing red. "Tell me! Were you having an affair?!"
Aries's shoulder instantly stiffened when his voice echoed like thunder, wincing at the pain that was crushing her wrist. When she glared at him, she scoffed.
"Yes," she replied without a second hesitation. "I am, indeed, having an affair and we had fucked beside you."
"You!" His entire body shuddered in fury, only to see her tip her head to the entrance of the chapel.
"But not with Ismael," she clarified. "But with him."
Joaquin slowly turned his head to the chapel, and his eyes instantly went huge as soon as he recognized the person standing at the altar.
Baron Albe.
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