'Vivienne, you finally did it. In just three months, you've accomplished everything. The wedding is tomorrow, and you're about to gain your freedom.' Vivienne gave herself a pat on the back, feeling a surge of pride as she started to have flashbacks of all the challenges she had overcome during the past three months.
Vivienne's Annoyance Number 1...
The High Priest suggested, "Let's have the wedding take place at my church. It is grand and would befit Goddess Ava's prestige."
"No, we are going to have the wedding take place in the royal family's personal church. Not only that, the church you are staying in is too far away. Ava would be too tired to travel that far," the crown prince countered.
"But the royal family's church is not only smaller but also less beautiful than the church I work at," the High Priest persisted.
"I am the groom, so I get to decide where I want to have my wedding," the crown prince asserted.
"Goddess Ava is the bride too, so you need her opinion as well," the High Priest emphasized.
The two handsome men looked at Ava, who seemed surprised by the sudden attention. Ava pondered for a while before glancing at Vivienne and Milo, seeking her help.
'Looks like Ava couldn't decide where she wants the wedding. I guess she still has some of the female lead's indecisive nature in her,' Vivienne thought.
"We will be having the wedding at the royal family's church. It has been a tradition for thousands of years, so it would be best not to break it," Milo said, chiming in to settle the matter.
Ava nodded in agreement, relieved to have a decision made for her. "Yes, that sounds like a wonderful idea. Thank you, Milo," she said, giving him a grateful smile.
'Nice save, Milo. Now there shouldn't be any more arguments since I don't have to ask for their opinion anymore,' Vivienne thought, but she was so wrong. More petty arguments like this continued to appear, driving her to the brink of frustration.
Vivienne's Annoyance Number 2...
"The cake should be vanilla. It's a classic flavor," the High Priest declared confidently.
"No way! Ava loves strawberries, so the cake should definitely be strawberry," the crown prince insisted, crossing his arms.
"Ava won't be eating the cake alone. Chocolate is the way to go, as it's a flavor that everyone enjoys," the Northern Duke countered, with a hint of smugness in his tone.
Vivienne couldn't believe they were arguing over something as simple as the cake flavor. She rolled her eyes, thinking that the Northern Duke was probably joining in for the sake of amusement.
"I have a brilliant idea," Vivienne chimed in, earning everyone's attention. "Why don't we have a three-tiered cake with each tier having a different flavor? We can have vanilla on the top tier, strawberry in the middle, and chocolate on the bottom. That way, everyone gets to enjoy their favorite flavor!"
The three men paused, considering her suggestion, and surprisingly, they all agreed. It seemed that Vivienne's compromise had solved the cake dilemma once and for all.
"Now I can handle this. You guys go find something else to do," Vivienne declared firmly, gently pushing the three men away to give herself some space to focus on her work.
"Vivienne, I brought the flavor you asked for. Want to try it?" Milo arrived just in time when the three men had left, which made Vivienne happy to be able to spend some alone time with him.
"I would love to," Vivienne said, and the two enjoyed the ice cream together.
"Vivienne, you have something on your cheek," Milo said, using his napkin to gently wipe away the stain. Vivienne felt her heart pounding with excitement as Milo's close proximity sent her senses into a daze.
'Is this THE cliche scene? And am I living in it? This must be a dream!' Vivienne thought, still in a daze, as she felt the lingering touch of Milo's hand on her cheek.
The two were enjoying their alone time, but their moment of peace was quickly dashed when the three men returned, hovering around Vivienne like a curious pack of puppies.
Vivienne's Annoyance Number 3...
"I think the flowers should be white to symbolize Ava's kind-hearted nature," the High Priest said.
"The flowers should be pink to match Ava's hair!" the crown prince chimed in.
"NO! The flowers must be blue to emphasize her eyes!" the Northern Duke added.
As the men continued to debate, Vivienne kept her back turned to them, pretending to focus on the flower arrangement. She couldn't understand why they were making such a fuss over this when there were so many more important things to consider for the wedding. But the bickering only escalated, with each man trying to convince the others that his choice was the best.
"White flowers are classic and elegant, perfect for a royal wedding," the High Priest argued.
"Pink flowers will add a touch of romance and sweetness to the occasion," the crown prince countered.
"Blue flowers will complement Ava's eyes, making her look even more stunning on her special day," the Northern Duke insisted.
"Your Highness, you only seem to focus on Ava's appearance, but you should also consider her personality. Unless you don't know her well enough, and that's why you're insisting on the color pink," the High Priest said, his tone laced with disapproval.
"I know her well enough, and Ava wants to look beautiful on her wedding day, so appearance does matter," the crown prince retorted, his voice rising in response.
"No, you don't," the Northern Duke said, adding fuel to the fire.
Vivienne could feel a headache starting to form. She had to find a way to put an end to this senseless dispute. Vivienne turned around to face the three men. With a composed expression, she spoke up.
"The color of the flowers will be red since it is Ava's favorite color," she declared firmly.
The room fell silent, and all three men looked at her with surprise. It seemed that they hadn't expected such a straightforward response.
"Well, red is a good choice, too," the High Priest said, trying to hide his disappointment.
"Yes, it's a classic color that will look beautiful in the arrangements," the crown prince added, nodding in agreement.
The Northern Duke shrugged and said, "Sure, whatever Ava wants."
Vivienne resisted the urge to roll her eyes again. It was a relief that they had finally settled on a color, but she couldn't help but feel exasperated by their behavior.
"Good. Now that we have that settled, can we please move on to more important matters?" she said, hoping to steer the conversation away from any more petty arguments.
The three men seemed to get the message, and they reluctantly shifted their focus to other wedding preparations. Vivienne sighed in relief, glad that she had managed to put an end to their ridiculous bickering.
Suddenly, a bouquet of flowers came into her view. Vivienne looked up and noticed Milo standing there, smiling at her with such warmth in his eyes.
"I made this flower bouquet for you, knowing how stressed you've seemed with the wedding lately. I also brought some chocolates. I hope my gifts will cheer you up," Milo said.
Vivienne's heart skipped a beat as she smiled with delight, feeling touched by his thoughtfulness. The stress of the wedding preparations seemed to melt away at that moment, replaced by a sense of comfort and happiness. She couldn't help but feel a stronger connection with Milo, appreciating how he always knew how to brighten her day.
"Thank you, Milo," she replied, feeling her cheeks flush slightly.
With renewed motivation, Vivienne dived back into the wedding preparations with enthusiasm.
Vivienne's Annoyance Number 4...
"This dress design is mediocre. Why did you even pick this?" the crown prince criticized the Northern Duke.
"This is not mediocre. This is the top designer from the South. This mermaid wedding dress style would make Ava look both sexy and classy," the Northern Duke retorted.
"Goddess Ava will not wear that wedding dress; her shoulders and cleavage are barely covered in that dress. My wedding dress is better; this sheath-style wedding dress would remind everyone of Goddess Ava's prestige," the High Priest said.
"That dress looks like what all priests in a church would wear. The only difference is there is a veil. Also, she can expose some skin; why are you trying to cover up every inch of her body?" the Northern Duke retorted.
"Mine is ten times better than yours, Duke," the High Priest boasted.
"Ten times better? That's an exaggeration," the Northern Duke scoffed.
"Both of your choices are terrible. I know for sure that Ava would want to wear a ballgown wedding style. The grandness of the dress would show everyone that Ava would be the future empress," the crown prince asserted.
"A ballgown style? That's too traditional and predictable," the High Priest countered.
Vivienne and Milo exchanged knowing glances, as they were both now used to these pointless arguments.
"Your Highness, Your Grace, let us not forget that the most important thing is Ava's happiness and comfort on her special day," Milo chimed in, his tone gentle but firm. "How about we have a meeting with the top designers from each style and let Goddess Ava choose the design that resonates with her the most? After all, it is her wedding, and her feelings should be the top priority."
The three men exchanged hesitant glances, considering Milo's suggestion. Finally, the High Priest nodded, agreeing to the idea. "You're right, Milo. It should be Ava's choice in the end. We want her to be happy."
The crown prince, still a bit stubborn, eventually gave in with a sigh. "Fine, but I hope she chooses a design that truly showcases her beauty and grace."
Vivienne smiled, relieved that they had reached a compromise. "Thank you both for understanding. Ava will appreciate having the freedom to choose her dream wedding dress."
With the matter settled, they continued with the wedding preparations, and Vivienne made sure to arrange the meeting with the top designers as soon as possible.
The three men were each confident that Ava would choose their choice of wedding dress. However, when the day of the dress fitting arrived, they were all in for a surprise. Ava didn't choose any of the men's choices. Instead, she went for an A-line wedding dress style that had elements of a combination of the three men's designs.
Vivienne couldn't help but chuckle as she watched the expressions on the men's faces. They were baffled, yet at the same time, they couldn't deny how stunning Ava looked in her chosen dress.
"Ava, you look absolutely breathtaking," Vivienne complimented with a warm smile.
Ava blushed, touched by her friend's compliment. "Thank you, Vivienne. I'm so glad I had your and Milo's help through all of this."
The crown prince, the High Priest, and the Northern Duke were left speechless, but eventually, they all agreed that Ava had made the right choice. After all, it was her day, and she looked radiant in her unique dress.
After almost everyone had left, Vivienne couldn't contain her frustration and decided to pull the Northern Duke aside for a private conversation.
"Why do you keep adding fuel to the fire?" Vivienne asked, her tone tinged with annoyance.
"I'm just here to add some excitement and spice up the ideas," the Northern Duke replied mischievously, a playful glint in his eyes.
"Don't you have enough work to do?" Vivienne retorted.
"I've already completed all my tasks, and I'm not causing any trouble," the Northern Duke said innocently, shrugging his shoulders.
Vivienne couldn't help but look at the Northern Duke with a mix of confusion and amusement. It was as if his personality had taken a complete turn from being cold and serious to becoming playful and mischievous. She couldn't quite fathom how her mere presence had seemingly influenced him to break out of character.
With a resigned sigh, Vivienne realized that she had unintentionally changed the dynamic of their interactions. The once stoic and reserved Northern Duke now appeared to enjoy bantering with her, and while it was amusing, it also added to the chaos of wedding planning.
"Alright, alright," Vivienne said, trying to hide her smile. "But please, let's not add any more chaos to the preparations. We want Ava's wedding day to be perfect."
The Northern Duke chuckled, seeming to relent. "Alright, I promise to behave myself, Secretary Number 2."
Vivienne nodded in approval, relieved that she had managed to get him to cooperate. As she returned to her tasks, she couldn't help but wonder how the dynamics of their relationships had shifted throughout the wedding preparations.
Despite the occasional annoyances and disagreements, Vivienne was grateful for the friendships she had forged with the three men. In the end, she knew that they were all working together to make Ava's special day truly memorable, and that was what mattered most.
Present Day...
"Vivienne, how is the wedding coming along?" Milo asked, as he often did.
"Very well, everything should be smooth sailing tomorrow," Vivienne replied with a smile.
"That's great to hear. You've done a fantastic job," Milo complimented, his eyes filled with admiration for her hard work.
Vivienne blushed slightly at the praise, feeling a warm sense of satisfaction, knowing that her efforts had paid off. "Thank you, Milo. But I couldn't have done it without your help and support."
Milo chuckled softly, reaching out to gently brush a strand of hair away from her face. "You're too modest, Vivienne. You've been the backbone of this entire operation, and everyone knows it."
Vivienne's heart fluttered at his touch, and she couldn't help but feel grateful for his presence in her life. She had noticed that while she was preparing for the wedding, Milo had been touchy with her a lot, and she didn't mind one bit. It made her feel a special connection with him, and she cherished those moments of intimacy between them. As they continued to spend time together, Vivienne couldn't help but wonder if Milo also desired something more in their relationship beyond their roles as coworkers and friends. But for now, she was content to enjoy the warmth of his affection and the joy of working together to make the wedding a success.