Chapter 10: A Nightmare Made Real

Delphinia stared at the document in her trembling hands, her eyes darting over the bold, official lettering at the top: Marriage Certificate. Her gaze froze on the two names neatly printed side by side: Evander Walton and Delphinia Harrington. Her heart raced as her mind screamed in disbelief. This couldn’t be real. This had to be a mistake—or worse, some cruel prank. "It’s impossible," she muttered under her breath, her voice shaky. But who was she kidding? Her signature was right there at the bottom, clear and impossible to miss. She couldn’t remember signing it, but her signature with all the fancy loops was staring back at her, mocking her confusion. Still, she couldn’t bring herself to accept it. She lifted her head, glaring at Evander. "Did you fake all of this?" she demanded, her voice sharp and full of accusation, gripping the paper tightly. With a calm smirk, Evander shook his head slowly, clearly enjoying the moment. "You don’t trust me even with proof?" he asked, his voice tinged with mock hurt. "I’m starting to think you have a very low opinion of me." Delphinia scowled. "Gee, I wonder why," she snapped, her fingers tightening around the document. Evander sighed dramatically. Evander turned and walked toward the small living area. Delphinia couldn’t help but feel like he had all the time in the world to mess with her head. Reaching a sleek black TV mounted on the wall, he grabbed his phone from his pocket and began tapping on it. "Fine," he said, not bothering to look at her. "If you won’t believe the paperwork, I’ll give you something else to convince you." Delphinia narrowed her eyes. "What now?" she muttered, more to herself than him. "Come here," Evander called, glancing over his shoulder. "See for yourself." She hesitated for a moment, feeling her pulse speed up. Slowly, she pushed the blanket off and let her feet dangle over the side of the bed. Relief washed over her when she saw the black dress she’d worn last night still intact. No embarrassing one-night-stand aftermath to worry about—at least not yet. But that relief was short-lived as she shuffled toward the couch where Evander now sat, his attention focused on the screen. Keeping a safe distance, she folded her arms across her chest. "I’m fine standing," she said flatly when he gestured for her to sit beside him. Evander shrugged nonchalantly, leaning back against the couch with an air of smug confidence. "Suit yourself," he said. He tapped one last time on his phone before placing it on the coffee table. "Watch carefully." Delphinia braced herself, unsure of what fresh nightmare awaited her. As the video started playing, the sound of loud, carefree laughter immediately filled the room. Her stomach dropped. On the screen, she saw herself, laughing hysterically, her cheeks flushed and her movements clumsy but carefree. She spun in the middle of a dim room, arms raised high as she did a little spin. "Oh my God," Delphinia whispered under her breath, feeling her face heat up. "I’m getting married!" Delphinia declared with pure excitement, bouncing on her toes with joy. "Again!" She held up her pinky and index finger in a cheeky gesture, grinning like she’d just won the lottery. Next to her, Valerie stumbled into view, equally drunk and enthusiastic. The two of them began dancing together like they were headlining a music festival, spinning and swaying with no regard for rhythm or coordination. Delphinia covered her face with her hands. How could I have acted like this? she thought in horror. "Valerie," Delphinia said, slinging an arm around her friend’s shoulders, "I’m gonna marry!" "Congrats, sis!" Valerie cheered, hugging her so tightly they almost lost their balance. The two of them burst into another fit of laughter before Valerie pulled back and grabbed Delphinia’s hand. "Oh my God, is that a diamond ring?" "Yup!" Video-Delphinia said proudly, wiggling her fingers. "My soon-to-be hubby gave it to me. Isn’t it stunning?" Valerie gasped dramatically. "It’s gorgeous!" She kissed Delphinia’s hand like she was royalty, causing both women to erupt into giggles. Delphinia groaned aloud, wishing the floor would swallow her whole. Her fingers unconsciously curled into fists. Why do I act like such an idiot when I’m drunk? "I picked it myself!" Delphinia continued, her voice high-pitched with excitement. "Doesn’t it suit me?" Valerie nodded enthusiastically. "Suits you, babe!" A man with glasses appeared on-screen, looking both confused and a little annoyed. "Evander," the man said, turning to look past the camera, "everything's ready." "Thanks for everything, Hugo," came Evander’s voice, calm and assured. Hugo scratched his head. "I don’t know, man. Marrying a drunk woman? You might want to rethink this." Before he could say more, Delphinia grabbed him by the collar, pulling him close. "Listen," she slurred, her voice dangerously low, "I’m marrying Evander tonight, and you’re not gonna stop us!" She released him with a shove, planting her hands on her hips. "If you ruin this for me, I’ll make you regret it for the rest of your life. I’ll cut your di*k!" "Go, Delphie, go!" Valerie cheered, pumping her fists. The real Delphinia stared at the screen in disbelief. Since when do I threaten people like that? Hugo’s wide-eyed expression filled the screen. "Evander, don’t just stand there. Your bride is losing her mind!" Delphinia turned back to the camera, her eyes sparkling with joy. "My dream’s coming true!" she declared, clasping her hands together. "I’ve got a husband who gave me a diamond ring!" She pointed dramatically toward the camera. "You know what comes next, right?" "Hm," Evander replied casually from behind the camera. Delphinia felt embarrassed to her core as she watched her drunk self act all giddy and dramatic like a lovesick teen. Hugo sighed. "All the paperwork’s ready. Last chance to back out." Evander’s voice was steady and firm. "I’m sure." "So am I!" Delphinia added enthusiastically, throwing an arm around Valerie. "You’re gonna be my witness!" "Crap, the battery..." The screen went blank without warning. The room fell silent. Delphinia stood frozen, her face burning with humiliation. Slowly, she turned her gaze to Evander, who was watching her with a smirk of triumph. Her lips parted, but no words came out. "You were... enthusiastic," Evander remarked, leaning back against the couch, his arms spread casually along the backrest. Delphinia bit her bottom lip hard, trying to suppress the wave of emotions threatening to boil over. Embarrassment, disbelief, frustration—it was all too much. "I..." she started, her voice cracking slightly. "I need a moment." Evander didn’t reply, but his smirk deepened, clearly enjoying her discomfort.