I waited the whole night and even slept early hoping that Zainea's soul could take over her body, but she didn't.
I even attempted to have a conversation with her dad regarding the accident, but he seemed to be so busy. He stayed inside his study room the whole night. Is he avoiding me?
“Congrats on your wedding, sister.” A woman in her white dress came into my room and gave me a bouquet of roses.
I'm nervously sitting inside this bride's room when she suddenly barged in. She didn't even bother to knock. How rude.
Who is she? She looks familiar. Sister? Is she Zainea’s sibling? Oh, wait. Is she the stepsister? Why do I feel uncomfortable around her? I don't like her presence.
“Don’t look at me like that, Zai. Finally, you and Zerro will be family.”
Zerro? Who is he?
“Who are you?”
She laughed upon hearing my question.
“Are you serious? Zai, did you really hit your head just like what mother said?”
“If you don't have anything else to say, go out. I'm having my pictorial.”
“You really are good at acting, huh? Good for you, my stepsister.” Oh, she's indeed that witch's daughter. No wonder she looks familiar, they really are mother and daughter. Their attitude sucks. Rotten.
“Just get out. Your presence here is not needed. Ah, here. Get your roses back. You see, I'm full of presents. Your ‘trash’ don't belong here.”
She grabbed the roses, and looked at me angrily.
“Trash? Just wait, Zainea. You’ll regret this.” She walked out of the room as the photographer came. Another woman wearing a pink dress came in. She excitedly shouted and rushed to hug me.
“Zainea, oh my! You look so gorgeous!”
“I-I can't b-breath...” She's literally squeezing me.
“Oh, sorry. I just got so excited to see you again after a week.”
For some reason, I feel comfortable around her.
“O-Oh. I-I’m happy to see you, too.” Is she a close friend of Zainea?
“Though it's quite disappointing that you and Zerro will become family this way, I'm so happy that you are still breathing fine. I'm glad that you listed me as your maid of honor in your wedding. I thought you won't, after that quarrel we had. I'm really sorry for that.”
Who really is this Zerro? And quarrel? Urgh! I somehow want to dig Zainea’s past for me to be enlightened.
“Ladies, come on. Give me your best smiles,” the photographer said.
“Just be happy, my best friend.”
-----
After the pictorial, all are gathered at the hall for the ceremony. The wedding will be held here on one of the Constello’s hotels—The Royals.
“What? The groom is still not here?” I heard the organizers having some conflict on the arrival of the groom. I eavesdrop on their conversation outside my room.
“Tell the emcee not to start the ceremony yet. Let us wait for Mister Constello. First, entertain the guests.”
I smirked. The groom's not here. Maybe, this is a chance—no, perhaps a sign that I have to run away. I really don't want to marry, okay?! I don't want to be tied with a big responsibility, although I'm not really the one who will be married to this Constello man. I still have to find my body, as early as possible, and let Zainea take her body back then decide for her happiness.
I sneaked out of my room. Crap this dress, it's so heavy!
I pressed the button of the elevator. Wait. No. I will be caught if I'll escape through this. I should take the stairs. Yes, the stairs. Fortunately, I'm on 16th floor. I can manage to go down.
Twenty minutes have passed until I reached the 1st floor. Yes, I'm quite a runner. You didn't know, I'm an athlete back in my high school days.
But I'm still stuck. How can I get out without them noticing me? I should've changed my dress before coming down, stupid me.
A lot of security guards are guarding the whole entrance and exit. What should I do now?
“There she is!” a man shouted. Darn this. They're coming down. How did they find me?
“Don’t let her escape! Get her!”
What the?! Why do I feel like I'm some kind of prison here?!
I got no choice but to go out. I locked the door from the outside.
The other security guards were alarmed from my sudden appearance. They run toward me. I saw a man holding a bouquet of flowers who is about to enter inside the elevator, so I rushed there and pulled him out.
“What the?! Miss—!!”
“I'm so sorry. Wait for the next one. Sorry!” I immediately pressed number 10. Fudge, why did I press 10?!
“Don't lose her!!” Gladly, the door closed before they could get me.
Someone coughed behind me. I'm not alone inside the elevator...? I turned back and I saw a man. He is wearing a black shirt and tattered jeans. Wahh, he's so gorgeous! His features are so perfect! Those long eyelashes and deep blue eyes. Pointed nose and his lips—
“Done checking me out?”
“O-Oh. W-What? Checking you out? Uhm, yeah. Good. Nice.” Aish, why did I stare at him like a dog drooling over a bone?
He laughed. “A runaway bride?”
“I’m not totally a runaway bride, I'm still stuck in this freaking building, you see. Why? Are you going to stop me?”
“Good idea. Maybe I could get a reward from doing so. What do you think?”
I can't believe this man. He's really going to hand me over to those people?!
“You! You—!”
“What?” He raised his eyebrow.
I smiled at him. “Nah, nothing.” I went closer and lightly touched his chest. “You're just... you know, you're exactly my type. I'll definitely make you my husband once I'm out of here.” Better than marrying someone I didn't even meet. Wait, no. I could definitely hunt this man down once I return to my body and marry him.
He smirked when I said that.
He wrapped his arm around my waist. “I'll wait for that,” he whispered in my ear. That tickles me.
I laughed awkwardly, and pushed him.
“Then... then help me out.”
He laughed again. “You wish.”
Humph! There's no use of persuading him, Calais. Better rely on yourself.
The elevator opened. I saw the guards waiting in front, so I pressed again the button.
“Wait, ma’am—!!” Wtf?! How could they get here before me?! How many people did they even hire to guard the whole building?!
“You’re making it hard for them. Aren't you worried they might lose their job because they lost you? They have their own families to feed,” the man said.
But... But if I won't run today, I might end up marrying that man. This is my only chance while he's not here, okay?
“Shh! Shut it. Save your advice, sir. Don't stir me up, please. It's not that bad to be selfish sometimes.”
He let out a chuckle. Please, stop laughing. You're making me like you more.
“What a selfish woman.”
“Yeah, I know. No need to remind me—ahh!!!” The elevator shakes then stopped.
The man cursed. He went to the door and pressed the emergency button.
“Is anyone there? We got stuck here.” He got no response.
“I guess they're all busy, so it's no use, mister. It's their boss's wedding, after all.”
He deeply sighed.
Why do I have to be so unlucky?! How could I escape now?!