Cherish Love

ANNE ALEXANDRIA CHLOE's POV

I'm currently looking at myself here in my vanity mirror while trying to memorize my vows. Geez. Why am I having a hard time memorizing this when in fact I'm good at our speech subject!? I couldn't help myself but sighed. It's been two months since the engagement party and I still can't believe that today is the day that I'm going to get married! Though it's just a fake marriage but… We still need to follow the sequence of a wedding ceremony. I just shrugged my shoulders as I tried to memorize my wedding vows once again when I suddenly startled when the door of my room suddenly opens.

"Hi there, Chloe…" I heard my mom said before she finally enters my room that made me took a deep sighed in relief. What am I scared about anyway? It's pretty normal for a normal bride to feel anxious on her wedding day, right? Especially to me that I'm also celebrating my 18th birthday today as well…

"What's wrong? You look bothered, Chloe..." I heard my mom asked as she approaches me.

"I'm just nervous, mom." I honestly told my mom as I saw her smiled at me before holding my hands.

"You're now 18 years old, Chloe…" I heard my mom said that made me just nod. Yes and here I thought that when I reached my a.d.u.l.thood, I can freely do whatever I want to do but unfortunately, I have to follow this family tradition we have and get married when we reached our a.d.u.l.thood. I just sighed once again though I can't blame my parents about that…

"I'm sorry, Chloe…" I heard my mom said that made me furrowed my brows.

"Why, mom? About what?" I asked as I saw my mom fixing my vail with a gloomy face.

"Mom, what's wrong? It's my wedding and birthday today, right?" I asked while my mom kept silent while still fixing my vail and even my wedding gown. What's wrong?

"Mom, did you and dad fought again?" I asked that caught her attention and finally looks at me before mom shook her head. Then why? I'm the one who was supposed to be sad here...

"I just can't believe that my one and only daughter is finally getting married now though I already expect this to happen soon because of our family tradition but…" I heard my mom said while still looking at me with those sad eyes. Mom, please don't look at me like that or else, I might cry right now.

"Time flies really fast, doesn't it?" Mom said while c.a.r.e.s.sing my face. Mom...

"Mom…" I said while still looking at my mom.

"I'm sorry… I just can't help it…" I heard mom said as she wiped her tears that was about to fall down from her eyes before she hugs me tightly.

"But you know what? I'm so happy for you, Chloe…" I heard mom said while still hugging me and I hugged her back also. Hmmm…?

"Because you're marrying the man you love…" I heard mom said that made me stopped. If only you knew, mom… If only you knew that all of this was just an act… If only you knew… I hope you'll forgive us for lying to all of you someday...

"You're so lucky, my princess…" I heard my mom said before she distance herself with me and c.a.r.e.s.s my cheeks. I just smiled at mom as I simply nodded my head. Yes, I am lucky that I have met someone like Dylan who will help me escape my real marriage to Shinichirou Martinez and I will never forget how grateful I am to him because of this. Our attention was suddenly diverted when we heard someone knocks on my door and when it opens, I saw my brother in a suit enters my room.

"Chloe…? Oh, mom. You're here…" I heard brother said in surprise.

"Yes, Charles. So are we going now?" I heard mom said before she held my hand gently that made me turn to look at my beautiful and loving mom...

"Yes, mom." Brother said that made my mom just nod before looking back at me.

"Let's go now, Chloe." Mom said that made me just nod before we started to walk while brother help me with my wedding gown and mom is holding my hand.

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We just arrived here at the Church but I'm still here at the bridal car while waiting for the cue if I can now go outside. I couldn't help myself but feel nervous right now. I know that all of this was just an act but I don't know why I can't calm myself right now. Oh no… I can't think carefully… What should I do? My attention was suddenly diverted when Isaiah suddenly knocked on the bridal car's window before Jameson opens it. By the way, this is Jameson, my personal driver.

"Lady Chloe, it's time." I heard Isaiah said that made me just nod before I took a deep breath and carefully went out of the car with the help of Jameson and Isaiah of course because my wedding gown is kind of heavy.

"Thank you, Jameson and Isaiah." I told them and there I saw my parents walking closer to us and the moment they reached my place, my mom immediately hugs me while dad just patted my head.

"Happy Birthday, Chloe..." I heard my mom and dad said that made me just smiled.

"Thank you, mom, dad…" I said as I saw my parents smiled at me once again before the stand beside me before we started to walk inside the Church. Okay, this is it, Chloe… This is it… As I walked together with my parents towards the altar… I can see how many people have been invited here including both of our relatives but most of them are my parents friends because as much as possible, we decided to keep this our marriage a secret in school that's why only Rachel, Marvin and Harrison are here today. I just took a deep breath once again. Oh no… My heart couldn't calm down a bit… What should I do? I was back in my senses when my parents suddenly stops from walking and there I realized that we've already reached the altar and my father is already giving my hand to Dylan who's standing just beside him. Oh no… I was thinking too much that I almost forgot what was happening to me right now.

"I'll take care of her, uncle and auntie." I heard Dylan said as he held my hand tightly while still looking at my parents.

"No. You should start calling us, dad and mom from now on, son." I heard dad said to Dylan as Dylan just nodded his head while still smiling at them.

"Yes. Thank you, dad and mom." I heard Dylan said before he bowed his head to my parents before he turned to look at me and smile at me.

"Are you nervous?" I heard Dylan said as we walked closer to the priest.

"Of course." I honestly said that made him just nod. Huh? What's with that?

"Good. At least, I'm not the only one." I heard Dylan said before he turned to look at me while still smiling. Huh? I was about to speak once again when the priest started to speak.

"We gathered here today to celebrate---" The priest said that made me just took a deep breath as I calm myself once again. This is it, Chloe… There's no turning back now.

DYLAN ETHANIEL's POV

I'm just here standing in front of the priest and beside Chloe but for some unknown reason, I can't understand what the priest was saying right now. It's like my mind suddenly went blank because of my nervousness. I just took a deep sigh once as I tried to calm myself. Goodness, what the rumors says was right… Being part of the Ramirez Family was not easy just like what I did a while ago… Believe it or not, almost everyone in there family are so intimidating! And to think that I need to greet them all while we're waiting for the bride to come a while ago… Goodness, if only Chloe knew how hard it is to talk to her family… I was back in my senses when I suddenly felt Chloe tighten her hold onto my hand that made me turn to look at her and saw her worried face.

"Do you, Dylan Ethaniel La Flair, take Anne Alexandria Chloe Ramirez, as your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, from this day forward until death do you part?" I heard the priest said that made me returned my attention to him and saw him looking at me. Ah, I need to answer.

"Yes, father. I do." I said to the priest before he turned to look at Chloe..

"Do you, Anne Alexandria Chloe Ramirez, take Dylan Ethaniel La Flair, as your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, from this day forward until death do you part?" The priest asked that made Chloe just nod before looking at me.

"Yes, father. I do." I heard she said but I can clearly hear from her voice the sadness and loneliness that she has been feeling right now… Maybe she remembered that Christian once again. The priest continues the ceremony until the rings has been brought to us. Okay, this is it. I get the ring first before getting her hand.

"I, Dylan Ethaniel La Flair affirm my love to you, Anne Alexandria Chloe Ramirez as I invite you to share my life. You are the most beautiful, smart, and generous person I have ever known, and I promise to always respect you and love you. With kindness, unselfishness, and trust, I will work by your side to create a wonderful life together. I take you Chloe to be my lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health for as long as we both shall live." I said as I placed the ring on her ring finger. Thank goodness, I didn't make any mistakes. I saw Chloe get the ring next as she get my hand.

"Dylan Ethaniel La Flair, today I take you to be my husband. Together we will create a home, becoming a part of one another. I vow to help create a life that we can cherish, inspiring your love for me and mine for you. I vow to be honest, caring and truthful, to love you as you are and not as I want you to be, and to grow old by your side as your love and best friend." Chloe said but you can clearly hear from her voice how nervous she is right now before she place the ring on my ring finger. I wonder what's on her mind right now…

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride." I heard the priest said that made the two of us turned to look at each other. What!? I completely forgot about that! I saw her look at me shocked. I think she also forgot about this. Wait, what should I do? Should I kiss her? But where? I just took a deep breath before facing her and slowly raised her vail up and there I can finally see her worried and nervous face. Ahm… Sorry, Chloe but we have to do this...right? I gently move closer to her as I saw her closed her eyes while waiting for me to kiss her but instead of kissing her on the lips… I just gently kissed her head that made her opened her eyes as we all heard the cheers of the people here the Church.

"Happy Birthday, Chloe… My wife." I said while still looking at her shocked face as I gently c.a.r.e.s.sed her cheeks. I couldn't help myself but smile before we faced the crowd once again and saw them cheering on us happily. I turned to look at her once again and saw her smiling at them. She really looks so beautiful today. I wonder why that person chose to leave someone as beautiful and loving like Chloe because if I were him… I will never leave her but instead, I will make sure to protect her, love her and treasure her for the rest of our lives.