The Kidnapped Bride

"Y-you- did what?" Charles asked, disbelief written all over his pale face. The shocked expression never faded with time.

Javier stood still to raise his chin, "I have married her already. Yes, I never told this to anyone but she is already my wife., legally speaking to you on this." Javier spoke with the utmost confidence in his speech.

No one can deny that this came as a big shock to Charles who had to take the support of the nearby fountain to stand. His eyes cried as his heart started to make him feel.

It was hard to process something like this. His brother was already married!?!

"Y-you know what marriage is!? Are you sure that you both are married and this… isn't any kind of Joke Javier?" The strict and firm voice of his brother made Javier nod his head.

His chest was broad enough to leave no space of regret on his face, neither was there any hesitation or anxiousness.

All that plastered was the aim and to accept openly that he isn't single anymore. "I know this might take some time for you. But this is the real truth. Jennifer is a Johnson now. We both are already married."

"When did this happen?" Charles asked while keeping his hand near his chest to calm his raging nerves.

The uneasiness that filled inside him was already on the edge. This came as the most ignoring and biggest shock he could have ever had.

"Just two days before my engagement with Emily." Came the answer from Javier's side, making Charles even look more annoyed. 

Just his expressions deepened, to the extent which showed how much he was frustrated at this point. After all, he is hearing that his brother is a married man!?

Not only that, he gets engaged to Emily after his marriage with Jennifer? This made no sense to him as those words entered into his ears.

"I guess you need to know and learn what you are saying! Have you gone mad, Javier?" Charles can't help but ask to which Javier shakes his head.

"I'm in my sense to say that I married her… before the engagement with Emily." Javier's voice made Charles take a few steps back in horror.

Walking through the garden, he moved in circles with his hand subconsciously resting his head. Rolling his hand through his hair, he can't believe something so big already took place in his house yet no one has any clue about the same.

Then, his eyes averted towards Javier, stagnant to his position for the longest. "How?"

"She… knew about the pact that two marriages are allowed in our state. Maybe she heard it from someone else… and I never told her about this. The first time that I came in to face her after this revelation was on the night of the engagement."

Javier's instant answer made Charles's frown constantly deepen. His eyes were already on the edge of pointing out the flaws and counter of mistakes that Javier did, "You said and used that fact!? I mean.. you never told her?"

"I never had the intent to do so,  that was the only way I could have kept her as well… I had to get engaged since father was willing to offer me something." 

Javier's heartbeat was already bleeding since he knew that the truth was already out. With the present moment, all he knew was surely enough to make him understand that this was done or later going to be revealed.

At the same time, Charles was already under messed-up emotions. Only if he can express what all evolved in his mind. "You know that mother never liked this marriage rule.. she hated it.." 

Javier gulped the saliva present in his mouth to say,

"I haven't married her and never will… I don't wish to be married when I already have a wife waiting for me in my room. Brother... I hope you will now know why the ring is present in Jennifer's fingers."

Javier's words did give him a broad idea that things aren't easy, but he did keep the importance of the ring in his mind to only give it to Jennifer once they got married.

Charles initially didn't tell a single thing but then opened his mouth to say, "You used the fact that two marriages are allowed. Something… which actually ruined our mother's entire life." Charles expressed his inner belief where his eyes were shining in the sadness that he recalled with the old instances.

In return, Javier didn't say a single thing. His lips were sealed into a straight line before he took a few steps to say, "I will go back. My wife is waiting for me.." 

With this, Javier lowered his head to turn around and move inside the mansion. But before that, cane a distant and warning voice of Charles from behind.

"Brother…" Immediately peeking behind himself, he saw his brother giving him a look to continue, "Don't break mother's trust ever in this lifetime. She will be devastated in heaven…"

Looking straight into his brother's face, Javier can't help but feel his inner self already ruining. Slight nodding his head, he moved back to his room.

Making his way to Jennifer, he entered his room to find the lights already off and her sleeping with heavy breathing. The moon rays were entirely falling over her pretty face where her half body was covered with a wrinkled blanket.

Closing the door behind himself, Javier came to her side instead of his. Standing near her body, he bent on his knees to stare at her face.

'That bastard Lucas is trying all his might to snatch you from me, Jennifer…' Knowing that the real threat isn't his father but the man residing in the adjoining state.

'What will I do without you again? I don't want to lose you again just because of my foolishness…' remembering the old past, his eyes were slightly covered with mist.

He started to feel the sensation that he never felt before for anyone. Probably because none arrived near him, from whom he had the fear of getting snatched. 

'This time… I will fight for you… for us.. and our better future...'