Exhausted was a small word to describe how Adrian felt by the time the entire ceremony had come to an end.
Smiling and trying to make small talk with people that cared nothing for his existence and looked down on his background wasn't his strongest point.
He had to give it to the handsome jerk that was beside him the entire time. He knew how to stir conversations in the direction he wanted, away from the prying mouths of our audience.
Everyone wanted to know how we'd gone from famous rivals to husbands, they knew how impossible that should've been. But none of this mattered, he'd consider this a movie role he had to play.
All he'd have to do was go back to his own apartment after this and never see the insufferable control freak called Rowan again.
Okay—that wasn't possible since they both worked in the movie industry and were bound to bump into each other during auditions or movie premiers. He'd just act like he didn't know him.
At the back of his mind Adrian considered the entire wedding a bad dream, a huge giant nightmare, and after it he'll continue his life like normal.
"We're done here," Rowan's grave voice spoke. "We'll have dinner before going to the hotel."
Adrian's nose scrunched up in distaste. "I'm going to have dinner—" he pointed to himself. "All by myself, and then I'll go to my apartment."
Rowan shook his head. "I'm afraid that's not happening. We have to dine together and check-in at the hotel. The investors have eyes everywhere. They'll pull out if they sense this marriage is a hoax, we have to play the part to the very end."
"What the hell did I do to deserve this?" Adrian asked in a dramatic tone. "I must've wronged the heavens somehow to have to endure this…" he trailed off, searching for the perfect word in his head.
"This what?" Rowan raised a brow. "Don't act like you're not secretly excited. This is the closest you'll ever get to be with a handsome fine young man. Enjoy it while it lasts."
Adrian squeezed his face. "Eww." Then he pinched his nose with his fingers. "You're stinking up the place with your arrogance."
Rowan rolled his eyes. "Come on, I'm hungry." He grabbed Adrian's arm and pulled him along before he could protest.
They were barely out of the door when something soft and slimy hit Adrian square in the face, flashing lights following immediately after.
"We can't let you get married to our Prince, he's too good for you," someone yelled. "Go back to the slum where you belong!"
"Gold digger! Social climber!" another shouted. "You shameless thing! Using our prince to push your dying career!"
A small mob had managed to get past security, there to hurl insults at Adrian. Someone must've tipped them off about the wedding. They had to be Rowan's fans, they were strongly protective of their idol.
Rowan immediately pulled Adrian into his arms, using his body as a barrier between Adrian and the mob. He pulled out his phone and called the backup security inside the hall.
They came just in time as the mob were about to launch into another attack. The security men rushed in, holding them down as Rowan guided a very quiet…very still Adrian to the private room they were supposed to change their clothes in.
Rowan had expected Adrian to bite back at them, the man was very hotheaded. He'd never let such disrespect slide.
That was why Rowan was surprised when Adrian remained quiet at his side, letting Rowan's hand snake protectively around him.
Even as Rowan put his hands on his tiny waist and lifted him onto the sink, he said nothing which made Rowan even more alarmed.
He took a look at the slime Adrian had been hit in the face with and started to clean it up. He used the towel on one of the racks and put it under the faucet to rinse after every wipe.
"I'm sorry about that," Rowan finally muttered when the silence became unbearable. "I'll speak to security after this. They'll all sign an NDA to make sure no one else knows about our wedding."
Adrian nodded, staring into the space in front of him. All he could hear was their cruel words and he hated that it still affected him after all these years.
He'd been called worse in the past, even by the people closest to him. This wasn't new to him. So why did his heart still constrict painfully and his blood run cold? He shut his eyes, willing himself to forget.
When he opened them, the fire was back. He jerked away from Rowan when he raised the towel to wipe him.
"This is all your fault." There was venom in his voice. "The wedding, your crazy fans, this fucking…" he didn't even want to look in the mirror or he'll puke. "If there's as much as a scratch on my face, I'll sue you and every fucking—"
Rowan put his index on Adrian's lips to shut him up. "Stop swearing."
Adrian pushed his hand away in anger. "Don't tell me what to do!"
Rowan sighed, he should've appreciated it when the man had gone quiet. "I'm having the situation handled. You don't have to worry about anything."
A crazed laugh fell from Adrian's lips. "And all those words they said to me? Are you going to handle that too? They can say those horrible things and I can't even swear?"
He could feel a headache coming. "That's not what I meant. Don't take those words to heart."
"Of course," Adrian said with a laugh. "It's easy for you to dismiss it because you're not the one hearing them." Because you've not had to listen to everyone say you were a worthless little wretch since you were a kid.
"I—" Rowan's phone rang, cutting him off.
Adrian watched him walk away to take the call. He jumped down from the sink and wiped furiously at his face before looking in the mirror.
Luckily there wasn't any goo left, but his anger remained. And by the time Rowan walked back in, smoke was already coming out of his ears.
"Do you want to make it up to me, Mr. Prince?" he walked slowly towards the confused man. "I mean no bride should have to go through such humiliation on their wedding day."
Rowan looked at him in suspicion. "They've all been arrested. But if there's something else I can do to make you feel better, let me know."
Adrian's lips tilted at the ends in a maniacal smile. "There is."
Before Rowan could process his words, Adrian pulled his arm back and threw a punch at his right eye.