MR. MORENO'S SURROGATE ✔️

23 - Leilah

This is it. My wedding day. Today is the day that I'll be married to the man I hate. The man I despise. A week and a half flew by with no effort. I guess me and Elijah's arguments are to blame for that. In my defense.... well there's really nothing to say. He's an asshole, and I'm tired of crying because of the heartless things he says to me. So now, it's my turn.

Instead of putting on a corset, Stacy just put my dress on and let the makeup artist do my makeup. My hair is pinned up and looks flawlessly beautiful. I actually look like a bride. All that's missing is the-

"Veil! Don't forget the veil." Stacy says, running to the small one cushioned couch to pick up my veil. She pins it in my hair and then backs up, taking me in. "Beautiful!" she says, holding her hands to her heart, and then putting them to her mouth in awe.

I guess I do look beautiful. And then a thought hits me. Who's going to walk me down the aisle? I don't have any parents, and Elijah won't let me see my sister, or Tyler, or anyone for that matter, and I doubt Cayson's sober enough to take three steps forward.

The look of worry sparks curiosity in Stacy, obviously, because she asks me what's wrong. I look at her through the mirror and I shake my head. "Just thinking." I say.

"Are you having second thoughts?" she asks.

That's the understatement of the fucking year.

"No," I lie "I'm just nervous to see him."

"You'll be alright I think." she says to reassure me, but it barely works.

Still, I give her a smile. "Thanks." I say.

She gives me a hug and then hands me my bouquet of flowers. Just as that happens, the door busts open.

"Elijah's pissed out there. What's taking so long? You were supposed to me out ten minutes ago."

"You must be Daro?" I ask, turning to the mirror.

"I am, and I'm also walking you down the aisle, and if he doesn't see you on my arm when I walk out there, he'll literally kill me." he says, a glint of.. fear in his tone.

I laugh incredulously. "For you to be his boss, you sure are pissing your pants about this." I snicker.

"He was right about you being a smartass." he says, laughing with me. I think I like him. "Elijah's a scary man when he's angry."

"That might be a bit of an understatement." I joke.

"You haven't seen the half of it." he says. "Now enough. Let's go, we must hurry." he says, waving me over. He lowers my veil over my face and smiles. "Beautiful." he says to me.

"Thank you." I say.

I link my arm around his and we begin to walk to and down the aisle. As I walk down the aisle, Elijah looks completely uninterested in this whole thing. He's not alone because neither am I. Daro lets me go and Elijah grabs my hand, his cold fingers brushing over mine. He lifts my veil and there's a slight change in the way he looks at me. I watch as his eyes scan my features and the makeup on my face and he looks as if he's amazed for the first time this past few weeks.

The officiant recites a few things about love and then recites a few vows to which Elijah mutters the words "I do". Then she repeats them and looks down at me.