Dee's POV....

One word could describe what i was feeling.....NERVOUS! I was literally shaking in my boots. The day we had all been waiting for was upon us. Alex and the gang managed to come back home at three a.m and i immediately shared the news with him. Since we couldn't meet up with it being super risky, Alex had formed a group chat where we could talk and formulate a plan for our revenge. I found it very convenient cause I was able to upload all the photos I had taken to the group. Sal apparently was a tech geek so he said he would take over from there. We already had less than twenty four hours and by the time the guys were replying the following day in the morning, the hours had reduced to less than twelve hours. Everyone had agreed that we should leak the info before the wedding began, the only problem was how we would do it since none of us had a way to reach Cara before the wedding.
I had also managed to send Marcus the info I had gotten on his family and although i got a text from him thanking him, i had a feeling the news had taken a hug toll on him.

On a lighter note though, my friends and sister had finally arrived that morning during breakfast and had settled in quite well. Let me tell you, i don't know if i was just being overly emotional or maybe I had just genuinely missed them, especially my sister, but it was an extremely emotional reunion. I thought they'd be jet lag but apparently they had enough sleep on the jet and were super energetic. My sister had surprised me by coming with my small brother and her daughter whom she had failed to tell me had gone to visit her for the holidays. They had been welcomed with open arms by the family, well except of course Cara and her crew.

We were currently in my bedroom getting ready. Hamida had taken it upon herself to be our makeup artist, since the ones available were busy with the bride and her party. Alex had initially insisted that he pay for an extra one to help us but that would have just been expensive and too much trouble, especially since he was to hire one on such short notice. Besides, Hamida was an expert when it came to make up. In fact she was so good we often told her she should start a blog and maybe do some gigs, after all you never know if you could end up doing make up for fashion week. So you see, why go through all that trouble when you can get it for free?

"You should seriously start your own make up gig Mida." Complimented my sister as she checked herself out, obviously enjoying Mida's work.
"Yeah. I never understand why you keep trying to hide such amazing skills. The world is super deprived from such awesomeness." Added Lizzie as she got busy strapping her shoes.
"You guys flatter me too much." Said Mida, as she did finishing touches on her make up. She had done ours before getting on with hers. Since it was just us ladies taking our sweet time to prep ourselves, it wasn't much work. My brother and niece had already gotten ready and had gone onto the garden where the wedding was being held to play with the other kids.

"We just state facts boo. And the fact is that you are super talented." I told her going to hug her from behind, though with my slightly bulging stomach, there was so much i could do.
"Its just that, i do it cause i enjoy it. I feel like if I took it as work then id loose passion for it." She said putting the tube of coffee brown matte lipstick she had finished applying on the dressing table.
"Don't think of it as work. Think about it as a hobby. Its what i do so I can enjoy digging up bones from the ground." Said my sister adding a smirk in the end.
"Exactly!" I added.
"I'll think about it." She assured us just before there was a knock on the door.
"I'll get it." I told the girls as I moved to the door. Lessa stood on the other side, looking amazing in her purple maids dress.
"Hey you! You got dressed up fast." She said as she moved inside not waiting for me to welcome her.
"Come in, why don't you..." I said sarcastically, closing the door and turning to face the group.
"I'll let the sarcasm slide and blame it on preg hormones. Hey you guys!! Damn you guys look beautiful!!"  Complimented Lessa.
"You look super beautiful yourself." My sister complimented her earning her a super squeal and a hug from Lessa. As I watched them interact i got a eureka moment about our dead end with Stephen's problem. I texted the group chat that I had found a plan and switched my phone off knowing that my phone would be blowing up because I didn't expound. Turning to Lessa, i called her aside and led her to the closet after telling the girls I'll be back in a few minutes.
"So what's up?" Lessa asked once i had shut the door.
"I need a favor..."
 
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"Is the bride ready?" Lessa asked one of the bridesmaids whose name i think is Sasha, as we stood outside the door to the room where Cara was getting ready.
"She's almost set." Sasha replied with a smile at both of us. I think she had to be the nicest of all of Cara's bridal party.

"Wait here. I'll go in and talk to her then I'll call you in. Okay?" Instructed Lessa and I nodded and watched her enter the room, hoping to God that we somehow manage to get through to her before its too late.

Five minutes hadn't passed before Lessa called me into the room. Looking around, everyone seemed to have been cleared out. Cara was still in her robes and had only her hair and make up made. She sat facing the mirror, her eyes teary as she looked at me. Lessa went and stood beside her, rubbing cara's shoulder in a comforting manner and I knew she had told her all that I had filled her on. I actually simpathized with her. I don't know if I would have been as calm as she was if I found out my fiancé had done that to me. I actually think I'd be causing havoc wanting the poor man's blood in my hands for such treachery.
"Is it true?" Asked Cara as she turned to face me, her voice raspy from crying.
"I'm afraid so Cara. I'm very sorry you had to find out about this before your wedding...." I began but she cut me off.
"I'm actually glad you did before I made the worst mistake of my life and nearly costing my family in the process. If anything I should be the one apologizing for being a bitch to you and thanking you for going out of your way despite being pregnant to help me even though i don't deserve it." She said and stood up from the dressing chair, then began cautiously to walk toward me.
"These babies made me a Rodriguez indirectly which means you are family. And even if i wasn't pregnant with your brother's kids or his girlfriend, i wouldn't have hesitated to help a fellow woman. No hate can make me change my morals." I told her and opened my arms inviting her for a hug which she immediately accepted.
"Aww...this is so sweet....group hug!" Said Lessa joining us in the hug. We stayed like that for a few minutes before Cara broke away suddenly with tears in her eyes.
"I just got the best idea on how to repay you." She said.
"What?" Both Lessa and I asked at the same time.
"How do you feel about getting married?" Cara asked nervously.
"I have no objections to getting married." I told her.
"Great. We will tackle that when it comes. For now, I have some justice to serve." She said determined and sat back down getting ready as if I hadn't just dropped the bomb on her. I glanced at Lessa in question but she simply shrugged with a sly smile on her face, making me suddenly feel like I wasn't in on the joke between them. My gut told me that whatever Cara's cryptic statements meant weren't going to sit well with me but I put that thought at the back of my mind, leaving it for later.
"Come, let's get ready." Called Cara and hesitantly I went to her. I suddenly felt sorry for what she had planned for Stephen.

We took another hour to get ready, Cara adding me to the bridal party last minute although I didnt have the right attire but she insisted, using the its my wedding card and that she was about to get her heart broken. Though it was much to Miranda's protest but no one paid her any attention when she threw a tantrum.

Soon, we were matching down the beautiful garden isle, with me walking down last just before the bride. I was mesmerized by how beautiful the garden had been transformed, so much so that I didnt notice the questioning glances being passed to me from the nuclear family and close friends who  knew I wasn't supposed to be matching down with the bridal party.

Once I had made it to the end, the wedding song started and Cara began towards the altar. She looked absolutely amazing as she walked down the isle, a smile grazing her lips that you couldn't tell she was planning to end the wedding even before it began. Stephen watched her, a grin taking over his face, probably thinking he was a minutes away from sealing the deal and I nearly laughed out loud just picturing how he would look when she blew all his plans in his face.
The priest soon began the ceremony, my eyes drifting all round until they landed on Alex who had a mixture of emotions running in his eyes, the most prominent one when his eyes landed on me being lust and adoration and my heart began to beat even faster just from his looks. Knowing that I was responsible for such a reaction from him made me fall even more in love with him and I prayed that one day it would be us standing on the same alter taking our vows to cherish each other and be in each others lives forever. My day dream was cut short when I heard Cara say out loud," actually Father, before we go any further I have a few things I'd like to say."
"This can't wait till you have to say your vows?" He asked confused as to why Cara decided to cut him short.
"Actually it concerns an urgent matter that has come to my attention recently and I'm afraid it can't wait till the vows."
"Cara, sweetie, what are you doing?" Stephen asked and I could tell he was becoming nervous.
"What I should have done a long time ago. And I apologize for the inconvenience I am about to cause to you the guest and father Antonio, but this has dragged on long enough."
"Cara, I'm sure what you have to say can wait till after the wedding. We are already behind on time..." Pleaded Stephen, getting frustrated by the minute and even tried to reach out to Cara who had moved away from him.
"What's the rush honey? Its not like anyone here has somewhere else to be....and actually, what I have to say can't wait till after. I'm surprised I even kept quiet this long. You see, after my father passed, I was so blinded by grief and anger, feeling like I had lost the only love I knew that I lashed out and did all sorts of crazy things as an excuse to make up for what I had lost. And in the process of my selfish deeds, I caused a lot of grief to my family. But today, all that ends. Lessa, send the signal."

Lessa nodded and took out her phone, typing a few words then locking her screen before putting her phone back in her clutch. Not even a minute had passed and the projector screen at the back of the alter began to show images of the photos I took.
"You see, it came to my attention recently that while i was busy planning my happily ever after, my fiancee here was busy drafting documents that would make him a shareholder to everything i owned and thus begin my family's downfall. And as if that wasn't enough, he was sleeping with my best friend and maid of honor..." She paused as the guests took in everything she said, shocked looks on their faces as the watched the slideshow and finally the videos of Miranda and Stephen together. I turned to watch the reaction on Stephen and Miranda's faces which showed how shocked they were for being found.
"Totally cliche, i know. And to add insult to injury, he was also the cause for his own best friend's family's demise and spoiler alert, took over his family's company with a pseudo name. So you see, i had to stop this wedding before i married a criminal and caused tragedy to my own family." Cara finished. Stephen enraged grabbed Cara forcefully by the arm, as he shouted," You can't do this to me right now. If I can't have you no one can." He said as he tried to pull a shrieking Cara but Marcus acted quickly and punched Stephen hard, making him loose his grip on Cara as he struggled to regain his balance but failing, causing him to tumble down. Just then, Zoe Senior walked in with the police, how they managed to get them here so fast was a shock to me but it was the Rodriguez family after all, who came just in time to arrest Stephen. In the fracas, Miranda had tried to slip away unnoticed but Sal had managed to grab her and hand her over to the police as she screamed and tried to get herself from their grip but her tiny body was minute compared to that of the police officer holding her.
As they were dragged away, they kept saying that it wasn't over and that they were going to exert their revenge.
Once they were dragged out of the premises, Lessa and the rest of the girls went over to hug Cara who had then broken down in tears and i was just about to join them but Alex pulled me by my waist from behind, turned me to face him then giving me a deep breath taking kiss.
"What was that for?" I asked when he finally pulled back.
"For being an amazing person. Thank you for doing this for my family even though you didn't need to." He said, a breath taking smile taking over his face.
"Your family means a lot to you and our kids are a part of this family. No way I'd have let anything happen to you guys." I told him.
"I feel lucky to have you with me. And not just because you are carrying my children, but because you've been a blessing since you came into our lives. My little angel." He said hugging me again in a tight embrace.
"Id say it was the other way around. Even though my studies were cut short when i found out i was pregnant, i wouldn't change my fate for anything." I told him genuinely and i pulled back just a bit so I could kiss him on his cheek.
"I'm glad we are on the same page." He said before his family ambushed us in a group hug.
All I could think of as we hugged was how really blessed I was to be there, with the man I loved and his family and mine. Our family.