LOVE IN PARIS: Married To My Brother-in-law

She remembered waking up the next morning with a pounding headache and a nagging sense of dread but the details had been too blurry, too unreal besides she was the only one in the room and there was no traces of such activities so she laughed it off as a crazy tequila fueled dream.

But now standing here, before the congregation, it all came crashing down on her.

"Oh my goodness". She cried, her hands flying to her mouth.

Manuel faced her, the pain in his eyes affecting her to the core. "Yvette, what's going on here?".

Tears gathered in her eyes and she shook her head, her voice trembling . "I didn't know. . . I didn't understand . . .I thought it was a dream.. ."

"This can't be happening". Manuel stepped back, shaking his head at the terror of the situation, his face pale.

"I didn't know". She cried and reached out to him, her voice braking but he recoiled from her touch, his expression a mix of hurt and anger as he flung her hands off him.

The congregation was now in a state of total chaos with guests murmuring in disbelief and dissatisfaction with some standing up, others sitting in stunned silence.

Yvette could barely as her gaze shifted from Manuel to the priest and then to the unwanted guest - Ezekiel.

"How could you do this to me, why didn't you inform me . . . Why ?? ". Manuel murmured angrily, shaking her shoulder.

"I didn't . ." Yvette cried, tears streaming down her porcelain cheeks. "I really didn't remember, not until now. . "

"Im afraid we cannot proceed with this ceremony". The priest , shaken and uncertain finally spoke up interrupting the duo but Manuel didn't back down.

"Was It that you didn't remember or you planned to lie go me all along. If he didn't show up today, I would have been so happy thinking I've married a virtuous woman when in reality you're nothing but a two-faced bitch. How dare you go having an affair with another man behind my back. My stepbrother of all people ".

Manuel lashed out without holding back , his gaze shifting from the quiet Zeke to the teary eyed Yvette. "I'm done Yvette. Done with you".

"No, no, no". She cried but he wasn't ready to listen to her as he trudged down the altar indifferently.

"Please, believe me". Her knees buckled as she fell to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably as she watched her groom walking further away from her, the congregation slowly dispersing.

Ezekiel stared down at Yvette who was still crying and he suddenly felt a pang of regrets, suddenly regretting his actions . The church was now empty or had been empty for quite a while save for the both of them.

Slowly, he bent forward on his knees and reached out to her who was bent on crying out her heart.

Lost on what to say , he tried persuading her but she turned a deaf ears towards him.

"We really need to leave now, it's going to be a heavy downpour".

Finally she seems to notice him and stood up but she has been in a kneeling position for long thus she slipped forward and Ezekiel immediately caught her.

Their eyes locked onto each other's for a moment, seeing her tears stricken and wan expression, he held her hands.

"Since I've taken you as my wife , I naturally will do my best to protect you and give you all you need. With me around, no one will ever dare to bully you".

But she simply ignored him, flinging his hands off her and she marched resolutely towards the exit.

Ezekiel clenched his fist tightly then rushed after her solemnly to open the car door.

Surprisingly, she got into the passenger seat quietly without making a fuss or ignoring him.

"Here". He passed her a kerchief to wipe her tears and she didn't refuse either, she sat there quietly as unmoving as a statue while he started the engine.

"Let me take you home, okay". He said and she scoffed in self mockery.

Never in her wildest imagination would she had imagined today's turn of events, her cellphone kept buzzing incessantly on her laps but she ignored it , she didn't want to and didn't know how to face anyone at that moment, with the way news spread like a wildfire she would be lucky enough if she wasn't on the first page yet.

She had suddenly become an abandoned bride from an ecstatic bride, it was too much for her to comprehend and she almost burst out crying again.

Ezekiel, well aware of her inner struggles could only blame himself but this was also the only way, the way he could save her from regretting her actions in the future.

The car rolled to a stop before a elegant penthouse but Yvette was too sad to enjoy the scenery rather she ran in and locked herself in the first room she saw.

Ezekiel rushed in after her, he knocked and knocked but she didn't respond. He could hear her sobbing and wailing uncontrollably, although separated by a door, he could feel his heart breaking on her behalf.

The dim light from the overhead lamp casted long shadow on the floor, tge house was unusually still and silent creating an eerie atmosphere.

Ezekiel was worriedly pacing back and forth before the door of the guestroom, his hair totally disheveled and his expression wornout as he held a bowl of steaming hot porridge in his hands.

It has been two nights but Yvette refused to step out of the room, nor answer him or stomach anything.

Finally, he reached out for his pockets, fishing out one of the spare keys before inserting it in the keyhole and unlocking the door instantly.

Without any more hesitation, he rushed in. There she was sitting on the cold floor with her head on the bed, her hair sprawled on the bed but she wasn't sleeping, her eyes were wide opened as she stared at the ceilings expressionlessly.

"Please Yvette, you need to eat. You haven't touched anything these days". He approached her quietly, placing the bowl of porridge on the table before her.

"You can't keep starving like this, if you're angry, yell at me , kick me , hit me , vent it out and don't just be like this". He added softly almost pleading.

Yvette stared at the bowl of porridge before her and her eyes once filled with warmth and affection, now cold and distant flickered up to meet his.

A flicker of anger sparkled within her and she suddenly stood up knocking the bowl off the table and onto the floor, it's contents spilling onto the floor.

"Why do you even care, you've already ruined me, you've ruined everything already. My wedding, my life , my career. How dare you act so concerned now?". She stood before him, her voice trembling with unconcealed rage.

Ezekiel took a deep breath and held her shriveling shoulders. " Believe me Yvette, yes I did it for myself at first but mostly for you. I was trying to save you, from making your biggest lifetime mistake. He's not right for you. I can't stand by and watch you make a mistake that'll hunt you forever". He replied earnestly.

"My biggest lifetime mistake huh?". She scoffed. "My biggest lifetime mistake was meeting you. . . Meeting you, whatever had transpired that night . . .none of it should have happened".

"Our marriage doesn't even count. . I will never acknowledge it now will I ever acknowledge you".

Her eyes flashed with rage as she stepped closer to him, her voice rising in intensity as she yelled bitterly.

"I hate you . . . I hate you . . . Why did you do this to me . . . Why . . . Why"

Ezekiel could feel his heart breaking at her words and he stood still letting her hit him and vent her anger as much as she wanted.

Finally she stopped hitting him, her voice cold and distant as she turned her back against him.

"Get out".

"Yvette . ."

" Leave right now, I hate the sight of you".