Chapter 108
~LANA~
“What are you doing?” Jake’s voice breaks through the chaos as I push past him, my heart racing with determination. I didn’t care what people said about me after today, all I wanted to do was stop my mate from making a big mistake.
“I have to stop this,” I reply, urgency seeping into every word as I quicken my pace, leaving him momentarily speechless. This was important to me. I was running out of time to stop the ceremony and he knew it.
“Wait!” he calls after me a moment later, and I can hear the trouble laced in his tone. “The ceremony has already begun, Lana. Everyone is inside,. watching Apollo’s mother and Jada deliver their speeches. If you burst in now, it will create a scene! All eyes will be on you. I do not think you want to be in the middle of such a spectacle.”
I catch a glimpse of terror flickering in Jake’s eyes. He must think that I’m losing my grip on reality, just like Apollo did last night. But in this moment, I don’t care what anyone thinks. All that matters is Apollo–my mate. He’s the only person who occupies my thoughts amidst the swell of guests and drama.
“I do not care,” I assert, turning back to him with renewed passion. “You told me the truth for a reason Jake. You truly didn’t think that I would let everything happen after what you just told me, did you?”
His eyes say that he knew this would happen but I still worried about the outcome.
When he doesn’t say anything else, I sprint into the lavish ballroom where the ceremony is unfolding.
As I enter, a wave of emotion crashes over me. The dazzling lights cast a warm glow on the fancy decorations. I ignore everything else as my eyes lock onto my sister, Isabella, who stands near the entrance. The moment she catches sight of my disturbed expression, her brow furrows with concern. She saw Jake pull me aside and no doubt wishes to know what he told me in secret.
“What is with that expression?” she exclaims, the alarm evident in her voice. “What are you planning to do?”
“He lied to me,” I say, my voice low but steady, refusing to answer her question directly. “He lied about not having feelings for me. I can’t let this ceremony end with success. I can’t let this happen, Isabella. I won’t.”
Her frown deepens, anguish mingling with confusion. “So what exactly do you think you can do? Everyone is here, all eyes are on Apollo and Jada. It’s not like you can just pull him aside! Everyone will talk about you afterward and I know you Lana, you hate to be the centre of attention!”
I feel hot tears welling up, threatening to spill over. “I don’t care about the opinions of others after today,” I say, my voice trembling as raw emotion rises within me. “I have to put a stop to this, sister. I must. Because if I don’t intervene now, he will destroy both our lives forever.”
I knew this was the engagement and not the wedding but for me there wasn’t much difference between the two. I didn’t want this to happen. Apollo was mine and the fact that he had a major breakdown last night for hurting me told me everything that I needed to know.
“Lana wait!” Isabella says as she tries to hold onto my hand.
I can hear the warm, happy sound of Ms. Reign’s laughter resonating through the speaker as she delivers her heartfelt speech. “I can hardly believe this incredible day has finally arrived. Everyone here knows just how much my son, Apollo, means to me. He has always been a radiant beacon of joy in my life, radiating even the darkest moments. The experience of being a mother has been a dream come true because of him, I consider myself tremendously fortunate to have a son who would move mountains to see me happy, and I have no doubt that he will treat Jada with the same unwavering love and commitment. Apollo will shower her with thoughtful gifts every single day, and before long, I’ll be welcoming beautiful grandchildren into our family!”
The crowd of guests laugh at the mention of grandchildren while it made me feel sick to my stomach.
“Please think about this.” Isabella whispers, making sure that no one could hear us. “You can find another way to stop this. I am sure if you just give me a moment to think about something, I can put an end to it without you causing a scene in front of this many people.”
I could see the confusion in my sister’s eyes; she simply didn’t grasp the urgency of the situation. Time was slipping through my fingers, leaving me no other option. The ceremony was nearing its conclusion, and the moment for exchanging rings was fast approaching.
With a firm resolve. I wrenched my arm free from her desperate grasp. She reached for me again, her face a mixture of concern and fear but real de
her hold me back.
Inavigated through the throng of guests, their excitement about the
yet I pressed on, driven by an undeniable pressure to stop my mate change of words not helping my case. Each step felt like a battle against * Been=
Finally, I broke through the crowd and found myself standing at the front, my heart racing as I saw my mate. The reality of our moment washed over me and all the noise faded into the background as I focused solely on the
His expression is devoid of any emotion, eyes dulled as if they’ve beeperson who mattered most.
stripped of life’s color.
It’s clear he’s exerting every ounce of effort just to just stand there and follow every one of his mother’s wishes.
In that instant, I catch the gaze of Apollo’s mother; her face radiates a sense of victory, a satisfied smile tugging at her lips. It’s as if she revels in the sight of her son doing exactly as she wants, entirely unaware–or perhaps uncaring–of the silent storm brewing beneath his emotionless stance.
As soon as Apollo’s eyes lock onto mine, the world around us dissolves into nothingness. The elegantly dressed guests fade into the background, their laughter fading to whispers, white the sounds of his mother’s speech dissolve into a muffled blur. It was just the two of us. All of the emotion ! felt doubled in that moment. I knew I was doing the right thing.
Tears begin to cascade down my cheeks without stopping, spilling over like a raging river that cannot be contained.
I’m powerless to halt their flow, each drop proof of the weight of the emotions I can no longer control.
My heart tightens uncomfortably in my chest, each beat echoing as I find myself instinctively making my way toward the stage where the ceremony is unfolding.
As I draw closer, I notice Apollo’s posture change; he goes rigid, his eyes locking onto mine with a mixture of surprise and anticipation.
I catch Jada’s gaze just as she becomes aware of my approach. Her expression shifts from bewilderment to a flash of indignation, her brows knitting together as if to say I was intruding on her special moment.
This wasn’t about her; despite the significance of this day for her, I was driven by my need to help my mate. I couldn’t stand idly by while Apollo stood on the verge of a commitment that would destroy his happiness for good. Jada may be happy with this arrangement and so was Apollo’s mother but like Jake informed me earlier, my stepbrother was not responding well to it at all.
He is my other half. We are destined to be together, and I would not allow anyone, not even Jada in her beautiful, custom–made gown, to come between
- us.
I don’t hesitate as I stride forward until I stand directly before Apollo, my heart racing as I feel the weight of the audience’s collective gasps wash over
- me.
