na

cracked. What had I just done? Out of everyone, it was him I turned away fromthe one holding the key I needed most. The floor numbers blurred as the e

the sun did nothing to reach me. Nowhere was waiting for me anymore. A

d. Not home. Not anymore. Just somewhere I could exist. The moment I stepped inside, I felt it-that tight pull

e... the bride

o innocent...

ess might break me. At the front desk, I forced my

card, please." I handed it over. She inserted it, paused,

t possible," I said quickly.

ning my bank app-and froze. My account was locked. Of course. My father. A shaky breath le

r. Once. Twice. The call ended both tim

king

rembled as

ement. Elena Vale is no longer part of their pl

So fast..." I whispere

cement bride. Due to her immoral behavior,

harder than anything else. So that

ang again-m

sharp and cold, "what

ir,

eatening to withdraw." My fingers tightened around the phone. "If you ca

spe

my head. Career. I

ended just

of the road, where a wooden bench sat quietly. Without thinking, I lowered myself

cep

tay. No family. No name. No future. A hollow laugh slipped from my li

UV stopped in front of me, tires crunching softl

an St

co

he had known all alon

eed a ride

"Are you f

isappearing. "No," he said smoothly. "I

said it. Not cruel. Not

inside me. He didn't rush me. Didn't persuade me. He sim

dlines. More humiliation. More p

nt, letting the darkness set

gn," I sa

fir

cognition. As if this had always been inevitable. He stepped ou

he same-cold, controlled, powerful.

the table within

opped to th

Between Elena Vale

oat tig

out," he said calml

ch page felt heavier than the last. Public marriage. One y

n-I take

nt nothing... yet

eone I had only

ought I loved. Now, I was about to bind myself to a man w

emotion. Ju

ansac

teady. One signature. One decision. One ir

at him. "Once I sign this.

ld mine, col

xac

d between us, h

and m

touched