Lured into Lies by Melanie Martins
Chapter 29
Petra Van Gatt
Here he is. After everything we went through this year because of him and Mom, I didn’t have much hope for him to really attend the ceremony. An uncomfortable silence settles in as I watch Dad slowly pacing in my direction. He seems to be distant, engrossed in his own thoughts, but his posture carries some uneasiness that I recognize well.
“That’s a beautiful dress,” he praises for the sake of politeness. “You look stunning in it.” Dad always starts with courteous words to hide his fears of painful conversations.
“Thanks. You look great too,” I reply, wondering what he is up to.
“You know… when you were growing up, I always wondered what your future would look like. If you’d enjoy Columbia, finance, what kind of investments you will prefer…” Dad lets his words trail off as it seems like a real struggle for him to open up and share the rest with me. “But I never imagined your wedding day.”
Once he stands in front of me, I say, “If it makes you feel better, neither did I until a few months ago.”
A small smile curves his mouth at my statement. “I think deep down I never wanted you to go through something I failed at.”
The honesty in his voice moves me. At least for once we are not playing games. “Not all marriages end up in a divorce,” I remind him.
“But a lot of them do.”
As we look at each other, I ask, “Do you truly regret your decision?” Dad creases his brows, confused at my question, so I explain further. “When you gave Alex and I a chance? Do you really regret it as you said in the living room the day Mom wanted to inject me with the microchip?” His gaze drifts to the floor, and I can see a dash of discomfort settling on him. A few moments of silence ensue as Dad remains thoughtful and utterly speechless. “Be honest.” My assertive tone makes him blink, looking back at me. And eye to eye, I ask him again, “If Mom would’ve been out of the equation, would you have still regretted your decision?”
“I don’t think so, no.” My heart skips a beat at his words, and the sincerity in his tone brings a smile to my lips. “I should’ve stood by your side despite your mom and her threats.” His confession astonishes me, but I do my best to hide it. “I… I know this won’t make much of a difference but…” he drops his gaze for a moment before looking back at me. “I’m truly sorry to have let you down.” Emotions clog my throat to finally hear those words coming from him. “Would you ever forgive me?”
The seriousness in his tone brings tears to my eyes, but I push them back with some humor. “It’s gonna take more than an apology.” Dad chuckles in amusement. “But it’s a good start.”
He then returns the smile and runs a hand inside his black jacket. “I hope this can help,” he says, taking a white envelope out of his inner-pocket.
Curiosity taking the best of me, I open the envelope and bring the letter in between my hands to read it.
“Oh my…” My mouth drops open, and I bring a hand up to cover it.
“The first board meeting is on January eighth,” Dad utters. From my side, I blink twice, making sure this is not a dream. Jeez! It’s official; I finally own thirty percent of the company.
“I, um, I…” Despite my many attempts, no words seem to come out. I remain mute, gaping as I read the certificate of ownership of Gatt-Dieren Capital LLC with my name on it. Is this for real? I glance around, but I’m still here in my bedroom at the Van Dieren’s estate. So I take a deep breath, and looking my dad in the eye, I simply say, “Thank you for doing this.” I close mine for a moment, trying to prevent my emotions from overwhelming me. Before a tear can fall, though, I open my arms and embrace him. “You have no idea how much this means to me.” He might not know, but I do know how much giving a stake of his company means to him.
“And you have no idea how much you mean to me,” I hear him saying as I keep my arms around his neck. I have missed the tenderness in his voice and words that can warm your heart. I have missed his kindness and support. And I’m glad that today Roy Van Gatt became my dad again.
As I release him, I can see the glitter in his eyes and the big smile hanging on his lips. “Oh, and happy birthday, Miss,” he says, before pressing his lips against my forehead.
* * *
“I already notified Lady Margaret that we will arrive late,” the driver announces. And I kinda laugh because I’m even running late to my own damn wedding. I just can’t help it.
“How long does it take to get there?” Dad asks as we sit beside each other in the car. “Around forty-five minutes to one hour, sir,” the driver answers.
“You know, you could’ve come to the brunch Margaret and I hosted at eleven p.m.,” I tell him. “Alex had one in De Haar with Sebastian and his groomsmen, and Margaret threw one here at her estate.”
“Ah, well, I didn’t know there was one in the first place.”
I’m not surprised that Alex didn’t invite him for the brunch given the fact that their relationship is now mostly business-driven. I wonder if they will ever become best friends again, or, at least, friends that can trust each other. As I remain steadily observing him, I ask, “Why didn’t you call me after you landed?”
Dad draws out a breath as he considers me. “Honestly, I had no idea how you would react, and I didn’t want to cause more nuisance than I’ve already done.”
I reach for his hand, holding it. “I’m glad you are here.” I realize I haven’t told him that before, and I wanted him to know. He gives a kiss on my hand, but stays silent. It might not be easy for him to attend a gathering with the family of the man he tried to destroy not so long ago. “By the way, Hendrik is at the wedding.”
“Really?” His eyes widen in surprise, before they get filled with confusion. “But Margaret didn’t invite him.”
“He’s staying upstairs in one of the rooms. He won’t be able to join us downstairs, but we can go and see him.”
“Jeez, if Margaret knows he’s in there…” Dad shakes his head, picturing the worst.
“What would she do anyway?” I ask him. “She is not gonna throw a tantrum because he has decided to be present at his son’s wedding.”
“Or she might just quietly drag him out of the property and kill him.”
I chuckle at his serious tone, shaking my head. “I don’t believe so. Dragging him outside would make noise and draw attention.”
“What about your mother?” he asks, changing the subject of the conversation. “Is she attending?”
“No, Mom isn’t coming.” A gush of air rolls off my lips because despite everything we went through, I still believed she’d be like Dad—put the past behind her and come over. “I went to Rotterdam and tried to persuade her, but she burnt the invitation instead… Right before my eyes.”
“She won’t let this go,” Dad says, and he seems quite sure of himself. “She’s too stubborn. For her, what you are about to do is a big mistake.”
“Do you think she is gonna report Alex to the police or to Jan?” I ask him. Dad doesn’t seem surprised that I know about such a secret. Instead, he just ponders my question thoughtfully.
“No, I think she’s smarter than that.” He looks away as if searching for words. “She knows her life is at risk if she does so.”
“Maybe that’s enough for her not to do anything more.” At least, that’s what I hope.
Forty minutes later, De Haar finally emerges at the horizon.
“Wow,” Dad utters as his eyes meet the impressive medieval castle surrounded by fields of snow and lake. The view from afar is breathtaking, but it only makes me even more nervous. “That’s quite something, huh?”
“Yeah, and it’s even more beautiful inside. I managed to persuade Margaret to have our civil ceremony here, so there’ll be only friends and family in attendance.” A small smile plays at the corner of my lips at the beauty of winter. I’ve never been a fan of photoshoots, but today, I can’t wait to take some shots with Alex by the gardens and the lake.
“And for tomorrow?” Dad asks.
“Tomorrow there are eight hundred people attending the ceremony at St. John’s,” I tell him, before blowing all the air out of my lungs as I remember how much Margaret insisted on such a big crowd. “It’s more like a business gathering than anything else.”
Once the car crosses the gate and gets into the driveway, I wrap myself into my white faux-fur shawl, getting ready to leave. My stomach twists into a tighter knot when the car finally stops right in front of the main stairs leading to the castle. A valet opens the door and helps me to get out. My heart is already beating anxiously fast, so I glance around the property, wondering where Emma is since her car was following mine. As I look upstairs, I see Maud, Yara, and Julia, all dressed up in the same ice blue dress as they wait for me by the door. I sincerely wonder what I would’ve done without them and their support.
I hear a car engine approaching, and as I turn to take a look, I heave a sigh of relief seeing it’s finally Emma. I swear, how did she manage to forget about the brunch and to arrive so late? I’m still quite shocked at her careless attitude, yet as she leaves the car and rushes in my direction, I can’t help but smile and embrace her. I’m not sure why she said she didn’t like the ice blue dress Yara had chosen for the bridesmaids, it fits them like a glove. Clarissa steps in and hands me my jasmine bouquet, then I take a deep breath and climb the stairs to join my future sisters-in-law.
Julia gasps as her attention turns to me. “You look stunning! My goodness!” Her tone is always so sweet and welcoming, and I thank her for the compliment before greeting the rest of the group.
“Oh, look,” Emma interjects, staring at Yara. “Someone finally ditched the breeches and boots.”
“Emma,” I snap.
“Ms. Hasenfratz,” Yara greets, a wicked smile on her lips. “What a pity you didn’t attend the brunch. After all, everyone thought the Maid of Honor would be there. What happened to you? Did you oversleep?”
“Yara,” Julia growls. “That’s none of your business.”
“Maybe it is,” Yara interposes.
Fortunately one of the wedding coordinators comes over and ushers us inside, letting us know the guests are already all seated and they are now waiting for the bridesmaids to come in. As I step in, my eyes catch sight of the main patio which is across the corridor and where dinner will be served. I feel tempted to go and sneak in, but Emma brings me back in line with everyone else as we cross the hallway and then stand, waiting in front of two doors. Clarissa takes my shawl away and puts some more gloss on my lips before smoothing my dress and checking my makeup and hair like I’m some sort of model getting ready for the catwalk. This is so stressful, my God! Why so many steps and formalities for the sake of signing paperwork? It was so much more relaxing to be among the guests at Paulo’s wedding in Brazil. As I come to think of it, it’s incredible how unpredictable life can be; when I was waiting for Anabela to walk down the aisle, I never thought I’d be doing the same one year later. Heck, I didn’t even join the other girls when Anabela tossed her bouquet away. I like the idea of marrying Alex, but I don’t like the whole show that comes with it. I guess my preferable type of ceremony would have been entering into a boardroom and signing paperwork like we did for the partnership agreement, and then have a small dinner with friends and family afterward to celebrate. Simple, quick, and straightforward, but this? This whole pompous fanfare is an absolute nightmare. How am I gonna survive tomorrow for a ceremony with eight hundred guests?
“Petra, are you okay?”
I blink twice, my attention switching to Dad, who’s standing beside me. I notice I’m holding his arm quite tightly, so I ease my hand a bit. My stomach flips as I hear a song, but thank God it’s not our turn—it’s for the bridesmaids to enter. As we stand beside the door, my nerves are about to explode, and I take some heavy breaths. This is such a bad idea: I have agoraphobia, I hate to be surrounded by crowds, and I hate being the center of attention. Why the fuck did I drag myself into this mess? I should’ve negotiated better terms for the ceremony.
“And you went inside on your own?” Dad frowns, a bit confused at my question. “I mean, at your wedding?”
“It’s scary, isn’t it?” His lips curve up and he leans in to give me a kiss on the forehead. “You can still run away, you know.”
I quick chuckle escapes me, as I wasn’t expecting such a comment from him. If he knew I was about to cancel the whole thing a few days ago, I bet he wouldn’t be joking with that so easily. I swallow hard and force myself to relax, focusing on breathing in and out. “Dad?”
“Mm?”
“Thank you for everything,” I say, my heart somewhat steadier.
Dad glances at the coordinator, who is now gesturing us to position ourselves in front of the double doors. “Looks like it’s our turn.” My mind goes blank as we stand in front of the doors, and I forget for a moment how to walk. I can only hear my heart hammering inside my chest. This is worse than before an exam, worse than a live interview with Forbes, worse than anything I can think of. “A piece of advice, look at the guests and smile, you will feel calmer,” Dad says in a low voice near my ear.
Did he do that at his wedding? Did it help? My processional song, “Everything” by Lifehouse starts playing, and the double doors open wide, giving a full view into the majestic, neo-Gothic room; the guests all standing up to greet me.
I do smile. Actually, I smile up to my ears as the first thing my eyes find is him—my future husband. Everything else fades away, like time and space don’t exist as I let myself amble, guided by his gaze. The slow melody of the guitar and violin helps to ease me. Dad and I start following the pace of the chords, and I see a few flashes here and there, but my eyes remain on Alex, and I try to contain the emotions from overwhelming me. Yet, I can see how we are both struggling to do so. As we look at each other, I can see my past, my present, and my future. Our best moments but also our worst ones. Our battles and our victories. And if there is anything our relationship has taught me, it is that it is worth fighting for. I focus on breathing slowly in and out to prevent the climbing tears from falling. The anticipation was horrible, but now that I’m nearly beside him, I feel like a huge weight is slipping off my shoulders, like a boat that’s finally arriving safely at its port after going through the storm.
I notice Emma and the bridesmaids standing on my left. Emma and I share a smile, before she breaks eye contact, struggling with her own emotions. We stop at the first row. Dad gives me a big hug, and I hear him whispering in my ear, “You’ll always have a home in Park Avenue, you know that, right?”
I can’t help but chuckle at his question. After living there for eighteen years, I know an empty house is gonna be hard on him. I’m glad he still has Janine. I nod, unable to speak, and he gives my hand a kiss. Then I see Alex walking toward us, and to my surprise, Dad gives him a hug like I haven’t seen between them for a long time. The kind of hug they used to do when they were best friends. I look up for a moment, holding back the tears. They share a few words, both with a smile on their lips and the same glitter in their eyes. Then Dad leaves us and goes to his seat on my left.
Alex is now looking at me, and my heart is swelling, and it feels good and strange at the same time, like a dozen different emotions flooding in at once.
“Ms. Van Gatt.” There’s something in his voice that melts me on the spot and for an instant, I forget how to breathe.
“Mr. Van Dieren,” I answer back, lost in his blue eyes. Then he takes my hand and gives it a kiss like he always does. This feels surreal; it’s beyond anything I could’ve dreamt of. And words will never be enough to describe what I feel for this man.
He brings my hand to his arm, and as we take a few more steps forward, he leans slightly toward me and says, “I imagine everyone has already told you this, but you look absolutely divine.”
I want to say something clever or funny, but I’m absolutely lost for words. “You look great too.” A very banal answer, but I’m trying to keep my composure and my emotions under control.
As we stand in front of Sharon, she instructs everyone to sit, and the ceremony begins.
“Well, this was a very moving entrance,” Sharon praises, her joyful expression lighting up the mood. “I even got the chills.” I look again at Alex, quite moved myself, and I realize I’m still with my hand looped around his arm. “My name is Sharon, and as a long-lasting friend of the groom’s mother, Lady Margaret, it’s a great honor and privilege to be performing this ceremony today. On behalf of Petra Van Gatt and Alexander Van Dieren, welcome and thank you for being here.” Sharon pauses for a beat before proceeding. “In a world of endless choices, unpredictable outcomes, and no guarantees, they are doing the bravest thing two people can do: making a commitment before their friends and family to devote the rest of their lives to each other. We call this a wedding, but really this word derives from an old Germanic word meaning a pledge. And this is worth remembering as we consider what this day is all about. We make few pledges in our modern lives, but today we celebrate with Petra and Alexander as they make their greatest: a pledge to and for each other, not as individuals, but as two that are choosing to become one.”
Those words couldn’t ring more true, and I never thought this ceremony could be so inspiring. I stare discreetly at Alex, who seems to be on cloud nine, and my lips twist into a smile, catching him so attentive to Sharon’s speech.
“Your marriage begins with the vows and promises you speak to one another today. Vows of fidelity and honesty. This new journey will be at times richly rewarding and extremely difficult, but, most importantly, it’ll be a journey you take together. You are promising and have asked all these people you love to watch you make this promise, that you want to be with each other for the rest of your lives, and that you will do everything in your power to honor the promises you are making here today.”
We turn to face each other, hands in hands, and it’s pretty hard to keep my emotions under control as we look each other in the eye. Then I hear Sharon proceeding, “Alexander Van Dieren, do you take Petra Van Gatt, whom you now hold by the hand, to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
“I do.”
My heart is hammering so damn fast inside my chest that I think it can explode at any moment.
“Do you promise to love and cherish her, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, and forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto her, for so long as you both shall live?”
“I do.” Alex doesn’t even blink as he says those words. And they are said with so much conviction that I press my lips tight to resist the climbing tears from falling.
“Petra Van Gatt, do you take Alexander Van Dieren, whom you now hold by the hand, to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
“I do.”
“Do you promise to love and cherish him, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, and forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto him, for so long as you both shall live?”
There’s a small smile playing on my lips as I repeat the same two words, “I do.”
“Do you mutually promise you will love, cherish and respect one another throughout the years?”
“We do.”
Thomas, Yara’s youngest son, comes over carrying a small white chest box. He looks at us a bit shyly, gives a quick glance at his mom, and with some confidence, finally opens it. “The wedding ring is a symbol of eternity,” Sharon proceeds as we find the two golden rings nestled within it. Each one is tied onto the carmine cushion, and I notice there’s also the today's date, 12.05.20, engraved on the inside of the bands. “It represents the vows and promises you’ve willingly exchanged today. It is an outward sign of an inward and spiritual bond which unites two hearts in endless love. May these rings remind you that marriage is not a destination in itself but a continuous journey.” Alex takes the first ring out of the box, and as he reaches for my left hand, it takes everything in me to fight back the tears that are already blurring my eyes. If I managed not to cry until now, I can do it until the end. “Petra, with this ring, I thee wed, and with it, I’m honored to call you my wife from this moment until forever. I give you all that I am and ever hope to be.”
As I feel the ring being placed on my finger, I shut my eyes tight, but it’s too late, the first warm tears course down my cheeks. Fortunately, Emma hands me a tissue, and I dry them with it as I breathe slowly in and out to prevent more from doing same. Alex’s piercing blue eyes reassure me, and I feel my heart fluttering in my chest. After giving it back to her, I take his ring out of the box and reaches for his left hand. Then, with my heart fluttering harder than ever, I say, “Alexander, with this ring, I thee wed, and with it, I’m honored to call you my husband from this moment until forever. I give you all that I am and ever hope to be.” I can’t prevent my growing smile as I place the ring on his finger. Then, my eyes drift up to meet his, and for a second we want to kiss, but we halt ourselves upon hearing Sharon’s voice again.
“Having thus pledged yourselves each to the other, I do now, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the state of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, pronounce you husband and wife.” She then turns to him and adds with a smile, “Alex, I know you’ve been waiting patiently for this moment, so without further ado, you may kiss the bride.”
The recessional music swells, and an avalanche of clapping and cheering echoes through the room when Alex pulls me against him and presses his lips on mine in a kiss filled with so much fervor that my cheeks bloom with heat and I feel myself drenching. I bring my arms around his neck and put everything into our kiss. As I come to think of it, this is actually the very first time we do it in front of my dad and his whole family. Damn, finally!
“I love you,” he whispers.
“I love you more.”
Then we turn to the crowd, and my gaze goes instantly to my dad who is still clapping, marveling at us.
Among the buzz and excitement, Sharon invites us to go and do the signing of the registry. I didn’t even notice the wooden table and the two chairs at the right corner of the room where the wedding papers and the feather pen and inkwell that Margaret gave me are all lying. A feather pen to sign a promise for eternity, I read on a small hand-written note beside it. Since Alex and I are the first to do the signing, we sit beside each other, my eyes on the paper resting on the table. I take the feather pen, dip its tip in the ink, and after exchanging a quick smile with my husband, I sign Petra Van Gatt on our marriage registry.
“Petra, Alex, look here,” I hear Emma as she stands in front of us with her iPhone to capture the moment along with Sebastian and the photographer who is also doing the same.
Afterward, I hand the pen to Alex, who signs the papers just as fast; he then puts back the pen in the inkwell, kisses my forehead and says, “The most important document I’ve ever signed in my life.”