Before You Exit - Clouds OR Novo Amor - Anchor 

.

The Quinn's mansion was decorated as if it were the time of Christmas. The servants looked extremely busy as they walked around hastily to set up everything that was needed as guests started to pour in with their carriages that were asked to be parked before the bridge once the guests would get down in front of the entrance of the mansion to go back and station them. 

Guests who came held the invitation cards in their hands which were distributed two weeks ago. It was the day where the son of Quinn's family was marrying a human who was a former slave girl. At least that was what many of them thought who didn't know Penelope personally. 

"Was she really a slave girl?" asked a woman to the person who stood next to her in full curiosity. 

"I am surprised myself. I heard she was brought from the black market," replied the other woman as they looked at the mansion that looked nothing less to a castle. 

It was very rare for a pureblooded vampire to marry a slave as it was considered to be appalling in high society but it seemed as the Quinn's were rich who belonged to the first two generations, things like this could be overlooked. 

"I wonder how the parents agreed. I mean if I am not wrong, I heard Lady Fleurance telling in one of the soirees we met of how she was planning to marry Evelyn who is almost of the same social standing."

"Something must have happened," whispered the first woman, "I mean Damien is a little out of character, the poor family."

"You don't say," both the women were pureblooded vampires who stood there gossiping whilst they admired the mansion. They didn't know someone was standing right behind them and that person who spoke,

"Coming to the wedding and bad-mouthing about the couple as well as family," it was a woman who wore bright lipstick on her lips and her blonde short hair combed to sit straight like needles, "Don't you think it is rude?" asked Evelyn, giving them a pointed look. 

The two women who had turned around looked a little surprised that the vampiress stood there, "We were only speaking, dear," spoke one of the women. 

"You should consider what words you speak here unless you want to be thrown in the sea," Evelyn said, her dark red eyes still staring at them. 

The other woman chuckled, "Don't feel bad, Evelyn. We know you must be hurting inside for not being able to catch his heart."

"Damien doesn't know what he is doing-"

"Who told you, I want to catch his heart? He is a psychotic pureblooded vampire. I would prefer a saner one. Now, unless the words came out of my very own mouth, I would ask you to zip it," Eveyln warned not wanting to hear what people had to say about her. The women huffed, leaving her to stand alone and her brother joined. 

"You turned out to be quite popular today," said her brother to receive a glare from her, "Why didn't you fight for him though? I thought Damien was the ideal man."

"He was but no man is worth fighting for if the person is not willing to stay beside you," Evelyn had at first decided not to go to the wedding. She rather found it to be as if Damien was rubbing salt on her wounds which would still take time to heal. She had been pinning on the man for a very long time but after he had made it clear to her with a single underlying threat, she was not going to chase him anymore. 

But it wasn't just that. During their time in Mythweald, she had seen the girl who many people called her as 'slave', she was nothing of that sort. She was stronger, smart, and had fought the black witches along their side. The reason there was going to be temporary peace was because she was the white witch who was related to the first generation white witches who were responsible for closing and binding the magic for the first time. 

The girl had her own tricks but it didn't intimidate Evelyn but she wasn't going to fall low and turn desperate after the humiliation and stunt Damien had put her through. And she saw the love the pureblooded vampire had for the white witch. The way he cared for Penelope, he had never cared about anyone and she knew she had no chance.

Taking a deep breath, she said, "What time is it? The wedding is yet to start and there are gossipers. Let's get a drink," she said, pulling her brother along with her. 

Inside the mansion and in one of the rooms, Penelope had been dressed in a white gown. Her blonde hairs tied up while letting loose some of the strands in the front. Maggie had helped in dressing her up and doing her hair. 

"Did we run out of pins??" Maggie asked seeing there weren't many on the dressing table. 

"Let me go get some," Caitlin said, getting up from the bed, she walked out of the room. 

When she was finally dressed with the veil pinned at the back of her hair, she finally looked at the mirror, a smile breaking on her lips. Penny saw how good Maggie was when it came to doing her hair and it reminded that Damien was good when it came to making different hairstyles. 

Penelope didn't dare in touching her hair as she feared in spoiling it. She could feel her heart begin to beat nervously when she heard the music start to play outside the mansion. With how big the mansion was including outside the building, the family had set up the altar and seats ready for the guests.

The smile on her face didn't lower down. She was happy today, happy that her day had finally come along with Damien where they would be getting married to each other in presence of everyone. When she had started her teenage years, Penny had hoped for a wedding. It didn't matter if it was in the church just the groom, his parents and her mother but this was much more that she could have asked for and she wasn't complaining. To marry someone she loved and who loved her back, there was nothing she could have asked for. 

Caitlin arrived back with the pins and Maggie put two more of them in her hair to make sure Penny's hair wouldn't loosen up while she would walk around. 

"There! You are all set. Oh! Your shoes."

"I have them," came the voice at the door. It was grace who stood at the door who was dressed in a bridesmaid's dress. Her strides were somewhat awkward but she made her way to them and pulled out the box to hand over the shoes. 

"I thought it was different the last time I checked," Maggie looked at the shoes that looked better than the ones she had seen. 

"Damien designed it from his shop," Grace answered before she walked to the wall and stood looking at Penelope, "You look pretty," she complimented, her words less but enough right now. 

Penelope knew the girl was making an effort and therefore she smiled, "Thank you."