THE FORGOTTEN HEIRESS-Chapter 455: Hold Tight And Never Let Go

Meanwhile as things were getting beautiful and exciting on the island, the regimental activities in a certain jail had been altered to accomdate a live broadcast.

Minutes back, a shrill clang of the cell doors had echoed through the dim corridors as a prison guard had barked,

"Inmates, to the hall! A special broadcast is on for all of you."

Such announcement was absolutrly rare in the prison environment, so the inmates exchanged glances and murmurs of curiosity even as excitement broke out among them.

In a darker and isolated wing of the prison reserved for the most dangerous criminals, two guards approached Dolly’s cell... she had been separated from the general population since her sentencing.

On first glance, one would hardly connect her to the once glamourous and proud doctor that had effortlessly turned heads... of both men and women alike, in jealousy or in admiration as she went about her duties in the hospital.

She now looked gaunt and drained, her once-sharp eyes were now hollow and spiritless.

Grabbing onto her shackled wrists which ached like hell, the guards pulled her roughly to her feet, ushering her out to join the others.

As she got to the hall, she squinted against the light spilling from the main hall, her mind still foggy from confinement.

But as she filed in with the other inmates, her curiosity was piqued just like the other inmates. Which special broadcast was it that they wanted them to see? Had the president declared presidential pardon and she’s been chosen as some of the beneficiaries? No, she dared not bring herself to entertain such wild hope.

Whatever it was, she’ll find out soon... she was too weak to expend any strength on thinking.

The guards led her to a special seat in the front which instantly put her at high alert. There was more to this than meets the eye, she could tell.

While womdering what this was all about, she tried to make herself comfortable on the seat ... this was the first time she was having such luxury, and also the only pain free activity she’d partaken in in months since she was sentenced.

She moved her eyes from the screen glowing with the beginning of a live broadcast and glanced around, barely listening to the introductory commentary as an elegant scene took shape on the screen.

As the characristic, but soft music began to play from the speakers, it gradually registered... the elegantly decorated setting under a dusky sky, with shimmering lights, the guests dressed in beautiful and handsome attire, seated in pristine rows all focused in one direction...

A chill gripped her even before the camera panned in close to a man standing at the front, looking impossibly polished and handsome in a black, waiting patiently with a blend of anticipation and warmth in his gaze.

Her breath hitched as she recognized him. It was Steffan.

Then, as if the world was moving in slow motion, Lauren appeared on the screen, looking stunningly radiant and ethereal in one of the most beautiful wedding dresses she’d ever seen as she marched to the rhythm of the music to take her place beside Steffan.

It was their wedding!

Dolly felt her whole body go rigid as a wave of disbelief washed over her, followed by an overpowering rage that made her fists clench.

Her fury continued to rise with a suffocating bitterness that twisted inside her chest as she stared unblinkingly at the screen showing the couple who were exchanging soft smiles as the priest went through the usual wedding rituals.

’That should be me,’ she screamed internally...it was so loud in her chest that it almost escaped her lips.

The scene on the screen felt like a nightmare.. It was she who was supposed to be standing there, the one sharing Steffan’s gaze, the one wearing that look of love and promise on her face.

As if that was not torturous enough, they started exchanging vows...vows that should have been said by her, instead of Lauren who now stood beside Steffan, gazing at him with a love that Dolly had always dreamed would be hers while she spoke her vows.

Around her, the inmates watched with interest, some enraptured by the romance, others simply content to see the luxurious life on display, which was so far removed from the gray walls that confined them.

But Dolly sat as if made of stone,

Each word Steffan and Lauren spoke felt like a nail on the coffin of her soul and each soft smile they shared was like a nightmare she desperately wanted to end.

Her eyes locked on the screen with a haunted, empty stare as the camera drew close, capturing the look of joy between Lauren and Steffan as the Priest pronounced them man and wife.

She couldn’t bare to see them kiss and finally broke down, muttering bitterly under her breath, "It should have been me. Not her. Never her."

’So this is how I lost everything. Despite all the schemes I wove to seperate them and make Steffan mine.’

Every single effort and sacrifice she made to keep them apart... all of it just led to nothing but destruction.

While Steffan and Lauren thrived in the love she could never attain, she was stuck here, left to rot in prison, robbed of her career, her freedom, and even the man she once adored.

She could hardly sleep at night because of the human beasts that would visit her cell every night inflicting different degrees of harm and pain on every part of her body.

What was there to still live for? She had tried several times to commit suicide but never got to the final stage as she was constantly under surveillance. Living was hell and even death had eluded her. What kind of life was this?

’Does it really pay to be wicked, conniving and vondictive?’ she asked herself. The answer, of course was not far-fetched... it was a capital NO!!!

It was a total waste of time, personal peace, joy and of course a total waste of one’s precious destiny.

If only she had a second chance she’d undo all what she had done and relive her life in the reverse order but as it stands, it was already too late. Too late to right her wrongs.

’What a fool I have been?’ She groaned.

A cheering sound from the inmates jolted her attention back to the screen just as a pang of regret knifed through her.

She saw Lauren turning around with rapturous joy to throw her bouquet.

Up, up, up it went and landed squarely in a large hand, way behind the single ladies whose arms were waving frantically in the air.

Everyone turned around in excitement to see who the lucky lady was only for their eyes to widen in surprise when George strolled over to Ariel, placed the bouquet he had caught in her empty hand, then in the presence of everyone, captured her lips in a slow, lingering kiss.

Breaking the kiss, he smiled into her face. "We’re next, darling," he said and twirled her around.

"Sis, I think we have a wedding to plan sooner than you imagined," Monica Lauren’s mother smiled at George’s mother who was beaming with the most enchanting smile any member of her family had ever seen on her face in years.

"At long last, sister. At long last," George’s mother kept muttering. "I’m the happiest woman on earth."

"You’re mistaken, Aunt, I AM the happiest woman on earth, today," Lauren teased her aunt.

"You’re right sweetheart, I’ll postpone mine to a later date," George’s mother conceded and everyone started laughing.

Sir Rousseau, stepped forward, giving George pay on the back. "Congratulations son." Turning to Ariel, he kissed her on the forehead as a sign of his acceptance. "Thank you, child, you’ve made this old man happy today."

With that others stepped forward to also offer their wishes.

"Hey, I think you all are missing it. Today is about Ren and Steffan, not us," he said. It was then everyone turned to Lauren who was smiling so happily at her darling cousin and his wife to be... yes, she wasn’t worried at all. She was already a wife and was married to one of the most outstanding men and surgeons on earth.

"I don’t mind sharing, do you?" Lauren asked, turning to Steffan with a smile that would have made him say yes even if he minded, but strangely enough he didn’t... except...

"As long as I don’t have to share you with anyone, of course," he confessed and with an affectionate hand snaked possessively around his new bride’s waist, Steffan pulled Lauren closer.

"If you will all excuse us, we have some human anatomy lessons to catch up with," Steffan said and whisked his blushing bride away amidst the cheers of everyone as they waved them off.

Not far from where they’d held the wedding, a spectacular luxury Jet Ski Water bike was waiting for the couple on the shore.

Steffan lovingly helped Lauren to sit in it, then slid in front behind the steering.

"What about the reception?" Someone hollered out loud.

"You’re free to ’receive’ yourselves," Steffan threw back over his shoulder as he started the engine of the water beauty.

Looking over his shoulder at Lauren, he asked, "Are you ready, my love?"

"I was born ready, darling," Lauren replied with an amazing smile that made Steffan shudder in blissful anticipation.

"Hold tight then, and never let go of me."

"I won’t, my love. Not now. Not ever."

THE END!!!

Author’s Note:

Thank you for following The Forgotten Heiress to the end.

And for all your inputs, corrections, votes, gifts and motivation, I’m extremely grateful.

If you have liked my writing style and storytelling, please check out my other books,

"A Husband For The Nanny."

And

"The Seventh Daughter of Jezebel" 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

They’re exclusive stories that will motivate you to do the extraordinary and spur you to believe in the impossible.

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Thank you once again and never forget that, I LOVE YOU!!!

Beautified G.