As we re-entered the wedding hall, I managed to force a smile on my face when two ladies walked up to me to say they loved my dress and clear skin. A couple followed afterwards. They were friends of Don Pedro.
I need to run away from her, slip out of this clothes and soak myself in hot water.
Pedro squeezed my hand slightly, as if he knew exactly what I was thinking.
And the worst part?
He was enjoying every second of it.
***
AUTHORS POV
The drive home was silent, Tessa was more or less a mannequin at this point because she was almost numb and suffocating in silence.
Pedro didn't speak. He didn't even glance her way or act like she was sitting next to him. His focus remained on the road, while he typed away on his phone, and at intervals he would ask the driver to drive faster.
Tessa sat rigid in her seat, her mind racing with everything that had happened. She was deep in thoughts about The wedding. The vows. Her Aunt's well-being.
She wasn't his wife.
She was his prisoner at this point.
By the time they pulled up to the Lorenzo Villa, it was night already, the security patrol moving around with security dogs, the maids and servants pacing her and there doing one thing or the other.
Pedro stepped out first, signaling the guards to halt, he walked around to open her door. She didn't move.
"Out," he ordered, his voice calm but firm.
Tessa took a deep breath, several deep breaths coursing through her, the fact that she had not seen Aunt Nora was beginning to mess with her emotions in ways she could no longer hide it. She swallowed hard before stepping out.
Don Pedro led the way and she followed behind him in silence. When they were inside.
Tessa turned to him the moment the doors shut behind them. "I want to see my aunt."
Pedro exhaled, as if he was expecting her question. "Go freshen up." He said dismissively.
Her brows furrowed. "Excuse Me, What?"
Her anger was beginning to stir up.
"We leave for our honeymoon immediately," he said, his voice leaving no room for argument.
Tessa's pulse sped up a notch. "Honeymoon?" The word tasted like poison on her tongue. "You must be joking. Listen, I have done everything you asked of me but you are beginning to test my patience and be ready to taste whatever I serve if you don't let me see my aunt."
Pedro turned to her, slow and deliberate. "Do I look like I'm joking?"
Tessa's hands balled into fists. She was fed up. "I never agreed to any honeymoon."
"You never had a choice."
Her breath was rising. "Where is my aunt?"
Pedro was getting tensed up, irritation flashing in his eyes. "Lower your voice."
"I want to see her!"
"Tessa," he warned.
"You promised—"
His hand moved so fast she flinched, but he didn't slap her like she anticipated. Instead, his fingers caught her chin, tilting her face up to meet his glare. His touch was firm but controlled in a way that it didn't hurt her.
"Let me make something clear," he murmured, his voice lowered to a whisper. "You will never raise your voice at me in front of my subordinates again. Do you understand?"
Tessa's heart thumped as she looked into his eyes trying to break free. She wanted to pull away, to spit in his face, but she knew better.
She gasped. "Where. Is. My. Aunt?"
Pedro held her for a few minutes longer just staring passionately into her face, her lips calling his, before letting go. "I made arrangements for you to see her before we leave. Briefly."
Her stomach wrung. "Before we leave?"
Pedro sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as if speaking to her was exhausting.
"Tessa, you're my wife now. That means you go where I go. You do what I say. Now, go upstairs and get dressed before I change my mind about letting you see your aunt at all. And I mean do so Now!!."
Tessa's breath caught. Her lips parted, but no words came out. She was gagged.
"That's what I thought," Pedro muttered, turning away as though he was trying to type on his phone.
Just then, Regina walked in from the door with some luggages. She glanced between them, she could perceive the tension between them. "I'm sorry I went to the wedding venue straight from the airport, hence the luggage, Everything okay here?"
Pedro didn't answer. He simply walked off, his perfume lingering even as he disappeared down the hall.
Regina turned to Tessa, observing her. "Are you alright?"
Tessa exhale, visibly upset. "Do I look alright?"
Regina offered a small smile. "I'm here to help you get ready."
Tessa let out a bitter laugh. "Get ready for what? My own execution?"
Regina sighed. "Pedro can be… intense. But this is how things are now, Tessa."
Tessa shook her head. "I'm sorry for yelling, I am just…just not in a good head space right now"
Regina stepped closer. "I know he's difficult, but Pedro is not a bad man."
Tessa scoffed. "That's funny, because he sure as hell doesn't act like a good one." were what she wanted to say but didn't feel right badmouthing Pedro to his sister.
Regina hesitated, then reached for Tessa's hand. "Let me help you to your room, shall we?."
Tessa hesitated. What choice did she have?
Regina led her upstairs, into a massive bedroom; a ridiculously large closet. On the bed was a neatly arranged pepper red dress.
"This use to be my mothers room until she passed away, and then my brother renovated it just for you" Regina said, picking up the red dress and placing it on Tessa with a small smile on her face. "This is for you."
Tessa frowned. "What is it for?"
Regina let the fabric slide between her fingers. "It's your honeymoon dress."
Tessa stared at it. "He picked this?"
Regina smirked. "No, he gave instructions. The designer sent it"
Tessa ran her fingers over the delicate body of the dress. It was beautiful—too beautiful, she at least fancied it a little before unknowingly asking for the price and regretting it seconds later.
"How much was it?" she asked.
Regina shrugged casually. "Only $1.6 million."
Tessa's head snapped up. "Is this how he going to keep deciding what I wear?."
Regina chuckled. "Nope. Lorenzo women.."
Tessa interrupted half way "… only wear luxury. I know that. But it's sane, this dress isn't suppose to worth that much."
Tessa didn't see herself wearing that dress, there was no way she would be wearing the price of some mortgage down payments on her body while her aunt was cooling off somewhere she did not know.
Tessa shook her head. "That's insane. Have it sent back. I won't be wearing it."
Regina smiled. "I know you are thinking, 'Why would anyone spend millions on something they'll only wear once? It would interest you to know that wearing an outfit once did not just apply to your wedding dress, we actually don't repeat clothes for special occassions, so we rock every piece of clothing to the last drop because it's the last time we would wear them"
Tessa narrowed her eyes. "Stop trying to read my mind. You will loose your way, and why cant I repeat my clothes? What if I like to repeat my clothes"
Regina laughed. "It's normal in our world. While Clothes communicate who we are and our status in society. Pedro wouldn't let his wife or any other Lorenzo woman wear anything less or have her repeat an outfit."
Tessa exhaled. "This whole thing makes the idea of being his wife a curse, I don't want to be his wife."
Regina did not say anything afterwards, she only smiled.
Tessa caught it. "What?"
Regina quickly turned away, pretending to smooth the dress. "Nothing." Before she neatly placed it back on the bed.
"Regina." Tessa called.
She sighed, keeping her back.
"Get dressed Tessa, the chauffeur will be up to get you and Pedro is not who you want to keep waiting" Regina said, and then proceeded to leave the room.
"We are definitely going on a honey moon to hell" Tessa threatened under breath, kicking the pepper red dress, she was not going to wear it!