The-Wrong-Bride-Ares--Raven’s-story-(Maura,-Catharina)_bibis

until the day of our wedding, or we’ll have the paparazzi swarming us.”
“I know,” I remind her. “Don’t worry. I’m not bringing a date. Your wedding day is all about you,
and I want to be there for you. I can’t do that if I have to entertain a date. Besides, I’m not seeing
anyone.”
Because of Hannah’s popularity, her wedding has been kept under wraps. Not even her closest
friends will be told that the party they’re invited to is her wedding. Chances of the news leaking are
too high, and no amount of security could keep the press away if they caught wind of a wedding
between the CEO of one of the largest media companies and a famous actress.
“I suppose it’s good that you aren’t dating anyone,” she says absentmindedly. “You’re lucky in that
sense, I guess. Enjoy being single for as long as you can. I didn’t have that luxury for very long.”
Luxury. I smile mockingly, my spine straightening. I’d do anything to trade places with her. “Is
everything okay?” I ask, forcing myself to remain kind and calm. These days, the bitterness runs so
deep that I can taste it on my tongue, but I can’t let it show.
“I don’t know,” she says, her voice soft. “Ares and I are always fighting these days. We’re barely
even friends anymore, and it’s just insane that we’re getting married. Sometimes I wonder if it
would’ve been different if Ares hadn’t been my first boyfriend. I’d never been in a serious
relationship before him, and because of that, we’ve always felt like a work-in-progress. Sometimes I
wonder what it would be like if we’d met once I’d already been in a few relationships. If we’d
learned our lessons before we got together, would everything have felt a little easier?”
I blink in surprise, unsure what to say. Ares and Hannah always seemed like the perfect couple to
me. I never realized they had any issues at all, but I suppose it makes sense that they do.
“There’s a certain beauty in growing together, Han. Knowing that everything you two have
accomplished, you did together… that is admirable and enviable. Maybe things could have been
different, but they aren’t, and you two have made the best of the cards you were dealt.”
She nods and looks at me, vulnerability in her expression. “Maybe, Rave. I’m not sure, you know?
It’s just been so hard. The Windsors have so many rules when it comes to our marriage. Did you know
Ares and I aren’t allowed to stay away from each other for more than three consecutive nights during
the entire first three years of our marriage? It’s insane, but if we breach their terms, Ares loses his
inheritance. They’re just so different from us. When I was younger, I thought it was amazing. It made
me feel like I was marrying into royalty, but now? Now it’s constricting and putting so much strain on
my relationship with Ares and my career. I can’t just take a break from filming for an entire year, and
Ares can’t always accompany me on set. How are we supposed to abide by the three-night-rule?” She
runs a hand through her hair and sighs. “I suppose it’s hard for you to understand. It’s so unfortunate
that you didn’t have the talent to become an actress.” She pauses. “But then again, it’s a blessing too.
Your life is so… nice. You have your modeling work and the prestige that comes from that, but you
have enough time left to run your own company. My career is far too demanding for something like
that. I haven’t even been able to help Mom out with Dreamessence, you know? I’m supposed to
manage it with Ares after the merger, but where am I going to find the time?”
I stare at my sister as my heart takes a beating. Not enough talent… she knows that isn’t true. I quit
acting early on when she became anxious about having to compete against me. She begged me to
reconsider, telling me that she’d hate fighting over roles, and that acting was very much her thing, so I
gave in. It was never a matter of talent. Not at the start.
“I’m sure the three-day thing is negotiable, Han,” I say eventually, exhausted. I don’t have it in me
to stand up for myself today. “Just talk to Grandma Anne.”
She throws her hands up and sighs. “Don’t you think I haven’t tried? She won’t budge on it.