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

Chapter Eighteen
RAVEN
Sierra hangs Hannah’s wedding dress on the wardrobe door in the bridal room and smiles at it.
“You’re going to look beautiful in this.”
I shake my head and start to pace. “No. She’ll be here any minute now. There’s no way she’ll let
Ares marry someone else — especially not me.”
My best friend stares at me, her expression annoyed. “I don’t get it,” she tells me. “You’ve been in
love with Ares all your life. Why would you want Hannah to show up?”
I pause and look up at her, my heart sinking. “Because he’s always been hers, Sierra. Even if he
marries me, the one he wants will always be Hannah. It’s hard enough to watch him love her the way
he does, but legally being able to call him mine while I know that his heart will always belong to her?
That would kill me, Sierra. I’d much rather stay friends with him than be the person standing between
him and the woman he truly loves. I don’t want to be a replacement, a reminder of Hannah. If we get
married now, I’ll never be able to step out of Hannah’s shadow. I’ll always be a cheap replica of her,
a stand-in.”
Sierra shakes her head, her expression thoughtful. “I’ve always found it so odd, you know? It
never made sense to me that someone that shines the way you do feels like they’re cast in shadows.
She’s like the moon, Raven. Beautiful on a lonely night, but cold and distant. You? You’re the sun.
You’re warmth and happiness, and the centre of all that’s good. Similarly, Ares’s world will revolve
around you if you give him a chance. I know my brother, babe. If you give this marriage an honest
chance, he’ll make you happy. I’ve always said this, and I’ll say it again: there’s always been
something between Ares and you. Now you can both finally give into it, and it’ll be the best thing
you’ll ever do.”
I run a hand through my hair and shake my head. “Sierra,” I warn. “Today is not the day for your
little pep talks and your romantic heart.”
She merely smiles at me and grabs my hand, leading me to the vanity that’s been set up for
Hannah. “You’ll see,” she tells me. “This is the start of something new. He’ll fall for you, and when
he does, I’ll tell you I told you so.”
A knock sounds at my door, and I look up sharply when my favorite makeup artist walks in with
three girls in tow. “What are you doing here, Enrique?”