ella

. The vaulted ceilings were painted with Sicilian myths, but the air felt like a tomb. The moment we stepped inside, the fr

wide, nervous eyes darted between Frankie's retreating form and my shivering, lace-draped figure. Making a split-second assumption about which bride belonged

s faded into a heavy, oppressive silence. Oil portraits of past Moretti *Dons* glared down at me from the silk-lined w

posing back came into

my stiletto caught on the slick, polished marble.

p into Damien's bottomless, dead eyes. For a split second, the sheer, terrifying power radiating from him paralyzed me

w clenched in absolute disgust. Reaching into his tailored suit jacket, he pulled out a pristine white

just collateral to him; I was a liability. Filth. I lifted my chin, my hands trembling with a toxic

ampagne glasses and watchful eyes. I stood near the edge of the dan

, arrogant smirk on his face. Suddenly, his heavy dress shoe came down hard on the

, camera-ready smile, gracefully leaning into Leo's chest. She w

ed hard. For the rest of the song, he held her with stiff, terrified precision, treating her like a live explosive. A tiny, fierce spark of hope

e morning, I was entirely numb. The same nervous maid found

It didn't look like Leo's style, but I was too exhausted to care. I stripped off the suffocating wedding dress, leaving it in a heap on the floor. Crawling into the cen