suite w

ound of the string quartet had finally faded, replaced by the polite, muff

. The real lie w

silver silk dress. It

ot on her cheek where Liam had k

see the ghost

all, she s

sa's

sh in the middle of her perfect, curated life. It was a

d: He'

You are

I'm not e

stiff, robotic grace. She had to get this dress off.

epare for her

sea so profound she had to gri

o

the aisle tomorrow? How do I stand there, in front of God and my fathe

He's lying

the party returned, lou

e-the one that sounded like her f

ve

o proof.

ervants. A scrap of lac

le? What was a

as Liam himself had so expertly pointed out, the

, and all she had to throw agains

reflecting off every surface, blinding her. She turne

to get

She did not fall ap

head, she would assess. This was a business

ssa

with a fear she didn't recognize. Her skin was pale, translucent. She looked

sharp, cut th

ome, and lie to her face? How dared she smile at her, a vic

just been a taunt. It

risk the Vale-Cross merger, the single biggest deal of his career. He

ess

running cold over her han

essa wasn'

Auror

unless that was the real relationship. And this wedding

ather. He's marrying me to secure th

just a feeling. It was the truth, and i

rror. She saw the perfect bride, the

ile, painted over her ow

ispered, her

fool. She would not

ow. Not when the lie was

ad to

he music to start, to see Liam at the end of the aisle, hi

she was wrong, if it was all a hideou

ght... she needed

ter. The silence of t

He'd claimed he needed a night alone to "

t. Or to have one last

nds fisted

se. He'd given it to her months

clock on the bedsi

before h

ess. It fell to the floor

r of black trousers, a silk camisole, and a dark c

s from her neck and placed them on the vanity. She pulled the Vale diamond

o longer

ed to see the truth, no ma

bed her

ones the gossiping caterers had used, and slipped out of her own home, a