Xavier took the hands of the woman he'd cherished since the age of sixteen, marveling at their elegance—long, slender, and meticulously manicured. Her fingers adorned his favorite maroon-red shade. His lips curled at the thought of the intentions behind the choice of color. He smiled, gently kissing the back of her hands before letting go.
Donna stayed on the bed as Xavier rose and walked to the windows. He stood there, arms crossed around his chest, gazing at the red Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 parked outside his house—a present for her 21st birthday, a luxury he knew he could never attain even in his next life.
A sigh escaped his slightly parted lips as he contemplated a life without Donna. Last night had been the most enchanting they shared, yet it marked the final one. In two weeks, Donna would be married to another. Suppressing a sniffle, he managed to hold back the tears that threatened to escape.
"We can run away, you know? It doesn't have to end this way."
Unaware that Donna had left the bed, he turned to find her standing beside him, her eyes misty. A sharp pain pierced his heart. Running away seemed tempting, but Chief Donald had vowed to find her at any cost. Moreover, being a junior accountant at M&M, his meager monthly pay wouldn't cover the expenses of starting anew in a different city. The financial challenges seemed insurmountable; he couldn't even afford a bus ticket.
Donna watched him turn his head in disapproval. She gently placed her finger on his lips, preempting the words she sensed he was about to speak.
"I see the worry about money on your mind. I'm willing to sell my car; its value can take us far and offer a decent life. I only want to be with you, not marry anyone else," Donna reassured, but Xavier shook his head.
With a despairing sob, she enveloped him in her arms. Xavier held her trembling form, hearing her weep with convulsive sobs, his own tears streaming down his cheeks. Lifting her off the ground, he slid down the wall until he was seated on the cold tiles of his one-room apartment. They stayed in that embrace, a silence so profound it could rival the Great Wall of China.
Donna's phone chimed, and she retrieved it from her bag beside the bed. A message from Chief Donald warned her against any rash actions, threatening to have her parents arrested if she did. She shook her head in disbelief as she silently absorbed the message.
Her father, in his role as the financial officer for twenty-four years, diverted company funds for her mother's cancer treatment a year ago without weighing the gravity of his actions. He had the intention of taking loans from loan sharks to replace the money before the next audit, which was not due until nine months later. Unfortunately, the auditors came three months earlier, leaving them at the mercy of Chief Donald.
Chief Donald generously presented him with the option of his son Reynold marrying Donna as a form of pardon. Reynold had confessed his love for Donna, who had turned him down due to her enduring affection for a high school sweetheart with limited means.
"I have to go. Maybe in another life, we'll find each other again." With those words, she bent down and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. Xavier observed her departure, tracking her silhouette as she left his apartment. The distant revving of her engine echoed, and he collapsed to the floor. She was gone forever.
The two weeks leading up to the wedding passed at a sluggish pace. Donna confined herself to her room, making her mother bring her meals, though she barely touched them.
"Crying and starving won't help, Donna. It pains me to witness your distress, but consider Reynold as a viable option compared to Xavier. He's handsome, well-educated, and well-traveled, capable of providing you with the best life has to offer," her mother advised, attempting to offer perspective.
"I don't love him," she replied.
"Don't stress about love. I hardly knew your father when we married, and now it's been 25 years of enduring love. Reynold will bring you happiness, and love will follow," her mother reassured.
The awaited wedding day dawned, set to unfold in the church adjacent to her house, followed by a reception on the street beneath the open sky, capturing the mesmerizing sunset. Jasmine-scented candles adorned naked tree branches, their colorful lights flickering in the gentle wind. From her dressing room window in the upper chamber of the church, Donna observed the wedding planner orchestrating details—flower vase placements and seating arrangements. The tables and chairs were draped in white covers. Reynold had insisted on an all-white wedding.
The door creaked open, and she turned to see her father entering the room. He approached, planting a kiss on her cheek and embracing her. He extended his right arm, gesturing for her to hook her arm through, and she complied. Together, they exited the room, descended the stairs, and entered the church hall. Smiles adorned the faces of the guests as they watched father and daughter traverse to the front, where the priest stood, and the groom awaited with his back turned.
At the end of the aisle, her father released her hand, encouraging her to take the final steps on her own. She walked up to the altar, standing beside her groom. Inhaling deeply, she closed her eyes, focusing on the priest's words without glancing at Reynold.
"Now, the bride and groom, please face each other to exchange your vows," the priest announced.
Donna turned towards the groom and her bouquet slipped from her hands to the floor. As she picked up the bouquet, her eyes remained fixed on the person standing before her—Xavier, not Reynold, all dressed up. Pinching herself slightly, she confirmed the reality. Her parents' smiles revealed they knew it was Xavier all along. A tingling sensation swept over her skin as she listened to him recite his vows, a smile playing on his lips.
She hurried through her vows, unable to contain her anticipation of discovering what had changed.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride," the priest declared, prompting the crowd to erupt in cheers, laughter, and enthusiastic applause.
Xavier drew Donna into his waiting arms and planted his lips over her soft lips—an act he had yearned for since catching her scent as she walked down the aisle.
"What happened?" Donna managed to ask after catching her breath from the long kiss.
"I think this letter will clarify everything," Xavier said, handing her a letter. "However, you shouldn't read it now. We have a reception to attend."
He lifted her off the floor and carried her down the aisle and outside the church, amidst cheers and laughter. The rest of the evening went smoothly, with Donna smiling throughout. She had never been so happy.
As she lay beside her husband that evening, she unfolded the letter from Reynold and read it aloud. In the letter, Reynold conveyed a shift in his decision to marry someone whose heart would never entirely be his. He confessed to loving her since childhood but recognized the importance of sacrifice in love, acknowledging that her happiness was with Xavier.
In addition, Reynold detailed how he settled her father's debt by providing the exact amount of money. He shared that he had located Xavier and made a deal, ensuring her lifelong happiness. He also reassured her about speaking with his own father. Regrettably, he had to move abroad to avoid chance encounters with her. The letter concluded with warm wishes for their happiness and a generous cheque, serving as a substantial wedding present to secure their future.
Donna's eyes welled with emotion as she carefully folded Reynold's letter back into the envelope. In that moment, she realized Reynold was more honorable than she gave him credit for. As she leaned in to kiss the man she had cherished since their first meeting in secondary school, she felt an undeniable certainty that this was where she belonged—for eternity.
