"Welcome to the wedding ceremony of..."

There was no going back.

It was her wedding day.

Alice sat in the hotel room, staring at her face in the mirror.

'I am making the right choice,' she said to herself. It sounded more like she was trying to make herself believe so..

It was going to be a simple ceremony planned for just close family and friends. For that, she was thankful. The fewer the people, the less it felt like her chest might burst open from the sheer panic clawing at her insides.

Her heart pounded erratically to the point where she could almost hear it in her ears.

She didn't know much about the two families coming together today, but her instincts told her they weren't exactly on friendly terms. Pricillia had a way of hiding her emotions with a practiced smile, but Alice wasn't fooled. The subtle scowl that flickered across her 'employer's' face whenever she mentioned them had been a clear giveaway.

The strange tension only added to Alice's unease. She hadn't met any of them in person—none except for the one she was sure was the second son, Hades.

He would be here today. She was certain of it.

But it didn't matter. Even if he recognized her, what proof did he have that she wasn't Aurora?

"You look exactly like Aurora," the groomer whispered, her voice tinged with awe. She had just finished applying the final touches to Alice's makeup, stepping back to admire her work.

Alice's eyes flicked to the mirror again. She wasn't so sure, but she'd seen enough photos to admit she looked remarkably like Aurora now. If anyone from her past life in the North saw her, they wouldn't recognize her either.

"Remember to keep your freckles hidden at all times," the groomer added with a knowing smile.

That part was exhausting—layering concealer on her face every day and most likely at nights too. But for the prize money, she'd gladly go full drag queen if they asked.

Suddenly, the door burst open with a loud bang, and Pricillia stormed in, her expression a mix of fury and disbelief.

"That crazy witch! How dare she?" Pricillia's voice trembled with barely contained rage.

Alice froze. She had never seen Pricillia lose control like this.

Even the groomer stepped back, her mouth slightly open as she watched the normally composed woman unravel.

Pricillia's gaze snapped to Alice, and she strode across the room, gripping her shoulders. "Listen to me," she said, her tone urgent. "I believe in you. I know you can do this... no matter what."

Alice stiffened, her heart sinking. This definitely sounded like bad news.

She rose from her chair, her stomach knotting as she faced Pricillia. "What happened?" she asked, her voice steady despite the anxiety bubbling beneath the surface.

Pricillia opened her mouth to answer but then hesitated, forcing a strained smile. "Just remember," she said carefully, "if you face any... displeasure, go along with it. We can always renegotiate later. And if necessary, I can double the benefits."

Double the benefits?

Alice's eyes narrowed slightly, but she kept her face neutral. Beneath her calm exterior, her mind raced. She wondered—not for the first time—if she had accepted Pricillia's terms too quickly. Had she been too desperate? Could she have bargained for more?

It was human nature to be selfish after all.

"You do remember everything we practiced, right?" Pricillia asked, her voice softening as she reached out to pat Alice's arm. "Do not ever slip up."

There was urgency in her tone.

Alice pulled back instinctively, her displeasure evident. Just because she was taking the woman's money didn't mean she had to like her—or pretend to.

If Pricillia was offended, she didn't show it. Her features remained tight, her thoughts clearly elsewhere. Whatever had rattled her seemed to run much deeper.

"Let's go," Pricillia said finally, her voice clipped. Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel, her footsteps echoing like gunshots as she left the room.

She was livid.

Alice could tell.

Alice took a deep breath, her hands trembling as she smoothed the fabric of her dress.

This was it.

She followed Pricillia out, her heart pounding harder with every step.

***

In all of Alice's life, she'd always heard that the groom waited for the bride to walk down the aisle.

But here she was, standing at the front of the room, waiting for the groom instead.

The reversal didn't bother her as much as it should have. What did bother her was the sea of unfamiliar faces staring back at her. About fifty guests, all looking so... western, their tailored suits and polished appearances making her feel even more out of place.

But Hades was not there. That made her feel a little relieved.

They whispered among themselves, throwing occasional glances her way, though some seemed far more interested in chatting with each other than in her presence. Alice tightened her grip on the artificial bouquet in her hands—a detail she couldn't ignore. Aurora didn't like flowers, apparently. One of the many quirks she'd learned about the woman she was impersonating.

Her stomach churned. How many of these people had met Aurora before? Could they tell she was an imposter? Could they see through the flawless makeup, the concealed freckles, the painstakingly practiced mannerisms?

And where was the groom?

The longer she stood there, the more her anxiety clawed at her insides. Part of her hoped he wouldn't show up at all. Maybe he'd decided to call it off. Maybe she could walk away from this whole ordeal. But no. If he didn't come, everything would be pointless. She would lose it all and return to wallow in the North.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the creak of the large doors at the back of the room swinging open.

All eyes turned.

And for a moment, time seemed to stand still.

A young man entered. He was tall, strikingly good-looking, but he exuded an aura that screamed danger—a man who might shoot someone just for daring to look at him wrong. And she wasn't exaggerating. He held a massive gun in his hand, pointed downward as he strode into the room like he owned the place.

Alice instinctively took a step back, her breath catching. He didn't look familiar. What was going on? Was this a wedding or the start of a fight? Had he come to kill someone here... or worse, her?

Had they figured out she was an imposter?

But before she could spiral further, someone else entered the room, his movements slow, deliberate. Smoke briefly obscured his face as he exhaled his last puff and handed a vape to the armed man beside him.

Hades.

Alice had expected him to show up eventually. What she hadn't expected was the overwhelming wave of anxiety that crashed over her the moment she saw him. Her chest tightened, and her heart pounded so hard she thought it might explode.

And then there was that unsettling familiarity. That aura—the same one that haunted her dreams—was now right in front of her. Again.

The room had fallen completely silent. Almost everyone was staring, wide-eyed, no longer whispering. Their shock was evident.

Like they hadn't expected him to be there even though it was supposed to be his brother's wedding.

Hades' gaze locked on hers. His dark, intense eyes bore into her.

Alice wanted to look away, but she couldn't. She was terrified, but she couldn't.

She stared back.

His gaze narrowed. As though he had expected her to withdraw her gaze.

But she was already lost in her imagination. He hadn't changed. He looked exactly as he had that night.

Beautiful.

But there was something else. Something dark. Dangerous. Predatory. No wonder she'd been told to stay as far away from him as possible. And she intended to do exactly that.

Why was his older brother— her groom—not here yet? Hades' sudden presence had spiked her anxiety. She wanted to run away.

Except...

Hades started walking toward her.

No.

Her pulse skyrocketed. Why was he coming her way?

"The groom has arrived," the man at the mic announced.

Groom.

Her mind stalled.

Wait...

GROOM?!

Alice's eyes widened in disbelief as she turned toward the door, hoping—praying—that someone else would walk in. Surely, the "groom" had yet to arrive. Surely, this wasn't happening.

Right?

But then Hades stopped in front of her, his intense gaze never wavering.

The armed man stepped into a corner, sending the guests near him scrambling back with uneasy glances.

"Welcome to the wedding ceremony of Aurora and Hades," the announcer declared.

For a moment, there was stunned silence. Then, slowly, reluctantly, the applause began, rippling through the room like an awkward afterthought.