th's

s finally

and swallow me, or the sky would fall, or someone would just call the

am the

dress fits like it was made for me. I look lik

my dad, my h

this. Please, we c

't recognize me. Like I was

e here and hesitate on your wedding day. You had so many mont

aring up. "But you know he hates me. You know

to look me in the eye. His words were low,

you

l it took t

a knife to my throat. One mistake, one stupid, reckl

g. Anything. But he had

Come down soon," he sa

frozen. Staring

the wedding I had ever dreamed of. This wasn't

o couldn't stand

d at me like I

going to s

interrupted by a

person to go away. I didn't

open and I didn't l

h," the pe

e, it wa

rm and gasped. "Oh my Go

l smile. It was t

ou," I w

ooking at my forced smile. "Just wash off the fake smile. We

spond to wh

me, then sigh

riage is for the betterment of both families. If I run now, every

r. "At the cost of

... if I didn't make that stupid mistake... I wouldn't b

eady. I'll drop everything I'm doing. I'll come with you. We can disappear and star

augh. "Steal from my

winkled. "

around me in a tight hug. I held on t

r opene

ed the room. "You look so beau

I pulled a

, Mom," I

adjusted my veil g

w I had no more time to t

ed outside. We had come directly to the venue

held, my heart dropped. It wasn't packed. Just a hand

imagined my wedd

of love. Full of meaning. A dream gown. A dre

ng toward a man who

ed I was the one who ha

fted, only to meet his, before he

man I was g

lanterns, and rows of white chairs. The late afternoon sun was fading

I wa

t, and my palms were cold d

up to me and ex

ready?"

ing to convince myself I was. But d

aisle. Soft classical music played from a violinist at the far end, and I coul

is jaw tight, his expression cold. He stood there like a statue, em

the fir

't going to be anything close to a fai

ed forward and finally stood in fr

breat

s sharp jawline, those cold blue eyes, broad shoulders, and that conf

he was some

s going to

was the one who wanted to break me into

and clear, yet the words barely settled in

came th

Miller to be your lawfully wedded wife? To love and to

t me. His eyes locked wi

id through cl

send a sharp sting

st turne

Killian Williams to be you

till angry. Still distant. St

I said

nd said, "You may n

t expect anything romantic. But I stil

t my cheek for the first time. He leaned in, placed a cold

er was li

u. I'll make you miserable. And I'll make sure you

art d

that, I beca