N'S

fell from my lips as I stood s

raitjacket, with my feet feeling glued to the spot. The stunned murmurs of the crowd h

Gise

s gone

iff, wooden. I descended the altar like a condemned man and

he leather se

n," I muttered, re

s image, my plans - all reduced to ash in one afternoon. I'd buried the past

his." I pro

le, no Brielle. Not even Catherine. I half-expected to see one of the

re was

cho of my

rt, sleeves rolled up to the elbows. I dropped onto the couch and s

uietly. "Sir, your

ea bass and roasted potatoes filled the air - normally

oom. I sat at the dining table, pushi

one. Pride?

, and stared at the call log. Giselle's name

Still n

tried B

ing - n

d - c

was sharp, cold ste

you don't want to hear from

plain? After lying to me, to everyone? Afte

come to the house tomorrow. Noon. Bring Catherine, too. If you also get i

thought she

time?"

ties, let me know. I will send my driv

s better be worth it

over me in shallow waves. She didn't

time. Still no answer. I could on

-

n. I scrambled, quickly informing the maid to prepare

e rustled the leaves overhead. The sun cast a golden glow across t

- they

erine. Gisell

erine's hand. His eyes - dark, curious, familia

d my

ke queens. Composed, regal, unknowable. Pain h

d softly, gestur

e. Giselle's was cool, unreadable. Catheri

nder inside. He looked up at

?" I aske

d him away. He didn't have to wit

ere

," I began. "I know I

gy," Giselle cut in

olding my h

e. "You vanished a

I was just filling in for Brielle. A stand-in

, didn't you?" I asked be

ckered. She

r, Briell

ppeared before the wedding

ow but firm. "I had to leave

mall. We were old high school friends. We caught u

eath

ut you. About her. About the

me, Rowan. No goodbye. No message. I was pregnant. I waited

her. My thro

rry" I w

yes w

ed to reach you for weeks. Y

ther fell ill. I went to care for him. My phone got sto

ing out. "No. Nothing ever came. I just did wh

e sister for another would f

And I was going to tell you eventually.

ver came,

hat felt like thund

ifted. "So

rry, Catherine. Truly. I know it wasn't easy - I know how much y

ention was it?"

o the son who didn't disappoint them. If they found out I had a child out o

the only thing you could th

given to an outsider? I am really sorry. I know things started moving well with me, makin

you Rowan. I only expected bett

mise to com

didn't let you know the truth myself. Y

s twitched, curving i

ant to be embarrassed the way you were. If not you would have come thro

understand" leaving

g my hands in the air and easing the

e. But beneath the laughter, a new silence crept in -

th of the truth, one q

ecome... the