CHAPTER THREE – I DO
426 Words
The heavy double doors creaked open, and Elena took a shaky breath.
The grand wedding hall fell into a hush. All eyes turned.
She walked in slowly, as though her body moved before her mind caught up. The veil hid most of her face, but not the nerves in her posture. Her mother had gone all out to choose this wedding attire for her. She gripped the bouquet tightly like her life depended on it and with uncertain steps, she continued down the aisle.
The hall was full of sparkles. Diamond chandeliers, marble floors, flowers lining the aisle. It was truly beautiful. Perfect. But it felt cold.
She hadn't seen him. Not once.
She had been brought to the Gold estate a few days ago and was shown her room with no explanations, no meetings. Just silence and waiting.
Now, she was walking toward a stranger.
And he was waiting at the altar like a statue carved from shadows.
Leonardo Gold.
Tall. Still. Unreadable in a flawless black suit.
But as she stepped closer, his eyes met hers through the veil.
And everything slowed.
He didn’t smile. He didn’t move. But there was something in his eyes—something steady and sharp and full of quiet fire.
Did he just look at her?
He looked at her.
Really looked at her.
Not like the forgotten Bellini daughter. Not like a political bride.
He looked at her like she mattered.
Like she was someone.
And it shook her more than the silence in the room.
She stopped in front of him, her knees trembling just enough to feel, and the priest began the ceremony.
All she could hear was the sound of her heartbeat—and the quiet hum of tension between them.
Time for the vows.
“Do you Leonardo Gold take Elena Bellini to be your lawfully wedded wife.”
“I do,” he said, calm and sure without any hesitation. The words dropped into her chest like a promise she wasn’t expecting.
“Do you Elena Bellini take Leonardo Gold to be your lawfully wedded husband”.
Her lips parted slowly. “I do.”
No kiss followed. No soft touch or warm smile.
Just a silent pause. And his gaze.
Warm, steady, grounding.
They turned to face the crowd as husband and wife, but as they walked back down the aisle together,she realized something, it didn’t feel like she had just married a stranger.
She felt like—for the first time—someone had seen her.
And it was him.
- Writer
