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“Why do we have to do this out here again?” I ask Xander, who stares out to the water blankly while I freeze my ass off.
“Because it’s what our dragon head told us to do,” he replies ever so obediently in an English accent.
I bite my tongue to refrain from asking him if he knew who the hell I am.
“Do you do everything your daddy tells you to do?”
I don’t know why I’m pushing him. He can stiff arm me right off the edge of this ship and call it an accident if he wants to.
He turns to look at me blankly but doesn’t respond before looking away. He glances at the upper level of the deck, and I notice that he balls his hands into fists and jaw tightens before he looks up to the sky. My eyebrows raise as I tilt my head. I know that look. It’s disdain. And it’s not toward me.
Before I can say anything to test the theory, Caishen comes storming out of God-knows-where. The asshole has been sitting in the heat this whole time while I turn into a popsicle. Looking toward the sky, I pray to God, Poseidon, King Triton—hell, the kraken could intervene for all I care. But there was nothing. Nothing but the bright blue open sky.
Then I look at the man before me. He’s quite handsome. Great style. Just-fucked hair. He’s not as big or tall as Nico. Lean and fit with dark hair and big eyes. If I didn’t know better, he could easily be the lead of a C-Pop group. Still, he’s not my Nico. I might be biased, but no one holds a candle to my husband.
I take a good look at the man standing before me. As if he could feel my eyes on his, Xander does a scan of my body, looking unimpressed, and I fight the urge to fix my hair. I don’t know if I should be offended or indifferent. I wouldn’t call myself the bee’s knees, but no woman enjoys the brush-off.
“I’m not wasting any more time. Let’s get this over with!” My future father-in-law storms over, red in the face as if we were the ones holding him up. I have to bite the inside of my cheek to stop from rolling my eyes.
The tall, thin Asian woman he referred to as Delphine that day in his office struts behind him, looking as stylish as ever. Her pale hair contrasts her all-black pant-suit with a large black fur coat that falls just below her knees. If I wasn’t so disgusted by the woman, I’d admire her taste.
The men bow as Caishen passes, even Xander as he approaches, but I refuse. Instead, I hold my head up higher. I bow for no one.
“She’s not a virgin, son. But she’ll serve her purpose just fine,” he snickers in disgust.
His son doesn’t react or respond in any form. I catch Delphine eyeing Xander, but her eyes narrow when she makes contact with mine. I smile at her knowingly. An officiant appears out of nowhere and dips his head at my groom without even acknowledging me.
“She’ll do,” Xander responds mechanically as he turns to me. “You look lovely.”
I’m so caught off guard I’m unable to suppress my reaction. My jaw drops slightly in surprise, but he doesn’t say or do anything further. Delphine clears her throat.
The officiant goes on, but I don’t hear a word he says. Xander’s lips are pursed, but I’m having a hard time reading his body language. I’ve concluded he hates his father and is indifferent toward me.
Xander’s eyes never leave mine, but it feels as if he’s looking right through me. I stare back at the man in front of me looking for a flicker of emotion, but there’s nothing. Complete and utter emptiness.
This is it. I’ve run out of time.
Standing at the altar—once again—the officiant goes through the formalities. I take in a deep breath to steady my rapid heartbeat. I’m surprised no one can hear it pounding against my chest.
As the officiant gets closer and closer to the end of the ceremony, my hands shake as I sweat despite how cold it is on the deck.
One of the men approaches with a large ring box, carrying our wedding band and interrupting my thoughts.
At the end of his spiel, the officiant looks up at each of us once before returning his gaze to the groom.
“Do you, Xander Goh, take this woman to be your wife, to live together in holy matrimony, to love her, to honor her, to comfort her, and to keep her in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?”
“I do.” Xander nods, straightening his posture as I slip the wedding band on his ring finger.
“Do you, Anya Meilin Liu, take this man to be your husband, to live together in holy matrimony, to love him, to honor him, to comfort him, and to keep him in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?”
I look down at the multi-carat atrocity that is my new engagement band. I watch as Xander moves to slip the wedding band to join it. I can’t get myself to say it. Even if it’s not real. Then my eyes wander to Pria, who’s looking at her feet.
While I don’t deem this union a legitimate one, it still feels like a betrayal. I inhale deeply. Before letting a harsh exhale as the words get ready to leave my lips, a large gust of wind comes roaring over the deck. I look up to find the source of the buzzing.
A smile splits my face.
Finally!
