CHAPTER 21
YSOLDE’S POV
I FEEL my knees shaking because of my fear. I swallowed. And from the corner of my eye, I saw Guilherme just being serious while looking in my direction. Even the old man behind Hideo.
“I’ll count two, Ysolde.”
I could clearly see how tight his grip on the gun was, and how his finger lingered on the trigger. I felt even more scared. When I noticed he was about to count, I suddenly moved from where I was standing. I was so scared that I couldn’t do anything but walk slowly closer to where he was standing, even though I almost fell because of the trembling of my knees.
He gazed at me for a few moments before he lowered his gun. He placed it on his desk, and he turned to face the old man.
“Let’s start!”
That was all he said, and the old man immediately obeyed, as if he wasn’t even scared when Hideo pulled out a gun earlier. I also slowly looked in Guilherme’s direction. He smiled slightly at me when our eyes met.
Later, I took a deep breath and released it into the air. Then I also faced the old man when he spoke. But I swear, I don’t understand he was saying. My mind was focused on something else at the moment and not on our wedding.
I’m thinking about Dad. Aunt Salve. How my life used to be before mom died, five years ago. And how was my life before I came to this island. God! Just because I didn’t follow my father’s orders that night, this happened to me. I lost my best friend. I lost my boyfriend. Hideo kidnapped me, and now… here I am, getting married to him. To a man I didn’t know. To the man I don’t love.
If only I could turn back the time… I wish I had never left the house that night. My heart feels so remorseful at this moment.
The corners of my eyes suddenly felt hot. I quickly bit my lower lip to stop my tears, but I couldn’t do it either. Tears flowed freely down my cheeks.
“Now, I ask you: Does each of you enter this union freely and without coercion? If so, say I do.”
Why is he asking that stupid question? It’s obvious from what he saw earlier that Hideo pointed a gun at me to make me do what he wanted.
But I didn’t bother to answer his question. And when I felt Hideo turn his gaze toward me, I didn’t even look at him, but I knew his eyes were staring at me now.
I couldn’t do anything but nod and bite my lower lip again.
“I… I… I do!” I answered, crying.
“Stop crying, Ysolde.”
When I heard his frightening voice, I quickly controlled myself, and I slowly raised my face again, and the old man who was looking at me was serious.
“Are you prepared to accept both the rights and responsibilities of married life? If so, say I am.”
“I… I am.” I answered then.
“I am,” said Hideo to be frugal.
“Is it your intention to support, honor, defend, and uphold one another in all circumstances? If so, say yes with the help of God.”
I closed my eyes tightly again when I heard the old man’s words.
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“Do not prolong this ceremony, Judge. Let’s proceed to the last part. I’m getting bored.”
After Hideo said those words, he immediately faced me and grabbed something from his pocket. When he opened the small box he was holding, he took out the two rings that were there. I was even more surprised when he forcibly took my hand and put the ring on my finger, and he voluntarily put on his ring and faced the old man again.
“Continue,” said Hideo.
Even though my eyes were blurry and I couldn’t say anything because of what he was doing to me now, I stared at his face.
“Okay!” said the old man after he let out a deep sigh. “For as much as you, Hideo and Ysolde, have consented together to join in wedlock and have, before witnesses and this company, pledged vows of your love and faithfulness to each other and have declared the same by the joining of hands and by the giving and receiving of rings now, therefore, by the authority vested in me, I pronounce you married; congratulations.”
I smiled bitterly as I held back the pain in my heart.
Later, Hideo holds my hand and gives me the pen.
“Sign it!”
He ordered when Guilherme placed some pieces of paper on the table.
“I said, sign it.”
He was staring at me, and I could also clearly see how his jaw was tense.
I let out a deep sigh again, then forcefully signed those papers. And when I put the pen down on the paper, I looked at him. Sadness and pain can be seen in my eyes at this moment, as can how my heart feels now. But in his eyes, I could only see darkness.
I DON’T KNOW how many minutes I’ve been sitting on the sofa. When he went out earlier with Guilherme and the judge, I was left alone here. I cried silently while still enduring the pain and sadness in my heart.
But later, when I calmed down a bit, I fixed my hair and wiped the tears from my cheeks and took another deep breath, releasing it into the air.
I stayed for a moment before deciding to stand up from my seat and walk over to the door and open it. When I was about to go up the stairs to go back to my room, I heard Guilherme’s voice.
“I didn’t expect you to do that to Ysolde.”
I heard him say. He was talking to Hideo.
“What do you really want to happen? I thought-”
“I want her!”
I suddenly flinched when I heard what Hideo said. I want her. His words echoed in my mind as I stood on the edge of the stairs.
“Is that your only reason?”
“I told you, Guilherme, don’t interfere with my actions and decisions. Especially when it comes to her.”
“I don’t interfere with your actions and decisions, Hideo, because-”
I can’t even see Guilherme right now, but I’m sure… his face is serious while talking to Hideo. I can feel it because of the way he speaks.
“But… you shouldn’t have done that to her earlier. She was pitiful. She feared you. You can do your wedding without pointing a gun and scaring her, Hideo.”
“What happened earlier has happened, Guilherme, so don’t preach to me now.”
Later, when I saw him stand up from his seat, I quickly hid behind the big figurine.
“I want her. I want her body… and everything. No matter what my decisions and plans are with her, that will never change.”
I felt a lot of fear in my heart again after hearing what he said to Guilherme.
Later, I heard him walk towards the stairs, and he went up. I followed him with my gaze as tears streamed down my cheeks.