The Frenchman Chosen Bride✔️(Completed)

Ten

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Two weeks later Vanessa was trying to contain herself as she felt an increasing sense of panic threaten to overwhelm her. Abbie and her mother fussed around her as she got ready to go to the register office, their chatter skimming over her head:
    "...and poor Benedict is heartbroken, but he happened to mention that Rafael is gorgeous..."

    "Oh, he is dear -- wait till you see him..."

    "And he really owns a whole island?"

    "That's nothing...his hotel chain..."

    "Still waters, eh, Mrs B? Who would have thought about our little Nessy had it in her? And to think of all those holidays spent with him under my nose -- the time I wasted on those waiters..."

    Vanessa cut in with wry exasperation. "You know, I am here, guys."

    "Yes, dear, don't mind us...now, let's have a look at you."

    She was wearing a fitted cream silk jacket and a matching skirt that was cut on the bias and fell in soft swinging folds to her knees. The material clung to her curves, and the buttons on the jacket closed under her bust, with a lace camisole just visible in a slightly darker shade of off-white. An effective camouflage for her thickening middle.

    Her mother hadn't grilled her too much since her revelations and announcement. She assumed she and Rafael had had some sort of lovers' tiff, and was blithely unaware of the circumstances -- which Vanessa was quite happy with.

    She contemplated the rest of the outfit -- their thighs, and high heels covered in the same material as the suit. It wasn't bad for the last minute. Abbie had secured her hair with a flower, and stood back to regard her subject, resplendent herself in a vibrant hot pink dress that clashed magnificently with her red hair.
    "Nessy, you look like a model... Honestly, what I wouldn't give for your height and figure... When I get pregnant I'm going to be the proverbial whale from day one."

    Right now Vanessa would have given anything to switch places with Abbie. But of course she couldn't. She had to do this, for the baby and to ensure her mother and Victor Mark's future. And if she was honest she had to acknowledge the dark part of her that wanted to go through with this -- wanted to herself to Rafael, whatever the cost.

When she saw him standing at the table in front of the registrar she faltered for a moment, her nerve failing her, but in that instant he turned and saw her. They hadn't seen each other since that morning in her flat. It all fell away. Some intensity in his eyes held her. Didn't allow her to break contact. She looked neither right nor left, just went towards him as if he was some kind of homing beacon in a fog. Then she was next to him. It was only the voice of the registrar that brought her back to the room and their surroundings.

    The words were meaningless. She hoped she made the appropriate response at the right time because she felt disembodied from everything. Before she knew it Rafael was taking a ring from his pocket and placing it on her finger, his hands cool and steady. Then, remarkably, Abbie was handling her a ring -- where had that come from?

    Vanessa put it on his finger, it slid on effortlessly. He didn't let go of her hand until after ceremony.

    Once it was over they went outside. Rafael told her that he had arranged for a celebratory breakfast to be held at his London hotel. He led her to a waiting chaffeur-driven limousine. She could see that there were more people than she had initially noticed, and that there were cars lined up for everyone. He had organized all this?