Chapter 15- The Wedding

Anna stared at her reflection in the mirror, taking in every inch of her wedding dress. The delicate lace, the shimmering beads, the way the satin clung to her curves—it was everything she had ever dreamed of in a wedding gown. Beautiful. Elegant. Perfect, even. But as she looked at herself, something gnawed at her insides. This wasn’t how she had imagined it.

She had thought, once upon a time, that her wedding day would be filled with love. Love from the man she married, love from the family that would stand by her. She had thought she’d walk down the aisle, her heart beating with joy and excitement. That wasn’t the case today. Instead, she was about to marry a man she barely knew. She wasn’t marrying Jaden because she loved him, or because she had a choice. No, she was marrying him because Lilly’s life depended on it. The medical bills, the treatments—all of it weighed heavily on her shoulders, a constant reminder of what this marriage was really about.

But Lilly’s getting better, she reminded herself, trying to push the bitterness from her heart. She had to endure this. For Lilly.

Anna was snapped from her thoughts by a soft knock on the door. It opened to reveal Eleanor, Jaden’s mother, standing in the doorway. The woman’s presence was imposing, regal. She looked at Anna with a smile, but there was something calculating behind her eyes.

“Anna,” she said softly, her voice cool but laced with a hint of warmth. “It’s time.”

Anna swallowed hard, her throat tightening. This was it. The moment she had tried to prepare herself for, but no amount of mental rehearsing could make her ready for the walk down the aisle.

“I wish my father could have walked me down the aisle,” Anna whispered, the words escaping before she could stop them. She had been trying to avoid thinking about her father, the man who had abandoned her and her sister years ago. The one who never cared enough to be there when they needed him. Her father was nothing more than a ghost in her life, a figure who haunted her past and now, her present.

Eleanor gave her a sympathetic look, but she said nothing. The silence was filled with unspoken understanding. Anna was grateful for the moment of quiet.

“Come on,” Eleanor urged gently, her tone soft but commanding. “Jaden is waiting.”

With one last glance in the mirror, Anna nodded. She took a deep breath, straightened her posture, and followed Eleanor down the long hallway. The sound of her heels clicking against the marble floor echoed in the otherwise quiet mansion, and with each step, the weight of what was about to happen settled deeper into her chest.

As she approached the grand doors that led to the altar, she could see the guests in the distance, their faces a blur of excitement and anticipation. She could feel their eyes on her even before she entered the room. They were waiting for her, and soon, they would witness the beginning of this carefully staged show.

The doors swung open, and there he was. Jaden.

He stood at the altar, his back straight, his dark eyes scanning the room, his expression as calm and unreadable as ever. He looked like a man carved from marble—handsome, powerful, and completely untouchable. His black tuxedo fit him perfectly, the sharp lines of his suit highlighting his strong frame. But it wasn’t just his appearance that commanded attention; it was the way he held himself. There was an aura of authority about him, something that made every other person in the room seem insignificant. The air around him seemed to crackle with power, and Anna couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being consumed by it.

If only he wasn’t so cold, so ruthless, Anna thought, her breath catching in her throat. He could be the perfect groom.

She swallowed hard, her heart racing as she started to walk toward him. The eyes of the guests followed her, but all she could focus on was the man standing at the altar. She kept her gaze straight ahead, forcing herself not to look at the people around her. She didn’t need to look at them—she only needed to make it to Jaden. Only him.

Her best friend, Emily, was sitting in the front row, her eyes filled with worry. Anna caught her gaze for just a moment, offering a small, reassuring smile. Emily’s lips pressed together in a thin line, clearly trying to hide her concern, but Anna could see the anxiety in her eyes. It was the same anxiety that had been with her all along, the fear that Anna was making a mistake, that this marriage would destroy her.

But for Lilly, for her sister, Anna would do whatever it took. She could endure this. Lilly sat beside Emily, a smile on her face and that made my heart blossom with warmth.

At the end of the aisle, Jaden stood, unmoving, his eyes locked on her as she approached. His gaze was unreadable, but Anna could feel the weight of it, the silent judgment that came with it. He was looking at her like she was the most precious thing in the world, yet she knew it was all for show but she couldn’t look away. She had no choice but to marry him. No choice but to become his.

When she reached the altar, Jaden took her hand in his with a firmness that made her fingers ache. His touch was cold, impersonal, as if he were performing a duty, not a loving gesture. It was a stark reminder of the fact that this was just a contract, a business transaction in the eyes of both of them.

The priest began, and the vows followed. Anna tried her best to keep her composure as she spoke the words. They weren’t from her heart—they were from her mind, forced and practiced. And when Jaden spoke his vows, they were just as hollow, just as rehearsed. The crowd didn’t need to know that. To them, it was the perfect wedding—two beautiful couples joining together for love and prosperity. But it was all a lie.

As they exchanged vows, Anna’s eyes flicked to the side, and that’s when she saw her. Daniella. Jaden’s ex-fiancée.

Daniella was sitting in the front row, her eyes fixed on Anna with a look of pure malice. There was no love, no warmth, only a deep, burning resentment. Anna felt her stomach twist, a knot of unease forming in her gut. Daniella’s glare was like a warning, a reminder that this marriage would not be easy. Daniella’s presence alone made Anna’s skin crawl.

The ceremony continued, but Anna’s mind raced. This marriage—this life she had stepped into—was nothing like what she had envisioned. It felt like the beginning of something much darker, something much more torturous than she had anticipated.

As they finished their vows and the priest pronounced them husband and wife, Anna felt a cold wave of realization wash over her. This wasn’t the beginning of a fairytale—it was the beginning of her nightmare.

And as Jaden leaned in to kiss her, his lips cold and demanding, Anna couldn’t help but think, it felt like she was just beginning the journey of her torture as a wife.

She had no idea what lay ahead, but she knew it would be a long, painful road.