d frozen, eyes on the bride whose gown was soaked in champagne and water. T

spered to each other. Elara's hands trembled. She wanted to shrink

k. Eyes sharp as a hawk. His expression calm, almost too calm, as

e Cr

r, each step measured. Guests instinctively parted, their conversations stoppin

low, controlled. "It takes skill to cre

... I did not mean..." Her words fa

. "Meaning does not matt

bride clutched her bouquet tighter. The groom,

say? That she was saving her friend? That she had been manipulated int

mage is done," he said, voice calm

t tightened.

g." He stepped closer, eyes never leaving hers. "You will ne

wanted to back away. But something about him h

" she wh

ly. "Yes. A choice that

see the gossip forming like smoke in the air. Guests leaning forward, whis

?" Elara asked,

he world moves on without consideration for your i

the puddle of champagne and water that had spread across the floor, reflecting in a h

ot be undone," she repe

e consequences," he said, "require bold deci

A larger part, though, knew he was right. She had acted.

e whispered,

taking another step closer. "It is a

lifted to record. The bride's hands trembled as she clutched her dress. The groom cl

she asked, voic

htly. "Yes. But it require

swers. She wanted to scream. She wanted to vanish. But she knew the storm was far f

e her shiver. Then he looked past her briefly, eyes narrowing ever so sli

nted to tell herself it was not real. But the heat of the crowd, the gla

The stunned guests. The groom. The shame. And this man, who had stepped i

hirlwind in her head. "Decide q

again. Her mind felt like it was spinning. What could she say? What

e realizati

chose, nothing woul

cked, and the bride looked at her with an unreadable expres

anted to protest. She wanted to run. She w

. And now, Dante held th

ook seemed deliberate, controlled, predatory in the way it dem

had only j