Watching Malik, she wondered again about the consequences of their actions. She loved him, and he’d told her he felt the same. She should have been over the moon, but their farcical behavior only made her worry what would happen when his parents inevitably found out the truth. How long would it be before Zafina told them?
Furthermore, how close could she possibly get to somebody who’d put on such an explosive lie? No matter what her feelings for him, she knew it could never be.
Her eyes went wide and she squeezed his hand, gritting her teeth with nerves.
“We are gathered here today to unite Sheikh Malik bin Malehdi and his bride, Amie Shaw. This couple is to be united in love, under God and the watchful eyes of their friends and family.”
The man turned to Amie and her stomach flipped. “Amie, please repeat after me.”
She listened to his words carefully and took a steadying breath. Don’t fall over on stage, don’t humiliate yourself… Remember, your, lines!
“I, Amie Shaw, offer you myself in marriage in accordance with the Holy word. I pledge in honesty and with sincerity, to be a faithful wife to you, giving you all my love for as long as I live.”
“Perfect!” the officiant shouted with a laugh and the guests began clapping.
Amie could see Sadira from the corner of her eye; the older woman had erupted into tears and a smile of joy was strewn across her face. She could see that Malik was watching her; his face suddenly serious as the officiant addressed him.
“Now, Malik. Please do our guests the honor of repeating your vows to your beautiful bride.”
Malik watched the audience, both of his hands clasped around hers, before catching her eye. “I pledge, in honesty and sincerity—”
He stopped.
He stared at the floor and pressed his eyes shut; flicking them open suddenly and looking up at Amie once more. “To be for you a faithful and helpful—”
He stopped again.
What was going on? Was he seriously considering ditching her at their fake wedding?
He stared at her and pursed his lips unsurely, scratching his stubble and taking a step back. Something was wrong.
“I love you,” he whispered to Amie and let go of her hand, backing away from her and rubbing his hands across his forehead.
She could nearly feel his hesitation flowing through the room as he turned to address the crowd.
“Father, mother,” he said, walking closer to the edge of the stage. “I love Amie Shaw. She has been the lightest part of my dark days and will never cease to challenge me and amaze me, and show me the respect and honor that I hardly deserve.”
Amie looked to Malik’s parents and watched his mother’s tears and the pride in his father’s eyes turn to shock as he continued. “But she is not my fiancée. Nor is she my girlfriend. She is an actress.”
Amie covered her face; her hands shaking at the sudden admission. Why was he doing this? Why now?
“I love you both so much,” he said, his voice now trembling with emotion. “And I know that all I have done is disappoint you. I wanted you to see that I was happy; that I was responsible and respectable enough to win the heart of someone as wonderful as the woman who stands before me now. She agreed, under my coaxing, to pretend to be my fiancée, so that I could alleviate your fears and make you proud of me.”
The reporters were going wild with their cameras as the whole auditorium erupted with whispers and gasps. Malik’s father hung his head, shaking it sorrowfully, and just as she feared, Sadira was staring at her in shock and confusion.
“All I can say is that I’m sorry. Sorry to my family for putting them through these proceedings, all because of my insecurities. I know they fell in love with Amie Shaw, just as I have.”
He finally walked back to Amie and brushed her hair behind her ear. “I love you, Amie. I have fallen so deeply in love with you that I can’t bear to put you through this any longer. You were right about everything. This…” He looked around before shrugging helplessly; laughing despite himself. “This was a very bad idea.”
Amie couldn’t help but stifle a giggle. “You think?”