Holy Betrayal

Marian Carhill

I woke up today, like every other day, happy, fulfilled, and excited. Yes, excited because life has been so good to me. Even when I lost my mother at the age of twelve, I never lacked anything.

Dad remarried when I was eighteen to Mona Sanders, now Mona Carhill, and along with her, I got a sister, Mila. Mila and I got along just fine, with only a year apart between us; we are two peas out of the same pod.

I look like my mother, with light brown hair, blue sparkling eyes, plump lips, and a smile with pearly white teeth perfectly aligned, thanks to my early braces treatment. Mila looks just like Mona, with impressive blonde hair, deep green eyes, and stunning features, worthy of any Scandinavian heiress.

Today was a very important day. Today, we will announce my engagement and wedding date to Magnus Armstrong, my boyfriend of four years, and as of a year ago, my fiancé. He proposed during a very romantic family trip to Aspen, he went down on one knee, during a romantic candlelit dinner, with the Rocky Mountains as our background. It was impressive and romantic.

We were the it couple of New York; the high society always wanted a piece of us. I, being the heiress to CH media group, and Magnus, being the heir of Armstrong Urban Development Group, we were a powerhouse in the making, unstoppable and in love.

Life can´t get any better.

I stretched, and after wearing a cover-up robe, I made my way to the kitchen, where Mila was having breakfast.

“Good Morning!” I said in a singsong voice, and Mila chuckled.

“Good Morning, Marian...” she said, while I opened the refrigerator to get some cold milk.

“It is a big day... At what time will hair and makeup be here?” I asked Mila, and she took a deep breath.

“Around one, so you have plenty of time to have breakfast, take a shower, and maybe use some cucumbers on your eyes to help with the awful dark circles you have around your eyes.” She paused, “Another bad dream?” she asked, and I nodded.

“Yeah, somehow it has been a recurrent nightmare. Somehow, I am in the middle of it, wall, while a wave washes everything away... it is weird and frightening. Do you think the dream can be a bad omen?” I said, taking a small sip of my milk, and she shrugged her shoulders.

“You'd better eat, we don´t want you fainting mid-announcement.” She said, and I took a deep breath, taking the chair beside her on the kitchen island. I took a pancake and fruit. She gave me a side glance, and I shrugged my shoulders.

“We don´t want me fainting before the cameras, but I don´t want to look fat in the photos,” I said, and she rolled her eyes.

“Again with that... you are cuvilicious, not fat,” she pointed out, and I sighed. Yes, I inherited my mother´s everything, while Mila had this super skinny supermodel body, a body I would kill for; she looked amazing in everything she wore.

I ate, and then grabbed some cucumber nd did as Mila instructed. Better to be safe than sorry. I took a shower, shaved and groomed everything that needed to be shaved and groomed properly, and then took the cucumbers and took a nap with them on my eyes. Hoping the nightmare didn´t come back.

By noon, Mona, or as she insisted I call her, Mom, sent a maid to wake me up, so I could get ready for the event tonight. It was a huge announcement,t and the party was planned accordingly. Dad never spared in whatever we desired, and he even encouraged us to spend whatever amount of money was needed to host the most lavish parties.

The hair and make-up crew arrived, and they got to work, untangling my unruly hair and styling it into soft curls that looked effortless and silky. Whatever magic they had pulled out of their asses was wonderful. The makeup artist did an even better job enhancing my features, without making it seem like I was wearing a mask of makeup. The long lashes he placed on my eyes gave a special depth to the blue of my eyes, and by the time he was done, I looked like a beautiful brunette Barbie doll.

I was excited and ready to show the world all the happiness that would come my way. Curiously, Magnus hasn’t called me or texted. It was nothing weird, considering the party was being hosted on a Friday, and he had work; he might be busy, that must be it.

“Oh, Marian! You look gorgeous!” Mona said, and I smiled.

“Where is Mila?” I asked, and Mona shrugged her shoulders.

“You know that girl, she is always late for every appointment.” Mona rolled her eyes, and I nodded.

“And Daddy?” I asked,

“At the office, it is still early.” She said, and I nodded.

“I am done with my crew, maybe you would want them to help you with your hair and make-up,” I said, and she nodded.

“I had been so busy that I forgot to schedule a stylist crew for myself... That is so generous of you,” She said, and I kissed her cheek.

“I might not have been born from your womb, but I am so lucky to have you as my mother,” I said, and I truly meant it. My mother left this world when I was twelve, but she left way before that, due to all the time she spent in and out of the hospital. She had cancer, was diagnosed when I was about seven, and finally lost the battle five years later. Those five years were the most painful of my life. Seeing her struggling, witter, and in pain broke me in ways I never realized a human being could be broken.

I walked towards the vanity dresser that was placed in the corner of my bedroom, and picked up the last photo I had with my mother. “This is the day, Mom... Thanks for watching over me from up in heaven. Thanks for sending Mona and Mila to keep me company... and even when they have done an excellent job, I miss you every day...” I said, quickly dropped the frame, and took a deep breath, trying to keep the tears at bay.

I took my phone and looked at my engagement ring... It was a huge diamond ring, worthy of my status and his wealth. I unlocked it and sent Magnus a text. “Can´t wait for tonight,” I typed.

“On a meeting, call you when I´m done,” he texted back, and I smiled. See? Nothing to worry about. My man is a hard-working, honest, loyal man.

Hours passed, and I wore the beautiful navy gown I had chosen for the occasion, and a limo took me to the venue. Dad, Mom, and Mila were already there. Everything was ready; this was it.

I stepped out of the car, and the media cameras were all over me. I posed and smiled. This event would be one that people would talk about for decades. The media knew that the Carhill family had a special announcement to make, but they had no idea it was about two of the most prominent families in New York announcing their union through marriage.

I made my way into the venue and sighed when I saw Mom and Dad close by the entrance. “It is mayhem...” I smiled,

“Honey, you look stunning...” Dad said and placed a small kiss on my cheek.

“Where is Magnus?” I looked around,

“Oh, he had a room upstairs, and he is finishing up getting ready. He arrived about ten minutes ago.” Mona said, and I smiled.

“Alright, I will check the last-minute details,” I said, and they nodded. I didn´t want to tell them that I would go check on Magnus, because Dad, especially, was very conservative and was all against premarital sex. Yes, I am a twenty-four-year-old virgin heiress, not that we haven´t fooled around, but no intercourse until we tied the knot, that was the deal, and Magnus has been a complete gentleman about it.

I walked into the venue and, with a quick scan, I could tell that the vision we had planned for the night came across beautifully. Pale rose roses, combined with melon ones and white. Green accents and candles made the decoration feel sweet and aesthetic. Some centerpieces were tall and massive, while others were small and had mirrors as bases.

I saw the service crew getting everything ready and on point, and the planner rushing around fixing every single tiny thing to have the venue ready to perfection.

I silently made my way to the stairs, hoping to surprise Magnus. I wanted him to be the first one to see me. For the first time, I felt stunning, worthy of all the media attention, and I wanted to impress him.

I couldn´t help but wonder how our love story came together to be a story for the ages. Natural, effortless, transparent. We met in our first year of college. He was studying to be an architect, me a business and pre-med student. Yes, my father insisted I take business, so I could lead CH media group to greatness, but my true calling was to help cancer patients defeat that awful illness. Different worlds collided, and somehow we made it work.

I stopped before his door and heard a loud gasp. Is he doing some cardio before the vent? That is so weird! I placed my hand on the doorknob, and just before I could turn it, I heard a moan. “Yes, Mag... Right there... Yes!” It was a female voice.

My heart pumped inside my chest, and silently I turned the doorknob, and it took me a minute to see what was happening. Magnus, my boyfriend for four years, and my fiancé, balls deep between some woman´s legs.

“What the hell?” I mumbled, and he suddenly stopped, and moved away, as if he could take back the deep betrayal he had done. In my books, trust and fidelity were at the top of my non-negotiables.

“Marian,” he said, “it´s not what it looks like,” Magnus said, and I was tempted to hear his excuse, but then the woman lifted her body, and my entire world shifted its axis.

“Mila...” I said, and she bit her lower lip; her eyes didn´t show remorse but amusement. “How could you?” I mumbled, and she sighed.

“It just happened. You have two choices, live with it or leave him to me,” she said, and even when my heart was aching, when my eye threatened to spill all the tears they had in store since my mother died. I pushed all the pain down, squared my shoulders, and without hearing another word, I rushed down the stairs.

“Sweetie? Where were you?” Dad asked, and I took a deep breath.

“The engagement is over. I will call Mother Martha,” I said, and my father gasped.

“Mother Martha? As in the nun convent recto who assisted your mother through her treatment all those years ago?” he asked, confused, and I nodded.

“Sweetie, what bout Magnus?” Dad said, and I removed the diamond ring from my finger.

“Give this back to him,” I said,

“Marian?” he said, and I looked into his eyes. I knew he could see something had happened. I knew he had a ton of questions, I was not ready to answer...

“Please, let me go... at least for a year... I need peace.” I said, and he sighed.

“I love you, Sweetie...” he placed a small kiss on my cheek. “Get out of here through the back door. I will handle everything,” he said, and I nodded.

My life, my future, my dreams, all of them were swept away like the nightmare I have had for the last week... Maybe, indeed, it was an omen.