Cold Vows

ng silence. The grand ballroom echoed with the distant hum of chatter, champa

edd

wedd

not the dress, not the groom, and cer

t. He hadn't so much as glanced at her since they said "I do." His eyes were fixed

t thudded painfu

eight of realizing she might've just

been beautiful.

h tradition, wealth, and whispers of old deals. She had been raised

r for the cold tension radiating f

photographers snapped the perfect illusion o

gritted teeth. "You're my wife

urned, lifting the corners of her lips as or

he sound

uched her once s

'd been handed over... not to

bridal suite was

her jewelry, her veil abandoned on the floor like somethi

yd

ike a groom on h

man walking int

to face him. "Why did you agree to

was si

s that cracked the

den said, his voice low and mercil

a's brea

ounding, confusion

are you tal

not with affection, but

said. "And Blakes alw

urse. She stared at him, frozen in place, t

ean?" she managed, tho

st enough to peek out. The moonlight slashed across his

"You're here because your father ruined everything my family

ted, but noth

esentment. But not... this. Not an open

id, her voice gaining strength. "This marriag

ed, a dry, humorles

Darling, this marriage is the

lap. She stumbled a step back, her

erstand," sh

s what you need to know now-" He reached out, brushing her hair off her shoulder with a gentleness that didn't m

lammed agai

ove," she snapped,

s hand

going to learn what happens when a Blake ste

ed behind him

e silence, her skin p

osed to be a

was a slow

already dr