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

Chapter Twenty
ARES
“Congratulations,” one of the actresses under my management says. Jessica, I believe her name is?
“When I got the invite, I assumed it’d be something like this, but for some reason, I thought it’d be
Hannah and you. I always thought there was secretly something going on between you two, but it all
makes sense now. You were just looking out for your sister-in-law.”
My heart clenches painfully at the thought of Hannah being my sister-in-law, yet that is exactly
what she is now. I force a smile to my face, and Raven tenses beside me. “The Du Ponts and the
Windsors have always been good friends,” I tell her, unsure what else to say.
She glances at Raven and grins. “I guess this explains why there haven’t been any rumors about
you in a while. You were secretly dating Ares.”
I tighten my grip on Raven’s waist and pull her closer. “Yes,” Raven says. “Ares and I are both
very private people, so we’ve tried our best to stay out of the spotlight, and we’ll continue to do so.”
I nod and press a soft kiss to her temple, tired of this fucking charade. It’s been an endless barrage
of questions that neither of us has answers to, and I’m exhausted. I’m sure Raven is too.
She slumps against me once Jessica walks away, and I pull her closer with a big fake smile on my
face. “Let’s get the fuck out of here,” I tell her.
She grins at me so cheerfully that even I’m deceived for a moment. “Gladly,” she snaps, smiling
brightly.
I chuckle. I can’t help it. “This is fucking ridiculous, but let’s put on our last act of the night,” I tell
her, before bending down and lifting her into my arms. Cheers erupt around us as I carry her away,
both of us smiling the way that’s expected of us.
There’s a limousine waiting for us, and I carefully put Raven down in front of it. The relieved
sigh that escapes her lips grates on me. I suppose a small part of me wishes that she didn’t hate every
second of today, of marrying me.
I hold the door open for her, and she freezes for a moment before getting in. It isn’t until I join her
that I understand her reaction. Grandma is sitting in the car, her arms crossed and a deceptively serene
smile on her face.
“Raven Windsor,” she says. “Welcome to the family.”
Raven tenses and nods. She’s smiling the way she did throughout the day, but I notice the way her