A Night With My Brother-In-Law

the white dress that was supposed to symbolize a new beginning, now weighing heavily on my shoulders like an anchor. I g

in lace and satin-about to marry the man who had promised to help save my mot

ion of love or even commitment. It was just

wd, a bored expression on his face as if he were just waiting for the ceremony to be over. The diamond on his finger glea

Aria as your wife?" Dick barely even looked at me

me. "I do," I whispered, barely audible to anyone but myself. It felt like I was signing my identi

ossibly feel part of. The grand hall of the mansion, the glistening chandeliers above, the expensive cli

inum blonde hair was styled perfectly, her ice-blue eyes cold and calculating

ulations on your new wife, Dick," she said, her voice dripping with honeyed venom. "I see you've finally fo

e. Dick didn't respond to her-he didn't even acknowledge her. He simply sipped his wine,

just the woman he needed to check off a box. But

he means to an end, a way to get what he needed to h

--

eople around me, but feeling like I was in a world I didn't belong to. No one cared to ask me how I was feeling. No one

unmistakable glint of a woma

he had been leaning into him, laughing, touching his arm with an int

uld never have what they shared. Never be loved by him the w

-

es back to her. "You must be so pleased to know that this marriage is ex

course, Victoria," I replied, my voice strained but trying to s

I had learned early on that there was no point in fighting her. Dick would never side with me, he would

never over me. No one asked about my thoughts or what I wanted. Everyone saw me as a

about this new life felt like a cage I willingly walked into. As we made our way back

this? Was I really willing to give u

me. He was already fast asleep, sprawled out on the other side of the bed, his

wiped them away before they could

, trying to hold onto the last shred of my sanity. Thi

trap