Chapter 50: One Wedding?

The next three hours were a rush of madness.

Olivia, heightened beyond belief by happiness, had taken over every duty that Charlotte had been entrusted with. And pulled everything off with an amazing style. Olivia worked best when goodness and selfishness could be found in one thing. And Abigail marrying Mark was the perfect combination.

Charlotte herself had been relegated to her bedroom, kept under watchful eye of security and wait staff. She would be allowed out for the ceremony, because her absence would have caused more harm than good, but then she would be taken right back, under the guise of exhaustion.

Olivia also wanted her mother to witness this event, and Abigail felt she would allow her sister that bit of petty vengeance.

Abigail was more than happy to allow her sister to take care of most things because she had something very special she wanted to do.

Abigail dressed in one of the smaller rooms off to the side of the solarium. The bridesmaid’s dresses hung in there, too. And a few flower girl’s dresses. The bridal party had been filled with cousins Abigail hadn’t even known she’d had.

As it turned out, her father’s siblings didn’t like to visit much, Olivia had told her.

Abigail couldn’t say she blamed them.

But they had agreed to come out in full force for the wedding. It would be the first time Abigail would meet some of her family, and she could sincerely say she was honestly looking forward to meeting them.

Some of them had to be sane.

And even if they weren’t, there was just no way any of them could be worse than Charlotte.

They were going to have the ceremony in the solarium room at the mansion, and it had been decorated with more flowers than Abigail had ever seen in her entire life. She would enter from the main doors, when the wedding march began to play.

Then, they would move to the dining room immediately after for the reception, where the most amazing lunch was going to be served.

Abigail knew that for sure, since she had been the one to select the menu. Charlotte had allowed her that little grace.

Abigail had chosen foods from every kind of cuisine she could remember, her memory pulling on the Turkish, Moroccan and Asian restaurants Mark had taken her too.

Even when she was supposed to be marrying Lyall, her mind had designed her wedding with Mark in mind, choosing things that would reverberate with memories of their time together.

Even the solarium, the way it was set up, made Abigail think of their time together. With the ceremony hall decorated to look like a forest, or maybe even a veranda inside a forest.

Abigail didn’t have much time for her musings as she dressed, there was still one big part of the production that needed to go off smoothly, after all.

And it was all hinging on her.

And when the time for the wedding came, just before the bridal march was played, Abigail entered through a side door, and headed for the altar.

Olivia stared at her in horror.

“I would like to thank you all for being here today,” Abigail told her guests, mostly her father’s side of the family.

Emma was here, though, naturally. And some of her family and friends, too.

“This has been an amazing adventure and wonderful feat that would not have been possible without my sister,” Abigail motioned to Olivia, and everyone clapped respectfully.

Then Abigail’s voice turned serious, “But actually,” she continued. “You’re not here for my wedding today.” Abigail spoke to the crowd, and shocked voices carried through everyone.

Olivia looked ready to faint. Or murder someone.

“You’re here for two,” Abigail continued. “My sister, Olivia, will be marrying today too. And I’m sure no one needs to be told who her groom is.”

The crowd laughed lightly, and Olivia turned from shocked to indignant.

“What is going on?” Olivia hissed, coming up to her sister.

“Just relax, and enjoy it,” Abigail told her sister.

At a sign, two servants whisked Olivia from the crowd, and carried her through to another room.

Abigail stayed a moment at the altar, and watched Mark direct Lyall to the other room, where he would get ready. Mark then came up to Abigail and entwined his hands with hers.

Abigail and Mark then followed quickly after Olivia.

They found Olivia in what had been their makeshift dressing room, fighting back tears, as the servants spun around her, undressing her, and another wedding gown was brought out, a perfect fit for Olivia.

Well, almost.

Abigail hadn’t counted on the bump being so big so soon.

“Oh my god,” Olivia whispered, turning to Abigail and Mark, as the gossamer gown was draped over her. “How did you have this made?”

“You forget, you were measured for a bridesmaid’s dress, you know,” Abigail told her, fanning her face.

Olivia laughed, proper, life-alteringly happy, laughter.

“Oh, you fit into this world, big sister,” Olivia told her. “Scheming and machinations? So much like your stepmother and half-sister now, aren’t you?”

Abigail smiled, “But unlike them, I used it to make people happy.”

"Either way," Mark said, hugging Abigail from behind, and placing a kiss on her cheek. "I think we can both agree that we're glad she's here."

“Also,” Abigail said, “I do think I owe you a dress, since you gave me so many once upon a time.”

Olivia laughed, tears streaking down her face, leaving her make up perfectly untouched. There truly was nothing in comparison like having generational wealth. Even the makeup was amazing.

Abigail glanced back, and noticed her mother standing by the doorway, watching the three of them.

“Oh, mom,” Abigail turned to Emma, bringing her further into the dressing room. “This is Olivia, my sister.”

Emma came up to them, standing directly in front of Olivia

“It’s so wonderful to meet you, Olivia, my Abby has told me so much about you,” Emma said warmly, grasping onto Olivia’s hands. “You look absolutely beautiful in that gown, my dear.”

“Oh,” Olivia said, glancing between Abigail and Emma, and then looking at her hands, held tenderly in Emma’s. “You, you can call my Livvy.”

Abigail’s jaw dropped, feeling entirely affronted. After all this effort she had gone through, and her mother is the one that gets to call her Livvy?

“Well, Livvy,” Emma said, letting go of one hand, and reaching up to her ear. “I have something for you today.” Emma took off the earing she was wearing, and gently placed it on Olivia’s ear. “Your dad gave that to me, a long time ago. It is something old, for your wedding day.”

Olivia reached up and touched the necklace gingerly, “It’s perfect, thank you.”

Emma pulled her into a hug, and Olivia broke down into tears.

Abigail watched in confusion, as Olivia sunk in Emma’s arms, crying.

Olivia pulled back after a moment, trying to gather herself.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized to Emma, “I have no idea what came over me. I think I ruined your dress.”

Olivia reached out, like she was trying to dust the tears from Emma’s dress.

“Come now,” Emma told her, “No time to worry about my dress. The wedding march will start soon, and the two of you need to be on the other side of the room when it does.”

Emma turned to Mark, "And you, sir, are not even supposed to see your bride on her wedding day," Emma said, raising an eyebrow at Mark.

"I know, but I just couldn't help myself," Mark grinned sheepishly, and then kissed Abigail on the cheek again quickly, "I'll wait for you at the altar," he murmured to her, before disappearing from the room.

Emma hooked both of them into her arms, and escorted them both to the large doors just outside the solarium, where she handed them off to Adam.

The wedding march began playing, and the doors were swung open. And they walked, all three, slowly, down the aisle.

Charlotte glowered with anger, watching them, she was positively shaking. This was absolutely the opposite of everything that Charlotte had wanted.

Lyall marrying her daughter. Abigail marrying the man she loved. Adam claiming both his daughters on equal standing. And Emma, standing on, watching proudly, as though those were both her daughters.

If Charlotte could kill on looks alone, they would all be dead.

But Adam beamed, carrying his daughters, one on each arm, down the aisle.

Olivia was openly crying, now, and when she reached Lyall, he pulled her into his arms, crushing her against him.

Abigail knew she had made the right choice with her sister. She would never be sure she could fully trust her, Olivia was her mother’s daughter after all. But she was also Abigail’s siter, and she would try with every breath of hers to help her sister.

This love story had been more than just her own, after all.

It had to have two happy endings.

Olivia would transfer her half of the company to Lyall, and now Lyall had an heir, a son, if Abigail guessed correctly. And she didn’t know exactly what that would mean for her future, but she wouldn’t think about it today. Today, she would just show her sister and new brother-in-law every bit of kindness she could.

And she hoped, that when it came to it, they would remember the kindness Mark and her had shown them today, and they would remember it when Abigail and Mark needed it most.

Olivia and Lyall finished their vows.

And Abigail turned to Mark.

Like she would turn to him for the rest of her life.