~ I was all yours, vulnerable in the palm of your hand. And you broke me with no mercy.

Avalyn's POV.

I held my breath, standing in front of the double door opened of the church. Get a hold of yourself Ava, breath! I held my hand up in front of my face and looked at my ring finger, where a tattoo stood proudly. I was not allowed to have tatoos or anything like that, since my father hated them. But, now that I'm getting married and 18, I was no longer under my father's sharp eyes.

I got two tatoos one on my back and the other on the base of my ring finger. It was time, written in circle around my finger. 7:12:04, only avery and I knew about it. And what it meant. I won't regret anything. This is a better chapter of my life, the best. I reassured myself and walked in as the door opened. I stepped forward and looked up clutching a buqette in my hand as nerves waved through me.

I finally looked up and directly at those grey eyes. Oh! How mesmerising they were. How I want to be close to those eyes. How I want those eyes on me. How I crave to see them shine and smile in humour. How I want to see desire in them. How I want to drown in them. I was having a tsunami of thoughts but they all stilled the moment I took in my surroundings. No something was not right. It's not supposed to be like this.

Instead of flowers and brightness and laughter and smiled there was nothing. Nothing in the hall aside from empty chairs and dim lights and my groom standing on the alter in front of the priest. And my father standing in front of the right row of benches and Avery standing beside him, yet far enough. She stood with her arms crossed and I could see the anger in her eyes. She was as pissed as I was confused and shocked at the wedding that was arranged for me.

It was so bland that in my wedding dress I felt overdressed for the occasion. No, this isn't how it was supposed to be. Right? It was supposed to be bright and happy and cheerful day I would remember for the rest of my life. I sure will not forget it, ever. But not as the happiest day of my life.

I fixed my posture and walked towards the alter. Trying not to look disappointed in front of the man I came to love. But that was the thing, he wasn't even looking at me. His back was towards me and he was looking ahead at something. I lowered my eyes and stood beside him on the alter. I want to look at him. I need to!

Before I could, the priest started the ceremony and without wasting any time we were wed. He said, 'I do' in a serious, uninterested voice. I looked up at him and saw that his jaw was clinched tight. I search for his eyes to find assurance that he's happy too, that everything would be alright. But I found none. I found nothing in them.

I was standing right beside him our arms almost touching, yet I never felt so far away from someone as I did at that moment. I sighed and looked ahead. After a while the priest told Mr Agosti to kiss his bride. My back stiffened with nerves. I faced him as he faced me slowly.

I saw his eyes then, and they were uneasy and uncomfortable. He didn't want to kiss me. He didn't like me. I told myself. But then I knew it was okay. I knew he wouldn't love me right away but I was his wife. We can work this out. I can change and become someone he could like one day.

With that thought I lifted my own veil and got closed to him. I put my hand on his shoulder and pushed him down to my level which he did without saying anything. And I leaned forward and slowly touched my forehead with his and closed my eyes after a second of looking at his grey, haunting eyes. At least one of my wishes came true. I was closest to his eyes today. Closest to those crystals I adored so much, those deep pools of grey which held nothing for me. Nothing.

I sighed and moved back just as he did. I was something flash in his eyes. Something soft. But it disappeared as fast as it appeared. In fact, I doubted if I saw anything in them at all. He turned towards the door and I followed his every move and walked with him. At the door I stoppped to say farewell to my father and Avery.

But he didn't stop. He got right ahead and got seated in his shiny black limbo. His every movement screamed of grace and power. I sighed and turned to Avery she hugged my first, which was new to me. She whispered with emotions dripping from her voice, "You always deserved better. You still do. And you always will. May the unworthy see your worth and treasure you..." she released a shaky breathed to control her emotions. "Be happy Ava. And know I would kill for you." I smiled sadly and hugged her back my tight hug. "Now we don't want that. Do we?" I tried to joke and she smiled her stiff smile and let go.

I walked to my father and he patted my shoulder awkwardly. "Go ahead." That's all he said and I did. I turned around and went to his car, the driver opened the door for me and I settled myself in, after that we went somewhere I had never been. His home. No one said anything during our ride, after few hours we were on a remote mountain. Green as though the earth was born moments ago. The air as fresh and plants as clean and new as a fantasy. I looked around on our way to his home with both of my palms on the glass of the car window window.

I looked back at Mr Agosti and asked politely. "Mr Agosti? Can I get this window down please? A little?" He looked at me for a second and looked ahead where the driver was looking at Mr. Agosti in the rear view mirror. Waiting for his order. Mr Agosti gave a slight nod. In a second the glass slid all the way down and a fresh breeze touched my face and slid through my hair.

I was enjoying the ride, because it was my first time being far from my home. My father never allowed me to go anywhere aside from my school and home. I never went to the trips my classmates went on. And after an unfortunate incident, I dropped out and was home schooled just as I was used to since the beginning. It was a shock how my father initiated the idea of me going to school in 10th grade while since the beginning I was home schooled.

Suddenly I saw a building, a huge one. A mansion made of glass and wood and grey bricks standing right in the middle of a huge, green and damp forest. It had modern architecture and was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Most parts of the mansion was made out of glass. It looked just like somewhere a man as pretty as Mr Agosti would live.

The huge front gates opened and the first thing a saw were fully armed guards in black, holding riffles and other guns in their hands. The car stopped right in front of the doorsteps of the double door. The mansion was so big that if took us a minute on car to reach the door step from the main gate. Having several gardens. And modern fountains. There was a dark wall on a corner of the garden which has water sliding off it. What a beauty it was! I've never seen anything like this before.

"Sir, what do you do for a living?" I said amazed by the sight in front of me. I realized I said something stupid and looked back at him to judge the damage I've done by that question. I noticed a slight tilt of the right corner of his mouth. But when he saw me turned the tilt disapeard. "Many things." That's all he said before sliding off his seat and out of the car. He doesn't talk much, I've noticed that for a while now.

I got out of the car and we entered the mansion and the interior of the house was as stunning as the outside of the house. I was not too dark and not light either. Just the right colors. Gold, grey, black, white everywhere. The walls the ceilings the modern chandelier. Art pieces everything was giving a certain vibe. A vibe of Power. Like a whole kingdome was run from here. Like a King stood there between these wall.

There were many floor to ceiling windows which made the forest and the house one in some parts. I've never seen anything more beautiful and elegant yet something was missing. Like no human lived there. Like only duties, honor and sacrifice reside there. But no man. No human. No warmth.

I smiled as I looked at an art piece on the corner of the drawing room. Avery! The sculpture was made by Avery. I knew it was, because she made it in front of me an years ago. It was of Hades from Greek mythology, he was in front of Persephone, the one he kidnapped.

Yet, he was on his knees with one hand on her arm and one around her waist. His cheek resting on her stomach, his eyes filled with agony while, Persephone was looking ahead, eyes dead. Avery had a very unique sense of art, sometimes twisted. She made sculptures, paintings and took pics. Some of them too dark that she refused to share them with me.

I never bugged her to show me because I learnt my lesson after I saw one of her paintings accidentally. One, she hides from everyone. And I couldn't sleep for days. She never talks about it. Never. No one knows who the artist was or even if the artist was a man or a woman, because she kept herself anonymous. Yet I've seen Elites fighting over her arts. To buy them.

I want to be someone Avery is proud of. She's twenty four while I'm eighteen. We first met when I was being robbed and bullied by my school mates in front of my school. She stepped in and saved me. Since then I've been stuck to her like a gum. And after 'that' night, we were inseparable.

"Salvatore, what took you so long?" A woman walked out in a bath robe. What??? "Go back to my room." He said calmly and she did as he said. Before going she looked at me up and down with indifference. No, this isn't what it looks like right? I'm in a wedding dress for God's sake.

I rubbed my empty ring finger over my tattoo, nervous and scared. "Oh, here." He held out a box of ring and I quietly took it from his hand. My wedding ring? I was so nervous that I forgot I was a bride and a groom was supposed to put a ring on my finger at the alter. But the priest hadn't said anything.

I took a step twords him, "Salvatore.." I said his name, because she said it too. I'm his wife! "Agosti. It's Mr Agosti for you." Ouch. He said in a voice deep and dead with no emotion at all. Like, I'm worth no emotion.

I stepped back and clutch my right hand in my left as I held the box in my right. I have a habit of holding my own hand when I'm scared. I'm scared of what's to come. I'm scared there will be no us. I'm scared I loved the wrong man. I'm scared of being put aside, as I have been all my life.

"Your room is on the right, last door. Show yourself to it. And I hope you keep yourself to it, when I'm around." Oh he does talk. But I wish he wouldn't have. I was holding back my tears. What happened? Wasn't he the one who asked to marry me? Weren't we supposed to love each other?

And before I could question anything or demand anything he walked away. Apparently to his room. Where another woman waiting for him. On our wedding night.

____________________________

Us: Wanting to kill Salvatore.



Note:

I'm writing this chapter thanks to the support I got from these two lovelies.♡♡ chan2318

Chandri97

You guys don't know what you did for me. Love ya♡