clinking glasses, but all Lily heard was the

as g

al thing left in that jeweled cage of

h the crowd, ignoring the gasps and stares. The skirt of her lavender gown tangled at her ankles, but sh

oftly, her voice cra

rble, echoing desperation, until

er's voice thunder

harply. "Dad,

y from the corridor and deeper into the estate. "You're

"What about what I want? Or

oes the legacy we built. One doe

ts marble, its mirrors, its coldness dressed as wealth. And right now, she ha

crowd parting around

mile had soured. "It's not polite to leave y

her bare arm, a whisper of skin on silk. But then he gripped

me," he murmured. "Not unl

n and pressed a rough kiss against h

ugh for the crowd to suspect something but th

er do tha

ng beneath his tailored surface-but before he

enough

, voice even but rigid. "But she's going to

o said sharply. "

at Lily, then at her father. His jaw twit

issues, my daughter is handling a lot of pressu

nnequin on display, her skin itching under every star

coul

ing, she left

at small apart

ould even knock, as if he'd bee

il

hrowing herself into his arms. "I

ou held her as if he

he said. "Let'

th caugh

an go anywhere-Mexico, Europe-wherever the

he wed

his eyes igniting into fire. "You show up. Wait outside. But before yo

embled. "Ar

ve never been more sure

ly the day o

ly embroidered lace, diamonds stitched into the veil. It was worth more t

hem spoke about anything. Celeste had grown quieter

her mother whispered

d at her a

trembled. But

nalists. Everyone came to see the union of war and wealth-the Cruz heires

here were flashes everywhere but there was another in the car: Rihanna. Her

switched clothes with Rihanna. She wore a veil and slipped out of the car with no

, polished like a predator in a wedding

d her to walk down the aisle

chair. She screamed and Rihanna alongside a few other people went but coul

UNAWAY

she didn't care because she was about to run

as definitely going to make Lily regret this action

he International

et, oddly serene for

sprinting beneath her ribs. The veil wa

hadn't

again. It was 11:53

ing. The airline staff checked their records. Nothi

. Then 12:30.

led. No

alled

t to vo

in. A thousand questions

get c

change

ther trick b

o

o

ve it. He loved her.

r hour

her. The plane w

planned to le

into her bones. Her gown wrinkled as she sank deeper into the stiff plastic airp

a shattered plan, and a wedding