11.

I froze, my heart pounding in my chest as chaos unfolded. Evelyn was rushed out of the hall, her cries echoing in my ears. Daniel immediately followed, his face a mixture of concern and annoyance, leaving me behind.

I glanced at my parents, hoping they’d say something, do something—but they were gone too, running after Evelyn.

That’s when Daniel’s parents approached me. His mother placed a hand on my shoulder, her grip firm but oddly comforting.

“Poor girl,” she murmured, her voice filled with pity. “You’ve been through so much today.”

“You need to be strong,” his father added, his tone more composed but no less patronizing.

I nodded, unable to speak. What could I say? That I didn’t want any of this? That I was trapped in a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from?

They left soon after, their footsteps fading away until I was alone. Alone in the Grand Hall, the heavy silence pressing down on me like a weight. The dress felt tighter than ever, the corset squeezing the breath out of me.

My phone buzzed in my clutch, jolting me. I fumbled to answer it, my fingers trembling.

“Vera!” Cecily’s voice came through, sharp and full of energy. “How’s it going over there? You haven’t updated me all day.”

I tried to speak, but my voice cracked. A sob escaped my lips instead.

“Vera? What’s wrong?” Cecily asked, her tone shifting to concern.

“They forced me,” I whispered, the words tumbling out like a confession. “My parents... they made me marry him. I didn’t want to, Cecily. I didn’t—”

The line went silent for a moment, then she said, “I’m coming over.”

“No, you don’t have to—”

But she had already hung up.

Ten minutes later, the hall doors burst open, and there she was—Cecily, in all her fury. Her eyes scanned the room until they landed on me, slumped in a chair at the far end of the table.

She marched over, her heels clicking against the marble floor. “What the hell, Vera?” she snapped, standing in front of me with her arms crossed. “I leave you alone for one day, and you go and flip your life upside down? What happened?”

Tears welled up in my eyes again. I felt like a child being scolded, but I couldn’t stop the flood of emotions.

“I didn’t have a choice,” I said, my voice cracking. “Evelyn... she backed out, and Daniel threatened to ruin my parents if I didn’t take her place. They forced me into that dress, into this... this marriage.”

Cecily’s expression softened for a moment, then hardened with anger. “So you just... let them do this to you?”

“What was I supposed to do?” I shot back, my voice rising. “Say no and watch my parents lose everything? I didn’t want this, Cecily! I didn’t want any of it!”

She crouched down in front of me, grabbing my hands. “Vera,” she said, her voice gentler now. “You’re not alone in this, okay? You have me. We’ll figure this out.”

Her words broke something in me. The tears I had been holding back spilled over, and I cried into her shoulder, the tight dress and the weight of the day finally becoming too much to bear.

For the first time since this nightmare began, I felt a glimmer of hope. Cecily was here, and maybe, just maybe, I wasn’t as alone as I thought.

Cecily didn’t waste a second after calming me down. She yanked me to my feet, her fingers like iron around my wrist.

“Come on, Vera,” she said, her voice determined. “You’re not staying in this hellhole for another second.”

I stumbled after her as she practically dragged me toward the exit of the Grand Hall. My heels clicked against the marble, the sound echoing in the emptiness of the once-bustling venue. The tight dress pinched my skin with every step, but I didn’t dare complain.

Just as we reached the massive double doors, a figure stepped out of the shadows.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Daniel’s voice rang out, cold and sharp.

I froze, my heart pounding. Cecily, however, didn’t even flinch. She stopped, turned to him, and jabbed a finger into his chest so hard that even I winced.

“She’s leaving,” Cecily snapped, her tone like a whip. “And don’t you dare try to stop her.”

Daniel’s expression faltered for a moment before he straightened, trying to maintain his usual composed demeanor. “This is between me and Vera. You have no say in this.”

“Oh, I have plenty to say,” Cecily shot back, her eyes blazing. “You didn’t have to marry her if you couldn’t even respect her. What kind of man forces someone into a marriage and then runs off with someone else during the dinner? You’re pathetic.”

I stood there, stunned, watching as Cecily tore into him without hesitation. Daniel’s face shifted, the usual arrogance melting away into something that looked suspiciously like guilt.

“I…” he started, his voice quieter now. “I shouldn’t have done that. I shouldn’t have gone after Evelyn.”

Cecily snorted. “No kidding. Do you even realize what you’ve put her through today?” She gestured toward me, her voice rising. “She didn’t want this! She sacrificed everything because of you, and you couldn’t even stay by her side for one damn evening!”

Daniel’s gaze flickered to me, and for the first time, he looked genuinely remorseful. His shoulders sagged slightly, and he ran a hand through his hair.

“You’re right,” he admitted, his voice soft. “I shouldn’t have done any of this. Vera, I’m sorry. I let my anger and pride get the better of me. I shouldn’t have gone after Evelyn, and I shouldn’t have treated you like that.”

His apology caught me off guard, but I didn’t let it show. I crossed my arms over my chest, my expression as blank as I could make it. “I don’t care,” I said flatly.

“Vera—”

“No,” I cut him off, my voice firm. “I’m done. I’m not going to stand here and listen to you try to justify anything. You’ve made your choices, Daniel, and now you have to live with them. I’m not playing along anymore.”

He looked like he wanted to say more, but Cecily stepped between us again, blocking his path.

“She said she’s done,” Cecily said, her voice icy. “So let her go.”

Without another word, she turned and pulled me out of the Grand Hall, leaving Daniel standing there in silence.

As we stepped into the cool night air, I felt a strange mix of emotions swirling inside me—relief, anger, exhaustion, and maybe even a hint of satisfaction. For once, I had stood my ground.

Cecily glanced at me as we reached her car. “You okay?” she asked.

I nodded, though I wasn’t entirely sure if it was true. “I will be,” I said quietly.

She opened the passenger door for me, her protective energy still palpable. “Good. Because you deserve so much better than that jerk.”

Just then Daniel held my hand and pulled me into his chest.