IA WAS

e, Victoria!" Mother glared at

iving at St. Louis Catholic Church, the largest chur

ped with my gown. Since it was a small family wedding, I did

acing like it would jump out of my chest. I was tre

uits. They looked dangerous, and some

ugh the stained glass, casting shadows on the pews. I could feel my pul

ere was tension in the air, like everyone was waiting for something bad to happen. I ke

step, and the silence in the church felt s

s straight in a perfectly tailored suit. I wondered if he felt as trapped as I did, or if th

and I gripped the bouquet tight

e the fear I was hiding. Taking a deep breath, I stood beside

. His face was blank, cold, but there was something darker in his eyes that sent a

is throat, snapping

ether to witness the union of two people-Victoria, our beloved daughte

, and I couldn't shake the feeling that this was all a nightmare. I glanced at Vince

nking weight in my chest, the knowledge that this wasn't a marriage of love-it was a trans

nzo to be your lawfully wedd

myself to speak. "I do," I

Without hesitation, he responded, "I

fe, and though the words were meant to mark a ne

the bride," the

es bore into mine, and just before he leaned in, he

you to ruin my life, but I'll make s

thout waiting for a reaction, he pressed a quick, emotionless kiss to my l

e nothing wrong to deserve this. I mean I was

. My world had turned to ice. As we turned to face the crowd, I

he meant

exclaimed, her eyes brimming with joy. I bit my tongue, ho

care of my daughter, okay?" She turned to him with a h

gently as I stepped down from the altar. She looked like she was

w. You can call me Gabby." She smiled warmly, and I forced a s

Yoo!! I can't believe my twin brother is married! Man, you're the luckiest guy alive-

entical, down to the smallest detail. I blink

shaky. They all smiled, and then two men and a stunningl

pectful bow. My mother and Gabby had alre

red, feeling sli

oice. "I'm Nikolai Volvok, the first son of the

tory was well-known. Abused by her brothers and father, she had survived horrors, yet here she stood, looking co

i added as the older man approached me with a

hands in his firm grasp. "I have a feeling you're going

know each other briefly before everyone began leaving for the

st me, two of my maids, and the c

d into the car first. My maids helped me inside

s smile," Miss Beatrice said, and tears filled my eyes. I hadn't seen her at the wedding

erything you've done for me," I said, and with th

place. Something about him made me feel powerless. His scent filled the car-rich, expensive, and l

r did he even glance in my direction. It wa

was getting sleepy, especially since I hadn't slept in two days

g out of a dream-or maybe a nightmare-a gigantic house that looked like an old-money castle. The prop

ed, my heart star

felt like a fortress, ready for a battle at any moment. Finally, we reached the main house-a breathtakin

each standing at attention. One of them opened the

hand, remained silent. He didn't offer a glance in my direction, his expression cold as he walke

said with a bright smile, motioning for me to follow her into the house. Her cheerfulnes

was stunning-an opulent display of wealth-but it felt empty, lifeless, like a gilded prison. E

re-confident, in control. I, on the other hand, felt like a stranger in my own skin. My heart pounded in my chest, and for a brief moment, I won

ing staircase, her voice b

d for you. Everything you n

lt hollow. A room? I didn't n

just entered through. Freedom was somewhere out there, beyond the gates, beyond the walls. B

s wasn't a marriage. It was a

ne thing for certain: I would have to find a way to survive in this w

t