The Groanings Of A Bride
Ella flew towards the money as though it was about to disappear. As soon as she picked it up, she dashed towards nanny Ruth and gave her a tight hug which took nanny Ruth by surprise.
“Ma’am please let me hug you please”
Without waiting for her to respond, Ella buried her face on nanny Ruth’s right shoulder and hugged her emotionally.
She let her cry on her shoulders for some time. Just when she opened her mouth to say something, Ella suddenly sobbed and spoke out.
“Ma’am, thank you for being a mother to me. Thank you for being my source of comfort. I’m scared I might die soon without thanking you.”
She looked around the mansion before she continued
“Ma’am, thank you, I’m finally leaving this mansion and I might never see you again, please never forget about me. Ma’am I will go ahead.”
Nanny Ruth gently patted her back before smiling at her.
“Take care of yourself Ella.”
Ella nodded and ran out of the gate and kept running till she finally stopped a cab. After settling in the cab, she quickly told the driver where she was heading to and in half an hour, she finally arrived in front of the City Council.
She alighted from the taxi with so much fear and gradually stepped into the premises. The first wedding of the day seemed to have just ended and they were taking pictures gleefully.
As she walked past them, everyone including the photographer turned towards her direction and she could hear all their whispers.
“Is this the bride of that ugly human being on the wheelchair?” Asked girl A
“I think so, you don’t need a soothsayer to tell you that” Replied girl B
“But why will she dress like this on her wedding day?” Cried one of the onlookers
“Isn’t she one of the young ladies of the Madisons?” said Gaius
“Who told you that? She was given into that family as a ransom for her parents’ debt.”
Said Isaac
This struck Pandora’s heart like a tornado and before she could envisage what was happening, her chest was already soaked with tears. She had never known who she really was because all her life she had lived with the Madisons. Something suddenly struck her and she turned and stumbled towards the crowd of gossips and the whole place suddenly fell into dead silence.
She looked at all their faces but couldn’t dictate who just made the sentence but one thing was sure, it was the voice of a gentle man. Seeing a group of three gentle men, she forced a smile and went towards them. As if she had a swollen vocal cord, she smiled and asked them.
“Please someone just said I was given into the Anthonies as a ransom for my parent’s debt. Please I…”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.
“Did they send you? Go back to those who sent you and tell them you didn’t see us.” Retorted Gaius
“That’s right Miss, don’t act innocent in front of us. Do you want to sell us to the Madison?
With teary eyes, Ella suddenly remembered that she was here for her wedding. In order to avoid trouble, Ella hurried up to a security guard who led her into the main hall.
As soon as she stepped at the door, everyone turned and stared at her. Some sympathised with her, some were those who came to mock and laugh at her, especially Maya and her crew. Others were just indifferent.
After giving a meaning to all their gazes, Ella bent her head and looked at her feet as she walked up to where the groom was but after taking about fifteen steps, Ella’s eyes widened in shocked when she lifted her eyes and saw her supposed husband. she turned to run out but another voice in her scolded her and asked her to go back while the other voice kept persuading her to run out. While she was still thinking of which voice to obey, she heard people whispering behind her back.
“Isn’t she a young mistress from the Madisons?” Said Girl B
“How can that be? Everyone knows that the only young mistress from the Madisons’ is Maya.” Said Girl A
Girl C laughed out silently before saying mockingly. “Just look at what she is putting on. And to think that her terrible outdated gown also cuts across her knees is driving me crazy”
As they continued to whisper, the disfigured crippled man on the wheelchair remained indifferent. He looked so terrifying as almost one part of his right jaw had been burned off. His best man stared at Ella back and bent a little and whispered something into Elion Copper’s left ear.
Cindy looked at Ella from head to toe; her hair was natural as though it has never been oiled. It was neatly combed and tied into a ponytail.
After examining Ella from head to toe, she turned to Maya and questioned her.
“Maya, isn’t she your domestic servant who happens to be your distant relation?”
She was so loud that Mr/Mrs Madison equally heard her clearly.
Maya looked at her parents who pretentiously smiled back at her and she equally looked at Cindy and nodded with a pretentious smile.
Cindy was shocked by the revelation.
“Then why is she dressed like this? At least today is her special day.”
Hearing this, Maya smiled evilly and glanced at her parents who motioned her as though to say it’s time.
After she ran her eyes at everyone in the hall, she suddenly stood up and yelled at Ella to the dismay of everyone. Steven equally looked at her in anticipation and after seeing that she has successfully drawn the attention of everyone, she stood up and stormed towards Ella shading crocodile tears;
“Ella why are you so heartless? Why do you want to give a bad name to my family?”
Ella was stunned by her acting skills.
Maya saw how pale Ella had become and became very bold again to disgrace her further.
“Ella, what happened to the dress my parents bought for you?”
Ella was shocked to the core because she couldn’t recall the dress Maya was talking about.
Ella asked her with a weak voice.
“What dress Miss Madi…
Before she could finish her sentence, Maya gave a very hard slap on her cheek which shocked everyone except the groom.