She's My Sleeping Pill

“Am I really forgiven?” Stefan asked her in the middle of the night while caressing her chest. “Can’t I really go beyond this?”

“Yes, you are forgiven. And no, you can’t go beyond this.”

“Wifey.”

“Sulking won’t work.”

“I’m really sorry. I wasn’t planning to make you wear it.”

“Then, what are you planning to do with it? Display it?”

.....

“I...uhh...I was planning to give it to someone else?”

“Someone else?!”

“No...I mean...fine...I wanted you to wear it.”

“You shameless beast.” Cayenne bit his chin and licked it right after but still, when he wanted to go further, he wasn’t allowed to do it. “We do it bareback with an intention of having a baby or none at all.” Stefan stiffened for a moment before showering her face with kisses.

“I’m fine with not doing it.”

Cayenne was left dumbfounded. She thought she’d be able to trap him into making a baby with her but in the end, she was the one left in frustration. “Alright. Be with your hands for the rest of the week.”

“O-okay.” Stefan replied with faint laughter. He would never give in to the temptation and accidentally make a baby with her. He didn’t want her to be pregnant just because she felt responsible to do so. Who cares about successors or whatnot? He didn’t marry her to become a baby making machine. They’ll have a baby in the right time but not now. Not when she’s still studying and not because his grandfather asked for it.

They might be keeping it a secret from him but he has Tristan to monitor their gadgets. He monitored his wife, not because he didn’t trust her but because he didn’t trust his father and grandfather. He may have forgiven them but he has not forgotten the sin they have committed against his mother. It will forever remain a stain in their life.

He knew that his grandfather was ill and had asked Cayenne to give him a grandchild before he dies but he didn’t want his wife to feel burdened with this request. Why should she suffer for the sake of fulfilling other people’s wishes? Therefore, he would never succumb to her temptation and accidentally fertilized her egg.

During the day, the two of them acted normal and continued with their normal routine. During the night, Stefan has to deal with his physiological needs. Cayenne didn’t even bat an eyelid to him. This continued until Saturday came. Stefan finally found a good way to make it back to his wife’s priority list.

It was Winter and Gabriel’s wedding. The Christmas-themed wedding was attended by many socialites and several people from the military. At the end of the day, it was a wedding between the Second-Lieutenant and the Brigadier General of the country’s military.

Since Travis treated Winter as his sister and Gabriel was also one of his best friends, he made sure that the two will have the best and memorable day of their life. The theme couldn’t be done inside the church because of the designs so, Travis had asked someone to make a church inside a hotel to cater the design that Winter chose for her wedding.

There were leafless trees lined up on both sides of the aisle and it was painted with white, making it look like a snow has covered. Instead of a red carpet, they used a white carpet with fake snows littered on it. Every two meters, there were Victorian-styled street lamps painted in white and a soft light coming from the bulb made the place look even more romantic.

Walking down the aisle alone would make you feel the love and the essence of Christmas. The wedding reception was also in the same hotel. It was warm inside and the white-red color combination makes you imagine your own wedding, too. That’s exactly how Cayenne felt when she arrived. She never thought of having her own grand wedding. Registering their marriage was already enough for her. But right now, she stopped for a moment and looked around her.

“What can you say?” Stefan inquired while linking his fingers with hers. “Lovely, isn’t it? Travis and Jillyanna had done their best to prepare this for the groom and bride.”

“I heard that Grabriel’s prosthetic leg operation didn’t go through. I am glad they still continued with the wedding despite what happened.”

“Dr. Anderson says that Gabriel might feel the pain on daily basis but knowing Gabriel, he would most-likely keep it from Winter. So, when she heard about it, she asked Gabriel not to go through it. She didn’t care if she has to support him every day.”

Cayenne didn’t say any comment about it. She could only imagine how tiring it would be for both Gabriel and Winter but if it happens to Stefan, she would do anything to support him as well. She would never want him to feel pain every single day just to placate her and make her feel at ease.

“What are you thinking?” Stefan asked as they walked towards Valkyrie and Brown.

“Nothing.” She said while keeping the smile on her face. She continued to observe the place whenever she gets the chance to look around.

The flower girls already arrived and one of them was Jade. She was wearing a white dress with a huge red ribbon tied on the side of her waist. She also has a flower crown to match her outfit and a white sandal to go along with the outfit. She looked so adorable. When she saw Cayenne, she waved her little hand at her and smiled but she didn’t approach them because the other flower girls were still talking to her. She was a bright child and people couldn’t stop taking a glance at her.

The other entourage has come as well and some of them were unfamiliar faces to Cayenne but she still kept her polite smile whenever someone looks at her. When Gabriel arrived, he was sitting on a wheel chair and Hawk was pushing it to the front.

The guests started looking for a place to sit and witness the union of another couple who fought adversities just to be together. They have taken a lot of detours and sacrificed a lot only to obtain this happiness for a lifetime.

Gabriel chose to wear his military uniform and despite losing his leg, the aura he emits still shows how dignified he is. He didn’t have any family, so Major General Calhoun acted as his father for this special ceremony. Winter still got her parents and even though she still didn’t like them, she still allowed them to walk her down the aisle.

The ceremony was grand. There were several military officers who attended the wedding and many people from upper class joined as well.

It was so romantic until the two read their wedding vows. Almost everyone who attended the wedding was dabbing handkerchief on their faces to dry their tears and avoid ruining their make-up. It was the most heart wrenching vows that the guests have ever heard in their life.

Gabriel was the one who read his vow first. “Today, we are celebrating our union and I’d like to express my gratitude to everyone who came to witness this grand event in our life. To Travis, bro, I can’t thank you enough for all the support you have given me. I know I broke your trust several times but you still chose to forgive me and trust me time and time again. To Uncle Thomas, I don’t know what I have done in my past life to receive your warm welcome and acceptance in this life. I am so thankful I met you when I desperately needed someone the most. You always got my back despite all the things I have done. And to my future wife, whose last name will be changed few minutes from now, I want to thank your parents for bringing you into this world – into my world. I want to give them my deepest bow of respect but I can only do a little because of my situation right now.” he took a deep breath and released it but it was caught in the mic and everyone heard the tremble in his voice. “Winter, I failed you so many times. Long ago, I realized that our status doesn’t match and that people would most-likely judge our relationship. I wanted to stand next beside you. I wanted you to be proud for having me in your life. I wanted so much to be with you for the rest of our life so I joined the army. I did my best to raise my rank. And then, you got into an accident. Things happened and there was this huge gap which was stretching us apart, pulling us farther from each other no matter how much I tried to get close to you. I used every means to get close to you. I know that I am still not worthy to stand next to you but, let me be selfish this time. I only want you and needed you for the rest of my life. I’ll continue to hang on for you. I’ll do everything I can for you. I can even exchange my life for you. I’ll take care of you as much as I could. I don’t have much but you can have everything I have. Until my very last breath, I’ll give warmth to your cold name. I still remember the promise we made under the apple tree. I can still hear your laughter in my ears. And now, my dream is being fulfilled. I will be forever loyal to you. I will devout my whole life to you. What else can I say? I...I just really love you, Winter! My Winter Avery!”

Despite the tears falling on their faces, people still clapped for him and some even whistled. The children didn’t know why people were crying but Jade kept a poker. She didn’t want to cry like the adults. She wanted to pretend that she didn’t know like the other children. She was trying her best to act like the children around her age.

Winter also read her vows and tears streamed on the people’s faces once again. By the time the wedding finished, most of the women who attended the wedding were walking towards the bathroom to retouch their make-up. They had to look presentable before going to the reception.

“Winter and Gabriel got married now. I wonder who would be next?” Cielo asked and her eyes were boring into Cayenne but the latter only smiled and continued eating her food. “Don’t just smile at me.” Cielo commented and rolled her eyes. “When are you guys going to have your wedding?”

“Soon.” Stefan answered which made Cayenne turned to look at him.

“Soon?” She inquired with a shock expression on her face. “When’s that? Why didn’t I hear anything about this?”

“Because you will oppose me sweetie.”

“Correct.” Riley agreed and was even nodding her head. “When there’s a talk about wedding, you always say ‘no’. Didn’t you know that wedding is just once in a lifetime event? It’s special. That’s every woman’s dream.”

“Not all woman.” Cayenne retorted.

Even though she said it, she actually imagined herself walking in a field of flowers while wearing her wedding gown. In her daze, Stefan intertwined their fingers and kissed the back of her hand. “You will have your dream wedding as well.” Cayenne didn’t react to it. She didn’t know if she heard him right but still, she smiled sweetly at him.