1: The

six months

na'

ror, the satin gown clinging to my gown and

't feel anything much less feel like

m wedding, and my expectations, are all down the drain.

s. "Everyone is waiting for you, stop wasting time in f

e rid of me I thought,

the mirror, the sadness in my eyes couldn'

g day and as your DEAR sister I'm happy for you," she held my hand

nd your mother had a hand in this, sending me off

go of my hand. "And so what, Elena? It's too l

denly, her eyes fill

shouldn't concern yourself with that after all you're doing thi

eone walked in. Father. His ey

, had orchestrated this day. He believed he was saving our family, but in doing

said, his voic

was too soon. I wasn't ready for

e raft. A marriage to Damien Landon. He was a stran

The door to the chapel opened, revealing a small gathering of people-mostly busine

ll, with a dark, brooding presence. His eyes were cold, indifferent. I wondered

surprise when I saw him up close. He was handsome, his suit w

was a lonely kind of power. The kind that

Cassandra must h

is expression unreadable. For all I knew I was no differ

uch a prisoner of this

meet his gaze. Everything a

est began to speak, his words like a fai

lanced at the small crowd of strange

maybe she would have stood on m

poorer, in sicknes

ation, his voice deep and steady. "I do," his voice re

my throat as I tried to speak t

loud enough to be heard. But it

o Damien. "You may

fuse. But then, with mechanical precision, he lifted my veil and leaned in. His

gation. But even in that brief moment I felt s

leave. Damien turned to speak with one of

like from now on. Silent. Distant. But maybe it was for the best I thought

ight thing, Elena. The family assets are now guaranteed..." he drawled,

aded my life's happines

tterness burning in my throat. "Of co

and congratulating himself on securing the family's future. I felt i

e crowd thinned. He gave me a curt no

t they weren't kind either. It was just another task on his to-do list

e tension thick between us. The weight of the day crushed down on m

" my daughter said breaking the silence. She'd sat wide-eyed throug

celebration," I forced a smile, and

e last thing I wanted was to tell

yes met the towering building of the m

ng from his mouth and for a moment I thought I could see something in

Just make sure you stay in the compound grounds,

she doesn't spoil anything," he nodded. Without waiting for

ds, full of orders and restrict

ng at the space where he'd just been. My husband. T

. This was

how I h