Chapter 33 Wedding
Heaven watched the man who haunted her nights, the one who had taken her innocence walk down the aisle with his bride, Eva Edwards.
They were a perfect match.
It was the wedding of the century filled with dignitaries, high-ranking officers, and the elite of Ivory City.
Of course it was the wedding of the biggest military families' children.
The hall shimmered with gold and laughter. Heaven stood quietly among the crowd, watching Eva’s radiant smile so full of love and warmth, blessed by her parents’ pride.
Her heart clenched with guilt and shame.
She could never have what Eva had.
Her own parents had sold her off a pawn in a marriage that was meant for display, a model wife to a man who could never touch her. But fate had taken him before they ever met. Now, she was the unthinkable: a widow entangled with her late husband’s brother, the man who thought he owned her.
The sound of applause filled the hall, followed by the priest’s voice echoing,
“You may now kiss the bride.”
Heaven’s breath caught. She couldn’t watch anymore. The air felt too thick, pressing down on her chest.
She turned and left the hall quietly, her steps desperate.
From the corner of his eye, Maverick saw her leaving.
Even as Eva’s lips brushed his, his gaze trailed toward Heaven’s retreating form, and something deep in him twisted.
Outside, the sea breeze swept through the garden, cool and briny. Heaven walked until she found a quiet bench overlooking the water. She sank onto it, staring at the waves crashing gently against the shore.
Her fingers brushed the bracelet on her wrist a beautiful ornament, yet it felt like a shackle. His shackle.
His voice echoed in her mind, low and burning.
“I will burn the fucking world to keep you. Don’t you dare forget it.”
Her stomach turned.
What was she now? His mistress? His secret?
“It’s a beautiful view, isn’t it?”
The voice startled her. She turned sharply a man sat at the other end of the bench, his raven hair ruffled by the wind.
“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to scare you,” he said softly.
“Uhmm… it’s alright,” she managed, forcing calm into her voice. “It is a beautiful view.”
He smiled faintly and inclined his head. “I’m Killian.”
“I’m…”
“Mrs. Heaven,” he finished for her. “Boyle Richard’s wife.”
Her eyes widened. “How do you know me?”
Killian placed a hand over his chest, polite and slightly nervous. “It’s a thing with Edwards. I work for them. We studied the Richards’ family tree for the event. Formalities, you know.”
Heaven exhaled in relief. “Ah. I see.”
The rich and their endless protocols.
He gave a small smile. “Nature helps, doesn’t it? You stare at it long enough, you forget you’re lost.”
She blinked at him, caught off guard by the honesty.
“You just seemed… lost,” he added quietly.
Heaven turned her gaze back to the sea, fingers tightening around the edge of the bench. “Lost?” she echoed, voice barely above a whisper. “Maybe I am.”
Killian didn’t press. He simply sat beside her, hands folded across his chest, eyes tracing the restless water. The silence that followed wasn’t uncomfortable it was heavy, shared, and strangely calming.
After a long pause, his voice broke the stillness.
“I’m lost too,” he said, his tone low. “There’s this girl I like… but she’s in love with another man. So blinded by it that she can’t see he’ll never love her back.” He gave a bitter laugh. “Even if she ever stopped loving him, she and I could never be together. We’re from two different worlds.”
Before Heaven could respond, a sharp pain shot through her legs, then her abdomen. It gripped hard, spreading like fire under her skin. Her body stiffened, breath catching as her hand flew to her waist.
“Are you alright?” Killian’s voice broke through, worried.
She tried to straighten up, her face twisting. “I… I just need to get back.” Her eyes flicked to the car keys clipped to his belt. “Can you drive me to the Richard Estate? Please.”
“Now?”
“Yes, now,” she said quickly, her voice strained and trembling.
Killian didn’t hesitate. He helped her into the car, glancing at her pale face as he started the engine. The drive was quiet except for her uneven breathing. She pressed a hand against her stomach, the pain pulsing deeper with every second.
When the car rolled to a stop in front of the mansion, Killian turned to her, frowning. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine,” she whispered, forcing a tight smile. “Thank you.”
She stepped out before he could insist further, her steps quick but unsteady.
A van was parked beside the house, a man working on the security cameras near the gate. Heaven noticed him for only a second before another sharp cramp doubled her over.
“Young Madam you’re back early…” one servant approached her startled by her sudden return.
“My stomach hurts,” Heaven managed, pressing a palm to her abdomen. “Please… a hot pad.”
The servant hurried off, worry creasing her face.
Heaven leaned against the wall, eyes fluttering shut as another wave of pain hit. She forced herself to move, each step toward her room heavy and slow.
The pain throbbed low and sharp familiar yet somehow worse this time. Her period always left her weak, but tonight, it felt as though her body was tearing itself apart.