Chapter 20: Wedding Preparation
Two Months Passed
Within those two months, the Eisenthurn mansion had transformed into a busy days of wedding preparations. Faye was busy from dawn until dusk, her phone constantly pressed to her ear as she coordinated with the wedding gown designer and the event planner.
The household staff had learned to move quickly when they saw her coming, because Faye Eisenthurn in wedding-planning mode was a force of nature.
Meanwhile, Alfonso had thrown himself into security. He personally reviewed every detail of the grand event—the guest list, the entry points, the escape routes, the placement of guards. He hired more men and made sure that every single person who would be working during the wedding had been vetted three times over.
Keres buried herself in office work more than ever before. The announcement of their wedding had been released to the public, and the response had been overwhelming.
Investors flocked to her door. The company’s stock prices soared. Every news outlet wanted an interview, every magazine wanted a cover story, every social media platform buzzed with speculation about the mysterious Asteria Auclair who had captured the heart of the Eisenthurn heiress.
Keres spent long days in meetings, signing contracts, reviewing proposals, building alliances. She came home late and left early, and Asteria rarely saw her.
Sandro had his own tasks to complete. He ensured that no paparazzi would come anywhere near the event area. He trained his men to be vigilant, to spot trouble before it arrived, to disappear anyone who got too close.
The last thing the Eisenthurns needed was another photograph leaked to the media. He worked tirelessly, running drills and simulations, making sure every single guard knew exactly what to do in every possible scenario.
The Auclairs stayed silent for two months.
Not a single call. Not a single letter. Not a single visit. They had retreated into the shadows, licking their wounds, waiting for an opportunity that hadn’t yet come.
William’s leg had healed—mostly. He could still walk, even though he limped, and every step was a reminder of what Keres had done to him.
The bullet had missed his artery by inches, and the doctors had told him he was lucky to be alive. He didn’t feel lucky. He felt humiliated. Enraged. Consumed by a hatred that burned hotter with each passing day.
He was still angry at Keres for shooting him. He was still furious at Asteria for choosing the Eisenthurns over her own family. Her betrayal gnawed at him like a cancer, spreading through his thoughts, poisoning everything.
But he was not stupid. He knew the Eisenthurns were too powerful to challenge directly. So for now, he would keep a low profile. For now, he would wait. And when the time came, he would destroy them all.
And Asteria?
Asteria was in her room, sitting on the edge of her bed, staring at the small velvet box in her hands.
The ring box.
It had arrived this morning, delivered by Keres’s secretary—a velvet box with the Eisenthurn crest embossed on the lid in silver foil. The secretary had handed it to her with a polite bow and a murmured congratulations, and then she had left, her heels clicking against the marble floor until the sound faded away.
Asteria had waited until the door was closed before she opened it. Her fingers had trembled as she lifted the lid, and inside, nestled on white silk, was a diamond ring. It was beautiful—there was no denying that—but looking at it made her chest ache.
The ring felt hollow. Cold. Forced.
She knew this marriage was not built on love. It was built on protection, on convenience, on a promise made fifteen years ago by a desperate mother who had been reunited with her lost child.
Keres didn’t want her. Keres had made that clear from the very beginning, with her cold looks and colder words, with the way she looked at Asteria like she was an inconvenience—something in the way, something to be tolerated until it could be disposed of.
The way Keres sneered. The way her eyes slid away whenever Asteria entered a room, as if looking at her was too much effort. It was so similar to the way her father looked at her, the way her siblings looked at her, the way her mother looked at her and her past three husbands.
Asteria had spent her entire life being unwanted, and now she was being given to someone who saw her the same way.
But Asteria wanted to prove herself worthy of Keres. She wanted to show Keres that she wouldn’t embarrass her in front of other people. She would learn the proper etiquette, the right way to speak, the correct way to hold herself.
She would do whatever Keres told her to do—cook, clean, stay out of sight, smile for the cameras, disappear when she was told to disappear.
She was used to it. She had been trained her entire life to obey, to submit, to make herself small.
But she couldn’t get used to the emotional pain.
That was the part that never faded.
The loneliness. The ache of being unwanted. The knowledge that no matter how hard she tried, she would never be enough. She had hoped—foolishly, desperately—that things would be different here.
That Keres might look at her one day and see someone worth keeping. But two months had passed, and Keres had barely spoken to her.
Suddenly someone knocked on the door.
Asteria’s heart jumped. She quickly closed the ring box and shoved it under her pillow, her movements swift and panicked. She smoothed her hair, straightened her dress, and sat up elegantly on the edge of the bed and folded her hands in her lap.
"C-Come in...!" Her voice came out higher than she intended, a little breathless.
The door opened, and Faye and Alfonso entered. They were both smiling—warm, genuine smiles that made something in Asteria’s chest loosen.
"Sweetie?" Faye’s voice was the same as always—gentle, warm, filled with a love that Asteria still struggled to believe was real. Within the two months of staying with them, Asteria had come to crave that gentle voice.
It was the first thing she listened for in the morning, the last thing she thought about before bed.
"Y-Yes, Mama?" Asteria raised her gaze to look at Faye, her eyes wide and attentive.
Faye crossed the room and sat beside Asteria on the bed, the mattress dipping slightly under her weight. She reached out and took Asteria’s hand, her thumb stroking across her knuckles in slow, soothing circles.
"Are you okay? Why aren’t you joining us outside?"
Asteria’s gaze dropped to their joined hands. "N-Nothing, Mama." She paused, searching for the right words. "I’m not used to being in front of other people."
She had spent so many years being invisible, being pushed to the edges of rooms, being told that her presence was unwanted. Even now, even with Faye and Alfonso treating her like a daughter, she couldn’t shake the instinct to hide. The habit of making herself small was too deeply ingrained.
Faye nodded, understanding flickering across her face. "I know, dear. That’s why me and your Papa Alfonso only invited a few guests. Close friends. Family we trust." She squeezed Asteria’s hand. "You no longer need to worry about crowds or strangers judging you." She paused, her expression brightening. "And by the way, the gown is ready. Do you want to try it on?"
Asteria hesitated. The gown. The wedding. The future that was hurtling toward her whether she was ready or not.
It took a moment for her to think of an answer. Her mind raced through all the reasons she should say no—she didn’t deserve it, she would only disappoint them, she would look foolish and ugly and wrong.
But Faye was looking at her with such hope, such excitement, that Asteria couldn’t bring herself to refuse.
"Err... S-Sure, Mama." She hesitated, but she smiled—a small, tentative smile, a smile nonetheless.
Faye’s face lit up. She turned to Alfonso, who had been standing, he watch the exchange with a soft expression. "Okay, Alfonso, can you tell the maid to get the gown box from outside?"
Alfonso nodded and walked toward the door. He opened it and spotted a few maids walking down the hallway. "Excuse me," he called out, his voice calm but commanding. "Can you please get the gown box from the living room?"
One of the maids stopped and bowed. "Sure, sir. Just a moment."
She rushed off to complete the task, and after a few moments, she returned with a large white box tied with a silver ribbon. She handed it to Alfonso with another bow.
"Thank you," Alfonso said. "You’re dismissed."
The maid bowed again and left, her footsteps fading down the hallway. Alfonso closed the door and carried the box to Asteria’s bed, setting it down gently on the duvet.
Faye excitedly stood up, her hands reaching for the box. She pulled the ribbon loose, lifted the lid, and carefully lifted the wedding gown from its tissue paper nest. She held it up, letting it unfold, letting the light catch the fabric.
It was beautiful.
The gown was made of layers of white silk and lace, the bodice embroidered with tiny crystals that glittered like stars under the soft lamplight.
The neckline was modest, the sleeves long and flowing, the skirt falling in soft waves that pooled on the floor. The train stretched behind it like a river of moonlight, delicate and ethereal.
"Look at this fabulous gown, dear!" Faye’s voice was filled with excitement, her eyes shining. "This will absolutely make you beautiful! You’ll be the most stunning bride anyone has ever seen!"
Asteria’s smile slowly faded.
The tightness returned to her throat. The familiar weight of unworthiness settled back onto her shoulders, pressing down, making it hard to breathe.
She looked at the gown—so beautiful, so extravagant, so far beyond anything she had ever owned or worn or even touched—and all she could feel was shame.
"Uhm... Mama, Papa." Her voice was small, hesitant, barely above a whisper. "The gown is very beautiful, but... I don’t think I deserve to wear that."
She frowned again, the familiar lines of self-doubt etching across her forehead. Her hands twisted together in her lap, fingers tangling and untangling.
Faye’s expression softened. She understood where these insecurities were coming from. She had seen this pattern before—the way Asteria deflected compliments, the way she refused gifts, the way she seemed to believe that she was unworthy of anything good.
It was the legacy of years of abuse, the voice of her father still echoing in her head.
Faye carefully put the gown back in its box and sat down next to Asteria again. She took the younger woman’s hands in hers, holding them gently, her thumbs stroking across the scars and bruises that were finally beginning to fade.
"My child," Faye said softly, "we already talked about this, remember?" She paused, her eyes searching Asteria’s face. "No more of that. No more saying you don’t deserve things. No more making yourself small."
"Yeah, I know, Mama." Asteria’s voice was quiet, almost defeated. "But... It’s just hard not to think about it."
Faye smiled and leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to Asteria’s forehead. Her lips lingered there for a moment, warm and reassuring.
"Mama understands. Don’t worry." She pulled back, still holding Asteria’s hands. "Me and your Papa won’t judge you. We only want what’s best for you, and we’re only giving what we think you deserve. You are not a burden, Asteria. You are a gift."
Alfonso stepped closer, crossing his arms over his chest, his expression warm. "And besides, don’t worry about anything, Asteria." He paused, a hint of irritation creeping into his voice. "If anything, Keres should be the one here helping you try on the gown and telling you how beautiful you look. But that brat keeps putting her phone on silent and hiding in her office."
Asteria let out a soft giggle—a small, surprised sound that seemed to surprise even her. She touched Faye’s hand, her fingers light against the older woman’s skin.
"Thank you, Mama and Papa." Her voice was soft, genuine, filled with an emotion she couldn’t quite name. "Having you both here is enough for me to feel safe. I never had that before. I never had anyone who made me feel like I mattered."
Both parents felt their hearts swell with love for Asteria. She had come to them broken and frightened, unsure of her own worth, flinching at sudden movements and apologizing for everything.
And in two months, she had blossomed into someone who could smile, who could laugh, who could reach out and touch without flinching. It was a small progress but a miracle, and they were honored to be part of it.
"Okay!" Faye clapped her hands together, shifting the silent atmosphere into something warm and cozy. "Now try on the dress! I want to see how it looks on you!"
"Oh, by the way!" Alfonso reached into his coat and pulled out a thick sheaf of papers, neatly folded and secured with a paperclip. "I almost forgot."
He handed the documents to Asteria, who took them with trembling fingers. The paper was heavy, expensive, the kind used for legal contracts and official agreements.
"Uhm... W-What is this, Papa?" Asteria looked down at the papers in her hands, her brow furrowing. She could see blocks of text, official stamps, signatures she didn’t recognize.
"Read it," Alfonso said simply, his voice warm.
Asteria gulped. She hesitated, her eyes scanning the page, her heart sinking. The words blurred together—legal terms, property descriptions, clauses and conditions, sentences that stretched on forever. She could recognize some of them—property, ownership, transfer, marriage—but they didn’t arrange themselves into anything coherent.
"Uhm... I don’t understand," she said quietly, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
The truth was that she couldn’t read it. She had only finished fourth grade elementary, and even then, she had barely learned. Her parents had pulled her out of school after that, seeing no reason to waste money on a daughter who would never amount to anything.
She could read simple words, short sentences, but legal documents were completely beyond her.
Faye and Alfonso didn’t notice her discomfort. Instead, they both smiled and stood proudly in front of her, exchanging a glance of shared excitement.
"We’re giving you and Keres your own properties," Faye said, her voice bright. "Since you’re both going to get married. Separate estates, so you each have your own space. Somewhere to call your own."
She wrapped an arm around her husband’s waist, leaning into him. Alfonso’s arm came up around her shoulders, pulling her close.
"H-Huh? W-Why?" Asteria was shocked, her eyes wide, her hands trembling around the documents.
"Consider that our gift to you and Keres," Alfonso answered proudly. "For becoming the new Eisenthurn couple. It’s tradition in our family to give the newlyweds a property of their own. Somewhere to build their lives together."
But Asteria held the documents out to them, her hands shaking. "I... I can’t accept that." She shook her head, her voice small but firm.
"Why, dear?" Faye asked, tilting her head.
"Mama..." Asteria’s voice cracked. "You’ve given me so many things already. Clothes, food, a place to stay, medicine, your time, your love. I just can’t accept this. It’s too much. I’ll never be able to repay you."
Faye gently pushed the documents back toward Asteria, her expression gentle but unyielding. "Dear, whether you accept it or not, you’re going to be Keres’s wife. Whatever she owns, you own too. That’s the law. That’s marriage." She paused, her voice softening. "I know you’re worried. I know you keep thinking you’re taking advantage of me or your Papa Alfonso. But we don’t see that. We see nothing but a kind person when we look at you, Asteria."
Asteria felt tears prick at her eyes. She blinked them back, but they spilled over anyway, sliding down her cheeks.
"I don’t understand," she whispered. "Why are you both so good to me? I’m nobody. I’m nothing."
"You’re not nobody," Alfonso said firmly. "You’re our daughter. And we take care of our children. That’s what families do."
Asteria couldn’t help but smile through her tears. She set the documents aside on the bed and opened her arms wide, pulling both Faye and Alfonso into a tight hug. Her arms wrapped around them,
"Thank you for everything, Mama and Papa~~~" she whispered, her voice breaking on a shaky, silent sob. Her tears soaked into Faye’s blouse, but neither parent pulled away.
Faye and Alfonso returned the embrace, their arms wrapping around Asteria, holding her close. They didn’t shush her or tell her to stop crying. They just held her, letting her feel what she needed to feel.
"We love you, Asteria," Faye murmured against her hair. "We love you so much."
