Offer To The CEO

Saturday, continued …

As the car pulled away from the accommodation to head to the church, Du AnLing turned to Anna and asked, "Why are we going slightly later than everyone else?"

"Mum, for two reasons. Firstly, to allow Rosemary, Rebecca and Susan to get their children under control before we head into the church. The other comes back to another tradition a lot of Australia Brides follow in being a few minutes late to keep the groom on his toes."

The idea of keeping Hou Yi on his toes, slightly worried as to whether she would turn by drew a c9ouple of laughs from Du AnLing and Hou Jang.

Hou Jang continued, "True, they were all excited about being involved, that it was difficult keep them calm. Thank goodness the accommodation arranged for your, what do you call them?"

"Let me just say grandparents. I refuse to have anything to do with mum's biological parents due to their beliefs and they have always treated me no different to Adam and Ben, and their other biological grandchildren," quietly added Anna. She was so grateful that everything was being done to keep her maternal grandfather away from toe ceremony as he would cause a scene and totally ruin everything.

"Well they arranged for a place up the road, that had something called mini golf, for them to have a game, right on 9am. We were working on the basis that this might burn up some of their energy."

"You survived that with them Dad?"

"Your grandparents were great with them, and we had them under control. They are such lovely people. Plus Hou Yi, and the rest of his party where there so the children were on their best behaviour given their fathers were there."

After a pause Hou Jang continued "Forget about that, it is good to see you wearing my mother's tiara. When she sees you with it, in that dress she will cry. She might have liked you to wear something more traditional for our culture, it is a perfect blend of traditions."

Du AnLing spoke "I am just sorry your parents are not here with you. Why is that?"

"Let me just say, that was a decision Yi and I made together. You saw how my mother was last night and that was the last thing we wanted today. Dad will wait for me at the church to walk me down the Aisle, but I quietly spoke to him last night, and Yi also agreed with this," with that Anna turned to Hou Jang, "we want you to be on my other side as I go down the aisle."

Anna could see at that request there were almost tears in Hou Jang's eyes as he nodded. His daughter-in-law was giving him the chance to play father of the bride with her own father.

Anna just sat there quietly, and within a couple of minutes, the car was entering the church yard, pulling up close to the church door. Du AnLing and Hou Jang exited the vehicle, and the door opened, with Hou Jang and her father helping Anna out of the car.

Amanda, who had designated herself has her matron of honour, had in her hands a bouquet of flowers, with ribbons made from the same material as her dress, with Rosemary and Alecia fussing around while making sure the dress was draped correctly, and the veil was right. Susan and Rebecca were at the church door with the children.

Around the church grounds, despite the heavy presence of not only Hou Yi's bodyguards, but those of other guests and the security details of the government ministers present, there were a few people watching Anna and the rest of the bridal party.

When looking around, Anna spotted Sally Couch her daughters and her god-awful husband Shane, who was just as Anna remembered him. The look on Sally's face worried Anna, so she quietly leant over to Hou Jang and whispered that there could be an issue, and without being obvious pointed out Sally and explained that she was the one that caused trouble in Hong Kong.

As they moved to the church door, Hou Jang quietly leant over to one of the bodyguards, so Anna realized that he must be telling him about the potential issue.

Without a care now, Anna confidently with her father on one side and her father-in-law on the other stepped into the church, and slowly made her way down the aisle towards Hou YI, who had turned and with a gentle smile on his face looked directly at her. Nothing else mattered to Anna as she made her way down the aisle.

She did not hear the gasps of people as she walked down the aisle and the had a closer look at her dress, the look on the minister's face seeing a red wedding dress, not even the looks her mother was giving. The only thing that mattered was Hou Yi.

Anna knew that this day would be something that she remembered for the rest of her life, the public commitment of her life to Hou Yi, to match the private commitment they had made almost four months ago, which they had not realized was the truth, a lifetime commitment that would be blessed with love, despite all the challenges that it would have.

As she arrived at the altar, her father and father-in-law placed her hand in Hou Yi. Anna slightly turned and handed her flowers to Amanda, while Alecia and Rosemary carefully lifted her veil.