Layla struggled against John's grip around her arm as he held her firm against him, refraining her from running any further. Layla was frustrated but fear consumed her thoughts of just thinking about having to go back and marry this scoundrel for sure. Layla pleaded with desperation but also anger towards John, not wanting him touching her another second.
"John- please let go of me! I do not wish to marry you, I don't and I never have. Why can't you choose to marry a woman who loves you rather than me?!" Layla was desperately trying to get away from John, though he was much stronger than her and didn't mind her scratches and other numerous attempts to flee.
"You think I want any other woman-?!" he pulled her closer to him, keeping his hand wrapped firmly around her arm as he grabbed her chin with his other hand, refraining her head movements as he whispered to her.
"just you wait till we get married and get home. You have some harsh punishment coming for trying to run from me like this."
John's tone was harsh with Layla as she was on the verge of tears that were starting to blur her vision again. His grip on her arm becoming tight and painful, almost bruising, as he released her chin from his hand harshly, throwing her head to the side. Layla's struggles came to a halt as she stood there in defeat, knowing there was no way of getting out of John's hold now. There was silence as John glared hard at Layla while she looked off to the side at the ground, feeling his gaze burning into the back of her head. The wind chilled air blowing by in a gentle breeze as the sky was even more gloomy than earlier, it looked like it'd rain any second now.
Layla was silent now, no longer struggling or pleading as she realized how deep and tangled she was in this situation.
"Dirty Woman-." John scoffed out in a murmur under his breath as he turned around and started to drag Layla with him back to the wedding hall. He was pissed for sure and she knew there was nothing left to do, she had tried to escape but failed at what seemed to be her only chance.
John was a well known man and that was sure as the ladies swarmed him and other men tried to deal with him in many ways, trying to get their pockets full of John's money. Everything was a whole mess as John was not the only one to chase after Layla from the wedding hall as a few other men had come to help him, really after Layla because of her beauty or because they were paid to.
Layla's head hung low as she let John drag her off, her makeup running, her dress and vail dirty and torn, and her heels didn't shine the way they did before. Her head was no longer held high like it used to be as John spoke with the other men who had tagged along with him to get her, laughing and snorting like the pigs they were. Layla looked up once more, the man she'd bumped into who had been as quiet as a leaf was still standing there with his own men, who seemed to genuinely be guarding him. Neither of them said a word as their eyes locked once more, everything seemed to pause in that moment as Layla felt her chest tighten and her lungs grow wide with a breath she couldn't release. The tears didn't run no longer as they held eye contact before he disappeared from her view, as John had pulled her around the corner she had come from before. Layla's head sunk once more but this time it felt different, it felt as if something had changed within her, as if she didn't know the man but he was holding his arms wide open for her.
But Layla closed her eyes and kept her head down, letting John continue to drag her away as she wouldn't take that risk. She had already gotten herself tangled deep within John's web and couldn't afford to get tangled in another. But my lord, did she not know who she bumped into or just how further deep she was in now.
It took a few minutes to get back to the wedding hall as John dragged Layla towards the dressing room, opening the door and shoving her in as she fell to the floor. Her eyes were glazed as she just sat there not saying a word as she knew it wasn't the right timing.
"Get your shit together and clean yourself up- within the next hour." John spoke harshly towards Layla, his words cutting her like a knife. Her white wedding dress dirty and drenched at the bottom from the snow that was on the ground outside, her heels wet and worn no longer shining like they used too. She didn't reply to him as she just sat there and stared at the floor beneath her, feeling cold and trapped in this cage. John then left the room he'd tossed her in and closed the door behind him, not giving her a chance to say anything anyways.
Layla sat there for a few moments knowing she had not a chance at running off again and had to deal with this another way. She finally stood herself up and walked over to a body sized mirror and stared at herself in it, finding disgust in seeing the dress she was wearing. She hated this dress as it was picked out with the help of John- that disgusting flea bag she wanted to rid of so badly, but she couldn't.
There was still reason to keep him around, especially with what she needed from him.
She calmed herself down after a few moments and got herself ready, a few of the females here at the wedding venue for support and helping run the show came in and helped. Layla's face was dull, her eyes and expression unreadable by any who looked at her.
It was about forty-five minutes later that she was all dressed up again, a brand new gown as it was stashed away just in case something like this happened. The gown was a snow white, but it looked so much prettier and more comfortable than the first one she had worn. A pair of heels, more sturdy and easier to walk in as they had gold lacing on the sides of them, which made her look more elegant even if you couldn't see them under the dress. Her hair was let down this time, letting it flow down her back as a silver clip was placed in her hair, resting on the back and in the center, holding it out of her face. She stood in front of the body-lengthed mirror, admiring herself even if she hated this day.
A brand new white laced vail, that was like a fog hiding her face, was placed on the top of her head and pulled down. One of the females gave her a new bouquet of flowers, roses, her new most hated flower. With everything now done and Layla back to looking as elegant as ever, she was escorted out of the room and towards the grand hall. Finally going to start the wedding ceremony.