Date The CEO.com

Melodic music flowed through the air. The screen of a smartphone lit up with a photo and a name. The man in the picture had his eyes wide while a filter gave him a black nose and a pair of dog ears. Labelled above his photo was, 'Amble Bee.'

As if catering to his namesake, the phone's vibrate buzzed the sleeping Eve awake.

She turned to her side and patted the mattress in search of the phone. Her eyes squeezed shut as a rope constricted her head. Once she found her mobile device, she used the volume buttons to answer the call.

"Hello?" Eve yawned into the microphone.

Ambryan chuckled. He sat outside of a cafe, reading a newspaper while enjoying a cup of tea. His smartphone was on speaker. He leaned down to speak. "Sounds like you enjoyed your bachelorette party. Maybe a little too much fun I might add..."

Eve jolted up in a sitting position and regretted immediately. She cradled the side of her head, placing her back against the headboard. "Ambryan? What time is it?"

She opened her eyes to squint at her phone.

"Almost lunch time." 

"Aw, damn," she cussed. Her mind recounted the events from last night. She remembered they had several rounds of shots while taking turns on the microphone. "What time did I even sleep? Hell, how did I even get back to the old apartment I shared with Andie?"

The teacup clattered on the saucer plate when Ambryan set it down. He grabbed his phone and pressed it against his ear. "I know I have my smarts, love, but those aren't questions I can answer for you."

"Useless," he heard her say.

A smirk tugged the corner of his lip.

Eve forced her brown eyes to fully open. A hint of pain crusted the outer corners. She dabbed a finger on them and found sand. "So why are you calling? Were you afraid that I'd get cold feet?"

A waitress came out of the cafe and asked Ambryan if he wanted another cup of tea. He waved his hand and refused. She left right away.

"Let's meet up for lunch," he said on the phone.

Eve suddenly felt more awake. "Ha?? Aren't you not allowed to see the bride the day before the wedding? It's only one more day. You can afford a little more patience."

Ambryan pursed his lips. He played with his teacup, spinning it in place  "So no more courthouse? Less than 24 hours left to decide."

Eve bit her bottom lip. She looked out her window where the sun rose high. Her hangover pounded the sides of her lead like sledge hammers. After all she had gone through preparing for it, how could she back out now? Her gaze flickered to her cabinet where a large garment bag hung.

Before, they would have faced only Avery's wrath.

Now, they would face Luna's fury as well if they bailed.

"I might add that several uninvited media companies have been trying to sneak into the ceremony," Ambryan spoke when she didn't answer. "Oh, and I heard one of my enemies planned to plant a bomb as a wedding gift. There's endless risks. It could endanger everyone's safety. It's best to reassess while we still can."

Eve clicked her tongue. The desperation in his voice couldn't be more obvious.

"You really want to get out of this, don't you?" She grinned with a shake of her head. "Getting cold feet? I didn't know Mr. CEO was afraid of being the center of attention."

"There's a difference between being scared and being uncomfortable."

"If you say so…" she trailed off, finally getting up on her feet and stretching her arms. "They still both mean you're not strong enough to handle it. I should have known. We could have saved a lot of money and a lot of time if you had just been honest with me earlier."

Ambryan exhaled sharply, ignoring her provocations. "Can you please just come see me?"

Eve skipped on her way to the bathroom. "Alright. I'll see you in an hour."

The next day, a well-known building in Maize City had transformed overnight. This infrastructure had hosted Athon's launch party for their Rainbow Collection which many remembered as the first time a couple came out in public. 

Many adoring fans of this couple had considered it a historical landmark. It made sense that another historical moment would commence in it again—one that would mark the turning point as the pair tie their lives together in holy matrimony. 

The red carpet had turned white. Bouquets composed of flowers in pink, white and lavender perched on top of stands, lining the carpet along with cream fabric made of silk. They stretched from the entrance, to the lobby, to the main venue and up to the base of the grand staircase. 

The media were only allowed outside while invited people would walk on the carpet. It was like prom night or a movie premiere—only the best for the citizens' favorite couple.

There was just one tiny problem.

"WHERE. ARE. THEY?!" Avery Hathaway screamed inside an airbnb they had rented. She wore a floor-length dress. The skirt had layers of both lavender and pink, representing both bride and groom. She marched into the lobby where the bridesmaid and groomsmen waited.

Rose stood up, decked in a lavender bridesmaid dress. The phone in her hand told her to leave a voice message. "I can't reach Eve. I've been trying since this morning. It's ringing but she's not answering."

From the other room, Richard walked out. He wore a white and gray suit with a pink bowtie. "Ambryan's phone rang but he turned it off after my first attempt. He definitely knows we're looking for them though. He wouldn't have done that otherwise."

Avery slowly swept her wide eyes around the room. Her hands began to tremble. Jackson came up behind her to massage her shoulders, saying, "There's still time. They will be here. Maybe they had gone to pray."

She turned towards him. The flecks in her violet eyes had darkened. Pure anger flared up her nostrils. "But they needed to be here for the wedding video. It's supposed to play during the reception. How can we have the video without the couple getting married?!"

Mikael had been enjoying his drink on the chair. He wore a matching suit to Richard except his didn't have the lined dark trimming. "We can go start looking for them."

"No!" Avery protested. She approached the group, making eye contact with each of them. "No one else is allowed to leave, alright? The security teams will handle it."

Guests began to arrive at the venue. Ushers greeted them at the front stairs and escorted them inside. No one present could contain their enthusiasm. Everyone shared their accounts about the couple along with their well wishes. Even uninvited people watched live streams on their phones and TVs.

With the ceremony almost due to start, Avery ordered the bridal party to head out for the venue. They had been tasked to entertain guests while they stalled for time. The madam paced around the lobby of the airbnb, muttering curses under her breath.

"I can't believe this… I simply can't believe this!" She screamed at the ceiling. Her husband sat on the couch and listened. He watched both his phone and hers on the coffee table, waiting for news. 

"How could they do this?!" Avery continued. Her heels sounded as if they could break any moment. "They're adults! They understand responsibility! This is unacceptable behavior. When they get here, I will give them a thorough lesson. Unbelievable..."

Jackson sighed and played with his hands. "Maybe they wanted a private moment."

She pointed a finger at him. "Don't say that out loud. You'll jinx it."

"Jinx what?"

"Don't play dumb." She scoffed, resuming her walk. "We both know there's a chance that they won't show up. It's in my head this whole time but I didn't want to say it out loud. Then, it might come true."

"Excuse me, Mr. and Mrs. Hathaway," Hannah started to say. She had worn a baby blue cocktail dress for the occasion. "But the guests are restless. Mr. King suggests that you both appear. It could calm them down further while waiting."

Jackson rose to his feet and fixed the buttons of his gray suit. He pocketed both phones, offering a hand to his wife. "Let's go, dear. It's our turn to stall."

Avery huffed but gave in. They arrived in a single car. Their faces plastered smiles while they hooked arms. They waved at the media present before attending to the guests. Many questions came their way, including ones asked to the bridal party earlier.

People wanted to verify the answers they got.

But the madam knew better. They were just hungry for gossip, especially a scandal.

"I'm so sorry about the delay," Avery apologized, bowing her head slightly. "The bride is really nervous. It's making her nauseous. She keeps throwing up in the toilet. Please don't bring talk to her about it later. She's really embarrassed and her anxiety might rise up again."

Relief lifted the weight off her shoulders when they accepted her explanation.

"What about Ambryan then, Avery?" One of the ladies asked. Avery gritted her teeth at the sight of her. Mocking eyes seemed to smirk at her. "The groom usually arrives first. Unless…"

"Ladies, please," Jackson warned. His stern expression flashed on his face. "It's my son's wedding. The least you could do is to be respectful."

Suddenly, the cameras around them flashed faster than usual. Heads turned towards the end of the carpet where a black Jaguar XK had shown up. Wen climbed out of the driver's seat, walking around the vehicle. She grabbed the door handle for the backseat and pulled it open.

Ambryan stepped out, covered from chest to ankles in an all-white complete suit. His leather shoes matched his onyx black hair while a pink tie hung on his neck. 

His violet eyes instantly found his parents.

The corner of his lip curled up. "Am I late?"