The Sinclair Series Book #2: Mrs Sinclair

Chapter 8: Mrs Sinclair

Keira's POV
When I was a little girl, I spent a lot of time playing roles that included being a princess, a high fashion model and a bride. I have been two of these things but never a princess. Daddy's princess, yes. He never failed to call me so. I don't know how many tiaras he bought me. I lost count. As much as my father was absent when I was younger, his love was always felt.

I remember the day I brought him a pink ring and I asked him to marry me. The smile on his handsome face was priceless. Mom was my maid of honor. Keith was a guest st the wedding. I remember looking into my father's sapphires and telling him that I'll love him forever. I slipped the pink ring on his smallest finger and we hugged. He told me he will be there to give me away on my wedding day.

He kept his promise when he gave me away to Jason. He isn't here today. My uncle gave me away and it did not feel as special as it felt with daddy.

I did not tell Theo I'll love him forever. He did not promise love. I promised commitment. He promised to protect and care for me. There's no love between us. But here we are, selling a fairytale at a high price.

His scent is close by. I felt the warmth of his jacket covering my bare shoulders. I'm reminded of the second time I met Nick. It was at a masquerade ball. We stepped outside and he covered me with his jacket. That jacket earned me a beating the next day.

I came back to my senses and noted the soft melody coming from inside the ball room. I turned my eyes to the handsome man gazing at me. "What's troubling you ma beaute?"

I turned to lean against the pillar. The cold cemented surface touched my bare back.

"I miss my parents... especially my father." I noted a sudden softness in his eyes.

"I miss my parents too. I mostly miss my mother. I wish she was here to see me marry the most beautiful woman in the world."

My cheeks grew tinted under his gaze.

"You flatter me too much Theo."

He glanced towards the open French doors before he stepped forward and ran the back of his hand over my cheek. "It's not flattery ma cherie. It's true. Don't you know how beautiful you are."

"Honestly, that's not how I see myself."

He brought his hands to hold my waist. He got closer to sandwich me between the pillar and his body.

"How do you see yourself?"

"My mother's  friends had daughters and they were participating in beauty pageants. I was living a pretty ordinary life until she told me that I'm beautiful and I should use my beauty to get ahead in life. She signed me up for beauty pageants. I remember getting third place. She didn't speak to me on the way home. I was seated in the back seat of the car troubled by the silence. She later told me that I lost because I didn't try hard enough. Smile more, she said. Don't eat sweet things she said. Ballet, dance classes, music classes, beauty routines... it was alwas a way to make me prettier and prettier and I started winning. I was never happy. I did it for her. When I looked in the mirror I didn't see what she and everyone else saw. I saw a tired little girl who would rather be stuffing her face with burgers. I am still that tired little girl."

"She only wanted you shine."

"I didn't want to shine. I just wanted to be normal."

"But there's nothing normal about you. You are perfect."

He sounds just like her. If they were together they would gang up on me.

"Don't do that to me."

"I told you what I expect from you once you become Mrs Sinclair. You are not just my wife, you are a statement of beauty and fashion. Anything less will be underwhelming and a disappointment. I don't want you to be ordinary."