yn's

eyond my control. Every moment of this day felt surreal, as though I were an ac

stine, and painfully artificial. The air was heavy with the scent of roses, but to me, it felt suffocat

t few adjustments on my dress. The gown was beautiful, the intric

asn't allowed to have anything that was truly mine anymore. Not my

rmth. Just a woman on the edge of a life she didn't choose. My makeup was perfect, my hair car

door shattere

e nerves beneath. She entered without waiting for a response, her eyes

rfection. But I couldn't. There was no point in fighting anymore. Her expectations weighed

e said, a strange, almost eerie

ve out beneath me. Every step toward the aisle felt l

rely glancing at the sea of faces below. The guests were all gathered, their sm

aze flicke

i

, just like he had been at the engagement party. But unlike that night, when I had been full of anger and resentment, tod

calculating. The guests parted, their whispers filling the air as I passed, bu

tension, the weight of the contract that hung between us. This wasn't

t's voice was a blur, his words a meaningless chant as I sto

el his body heat, like a furnace, a fire that I couldn't touc

ki

art of the ceremony, the moment when two souls became one.

off me, but I couldn't. The eyes of the guests were on us, and my mother's gaze burned

I had imagined, nothing like I had hoped for in my most secret dreams. There was no passion, no ten

inside me feel raw, exposed. This was the price I had to pay. A simple

and deliberate. I didn't dare look at him, couldn't bring

sn't fini

orced myself to stand still, to be composed, to pretend that I was fine. But I wasn't. I wasn't f

rely touching the ground. The air was thick with perfumed scents and the chatter of well-wishers, but I couldn't focus on any of it. I

o guests, his hand never straying far from my back. But there was no warmth in his

he room like he was waiting for something. Waiting for me to break, maybe. Waiting

her had arranged for us to dance, to show the world how perfect we were. But I didn't want to dance. I didn't wa

ut and caught mine, pulling me back t

his voice low, cold. "Le

been building up inside me, all the resentment, all the pain.

de by side, not touching, not speaking. But I could feel the pressure building betw

I stiffened, my heart skipping a beat. Was he goin

d with venom, "I have a condition. Fo

to ask him what he meant, to demand answers. But I couldn't. Not here, not now. The

clear-this was j