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Nancy stared at her reflection standing in front of the mirror. It was after a long time she had lipstick on her lips. The red lipstick matched the red flowers in her hand. It was the same arm that was plastered. Her arm was hidden under the long veil strategically. Only her left hand was free.

The staff spoke to her only if needed and seemed to be careful around her. Nancy too didn't talk to them except for the time to tell them if her hand was fine. Her feet hand chain around it. She could only take a step too little. An old lady from the staff had the key and she was the one who changed the position of her chain.

Nancy hadn't taken a single step out and didn't know what was awaiting her. She hasn't seen anyone making a noise around the house. Yet, how careful they were in taking care of her attire she could tell they were expecting guests. Her dress was heavy to the point it could hide her chains and no one would even hear the sound.

A guard walked in and asked the staff. "Is the lady ready?"

Everyone stared at her and Nancy bit her lip before nodding her head and managed. "I am,"

Damon was standing next to Robert who had been told yesterday that Damon would be marrying but who was the girl? He didn't care. He couldn't care as long as he didn't have to make an embarrassing call to all of the notorious bloodlines and their representatives about the cancellation of the wedding. The wedding was a serious event for such families. None of Damon's failed marriages was rumoured to be failed. In an official document, his first wife met a tragic car accident while the second took a bullet for him. Only most of his city knew the truth about his previous wives.

Robert caught Damon smiling and was amused. As far as he knew he couldn't be smiling until he avenged his unfaithful lover. Then, what was the reason behind his smile? Robert was positive he would have known if they had caught Aria and her lover. But he hadn't heard any such news. Then, it made him recall the sister they were interrogating. Robert wondered if that sister of Ken had given them any leads. For a moment he wanted to ask but then abstained thinking it could ruin Damon's will.

Damon seemed somehow collected. And, Robert wanted to say it was because he cared what other people think of him but no. He won't think twice before throwing a tantrum in front of all these powerful people. He was as crazy as the other few people present here.

Finally, the preacher who had travelled from Vatican City arrived. He was the one who was mostly called to officiate the weddings of such elite families. He had his own set of guards in his car.

He was escorted by Damon as the custom demanded of him. The marriage officiated under this post was never had an option of divorce. It only resolves with one party dying and prohibits any female from remarrying even after the death of her husband.

"I am sure it is not the last time I am coming for your wedding." Jacob, the priest greeted.

"I won't argue this time." Damon passed a smile and walked beside him. The priest shook his head while congratulating him and was escorted to the venue now. A few other men nodded to him and the priest knew almost everyone's name or their father's.

The beautiful venue in the back garden had around fifty tables. Given the cold winter most of the women had heavy fur dresses or robes on. Every female guest had stones in their neck as heavy as a pebble. And, the fingers showed the big stones too. From their clips to the pruses everything had diamonds or rare jewles. Their gifts for the bride and groom weren't any less.

Someone passed Robert with the golden wine and he stopped the person to get a glass for the priest. Priest smiled at him and asked, "Where's Selena?" Robert smiled and called for Selena. "Honey?"

"Hello Jacob," Selena greeted the priest who was quick to add "I heard you birth a daughter. What a coincidence only six months ago Thornton had a baby boy. What do you say we make a holy pact..." Damon smiled looking at Selena's scoff but Robert was quick to add. "We will think about it."

Selena passed a horrified look to Robert to which the priest added. "Tell your wife Robert. It will only get your daughter more protection and status..."

"That she would never need. I am her uncle if you are forgetting." Robert gestured Damon to not say something harsh but Damon was quick to add. "But you do give me that boy's address. I want to see how protected he is to think of my niece."

"Jacob means good intention." Robert gritted and tried to defuse the situation.

"My niece isn't marrying anyone," Damon informed.

"You haven't even seen her face." Robert reminded him.

"What? You want her turning into a nun?" Jacob asked at the same time as Robert.

"We better keep my niece out of this conversation. She is never marrying anyone nor becoming a nun."

"My daughter is never marrying anyone. I stand with Damon." Both Robert and Damon stopped to look at Selena. Even Selena realized what she had said. She had always despised Damon and nothing in this world could make her say these words. But then she nodded again. "I said what I said." More like telling herself.

"Today is something," Damon admitted under his breath.

"Fine, I see things are changing. Don't come to me to look for a boy in the future. Where is the bride? You don't plan to make us wait..." And, before Damon could say something the announcement for the bride was made. Damon trusted the artist for her attire and make-up. He wasn't waiting to have a look at her but the moment orchestra started he looked at her.

With her make-up and hair made up, she wasn't less than any socialite. Her larger-than-life dress had her wrapped in a mountain full of snow from her waist down. She looked like someone who was from an elite family. Her dress was huge yet there was no one walking beside her except for the uniformed female staff who was helping her with the dress at the back.

It was a symbol that women didn't have any immediate or even distant male relatives. Damon didn't like her head down once she was left by the staff in the middle.

She didn't move ahead and remained unmoved. The last thing Damon wanted was a woman who was intimidated by the crowd. She never showed she could be intimidated by anything. It was very bold of her to ask him to marry her.

Jacob took it on him to call the bride who was standing still in the middle. "My dear child, you can walk to Damon now. The man you have chosen to marry and spend the rest of your life with. All of us are here to witness your pledge to him. Are you ready to do that?"

Robert narrowed his eyes on the thin veil. And, then looked at Damon. That girl wasn't his assistant or Selena's cousin as he suggested. Also, she was no woman from the strip club. Then, who was she? But then his eyes went a little wide in surprise. "Don't tell me I am right." He gritted to Damon who didn't respond.

Damon had to admit this woman had gotten his attention. She couldn't possibly fuck him up here. She didn't look like someone who would do this. But then the Orchestra got into the climax and she held her head high up. It was as dramatic as it could be. And, the first person she got her eyes locked with was none other than Damon. She took even slower steps now making Damon agitated at this point. He fisted his palms in fury.

Nancy had her feet too sore at this point. It was the best walk she could manage. Taking the small steps so she doesn't fall. And, the moment she reached to Damon she looked at him expectantly. Damon too showed a little grudge while extending his hand to her as if he didn't want to.

Nancy offered her left hand to him and took a step to stand side by side with him.

"You have my feet chained. What did you expect..." Nancy whispered to his ear and this somewhat reduced the tension in the air. It gave the impression to the other guests that bride was somewhat comfortable with Damon. The most surprised was Robert. A woman was talking to Damon as if she could tell him something. As if she had something that could be talked to Damon. What does this woman eat to have the courage to talk to Damon? Let alone marry him. Hold it. How did she manage not to get killed? Damon was mad that night. Wasn't he? Robert had a lot of questions but soon found Damon saying something to her in her ear with a smile. There was no way his cousin was marrying someone he was supposed to kill.

Nancy bit her mouth and blinked under the veil. She was warned by Damon. "It is the first or last time I heard you complaining about something."

"Are we ready?" Jacob asked and Damon raised his hand allowing him to start.

"We are here to witness these two beautiful souls pledge their loyalty and duties to each other. No matter what seasons will cross them. I thank everyone who is present here. Or who came to congratulate and bless the couple with their presence. The pledge we witness, we hold high. And, these two can't take it back. The bride who is named Nancy Walter does understand it. Do you? Miss Walter?"

Nancy was quick to nod her head and replied. "I do,"

"Nancy, do you accept that you will always be less than your husband and will be subjected to him in every definition possible?" Nancy nodded. "Yes,"

"Nancy, you will kneel and be less in height to show your sincere gesture to your submission," Jacob said the words while two men held a cushion in front of her. The act of kneeling wasn't a problem for her. The real problem was her injured arm and her hurting ankles. "Will you help me?" Nancy whispered to him and Damon looked at Selena. "Help with her dress." Selena sincerely believed it was to help with her heavy dress and got forward to hold her left hand to get her on her knees.

"Now, Nancy, you repeat after me. I will never step against my husband Damon Anderson. And, I accept I will be lesser than him always." Wasn't she already a lesser being than him? She couldn't do anything against him. It was rather easy to admit.

"I will never step against my husband Damon Anderson. And, I accept I will be lesser than him always."

"I will follow his every order and offer him the rights over my body, faith and soul," Jacob told her. The body, her faith and soul. Wasn't it everything a human could have? Or someone couldn't steal. But Nancy knew she didn't have any options here when she offered.

"I will follow his every order and offer him the rights over my body, faith and soul."

"His family and honour will always come first before my previous family and its bonds." It was a rather easy promise to make. She had lost her brother. And, no way she wanted to take him back for the mess he threw her in. And, for her father? He was already dead. She lied to Damon that day about it. She knew her father was no more. And, this city was the only place her father's killer won't look for her. And, that's why she decided to stay here with her brother.

"His family and honour will always come first before my previous family and its bonds."

"I will never speak ill of him and won't complain about his actions to anyone else." Nancy knew no one could be trusted here. She was on her own. It was smart not to complain to anyone. And, she agreed.

"I will never speak ill of him and won't complain about his actions to anyone else."

"I will never be anyone else's after him. In his life, I will be his wife and after his death, I will be his widow." Nancy rolled her eyes a little under the veil. She already knew this rule of such dark families.

"I will never be anyone else's after him. In his life, I will be his wife and after his death, I will be his widow."

"I am his forever to come and will never pledge the same for anyone else." This time she let the words sink in. She will never find a chance to fall in love with someone. Offer her love and loyalty to someone who could see her as her treasure and not some game. But there was no other way for her.

"I am his forever to come and will never pledge the same for anyone else." There will be no one coming for her now. She will be seen as a married woman by the whole world now. She wonders what kind of person she was pledging herself to. She had said it with many people as witnesses. And, those people weren't just any people. Each of them had every resource to make her remember what this pledge meant and she was nothing. Any woman who tries to marry or acquire a lover after her husband's death is mostly finished by her husband's brothers or their sons.

"My little being can only offer the vows and hope that Damon Anderson accepts me under his protection as his lawful wife." The words threw her into an abyss. She was having a wedding of exactly the type she never wanted. It wasn't a wedding. She was signing away her whole being to Damon. But this is what she had chosen, right? She had told Damon that she would be the best wife he could ever have.

"My little being can only offer the vows and hope that Damon Anderson accepts me under his protection as his lawful wife," Nancy requested.

Jacob's eyes now fell on Damon who was carefully listening to her every word. "Damon Anderson? Look at the woman kneeling beside you. Do you offer this soul your protection and accept her as your lawful wife?"

Damon nodded and offered, "I do give her my protection and accept her as my wife." The crowd clapped and showed their cheerfulness.

"Raise your wife to your size, and in doing so accept her offerings. We hope that you will take good care of this priceless gift this woman had offered you in the form of her selfless pledge."

Damon stared at her for a moment before he offered his hand to her. Nancy held his hand and made good use of his grip while lifting herself up. She seemed a little out of breath but Damon only smiled. "You do realize what you are now, right?" Nancy was burning under his gaze and tried to manage. "I will try my best. I promise."

Damon raised her veil and stared into her eyes. "I will get the best of you." Saying this he held her body to him and melted his mouth against hers. Nancy's left hand held his shoulder tight to get the balance while Damon deepened this kiss to graze his tongue with hers.

The crowd cheered but Robert only stared. They looked too fine and it was somehow amiss. The other guests didn't know who this woman was. But he knew. He could see something was going on.

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