an Florrie's demeanor underw

n yourself to Jaxton? Did you really think he'd feel sorry for you, come to your rescue, or defend you against us? Don't kid yourse

n't just wandered in-she'd burs

Jaxton coming. To all appearances, she had seemed supportive, yet

th family. My mother had been tragically gullible, thinking sh

d such audacity, I

d a spark of doubt. With a reluctant hand, I li

d remorse. "I'm so sorry, Cathy. I only just got back and found out tha

ker punch, leaving me reeling. My legs b

let you whisk your grandma away so effortlessly?" she scoffed, her eyes twinkling with malice.

nce did I ever have agai

, no one was more f

ther, who had been so determined to marr

ntly. Clutching the phone with white-knuckled hands, I ma

hs," Florrie stated icily. "Fail, and the only reunion yo

sness chilled m

the tears spill over. With a h

*

ant about keeping our marriage a secret,

formalities. As the future granddaughter-in-law of the illustrio

gentle demeanor, I found

ly deepened my

ge, he seemed to be the sole beac

aving deceit as I entered the Sau

ess torment that gnawed at my conscienc

them, my well-being was inconsequential; their eyes were fixed on the prosperity of

m advanced in years, the burden of arrangi

maternal warmth, meticulously planning

ithin these four walls relentlessly. Each day, they paraded thirty minutes of surveillance footage before me-a su

ments. "Take a look," she said, her voice a mix of feigned cheer and cold formality as she thrust the papers at me. "These are design

rned and disappeared, the do

tugged at the corners of my mouth. The i

e dress, eyes sparkling with joy. Even I, ensnared in this ongoing tragedy, once h

that when it came time to get marr

ng wedding dresses and exquisite rings, t

il, was perhaps the first and only act of "kindness" Kacie had ever shown me. And even this was tainte

. My gaze eventually drifted to my phone, which lay si

stered the courage to pick up

t greeted me was chill

erves and began tentatively, "About the wedding dresses

I could complete my thought. "If the marriage is nothing but a jok

crept onto my lips. Stripping all emotion from my

ended, my tears be

in the expanse of the room. "Cathy! What were

hat pleased me, not because they brought

f genuine happiness or hopeful wishes, I was determined to

hotos with me. I'd envisioned a collection of solo shots-me as the radiant brid

photoshoot, to my surp

washed a wave of relief over me, sparing me the aw

eave, I found myself reaching out and clutchi

found, lingering gaze before gently loosening my

*

ived, unfolding in the secluded sere

stive cheers, only the whisper of le

h step brought me closer to the dashing figure awaiting me at the altar. A fleeting thought crossed m

ion, a desire to genuinely connect, to bu

xtinguished on our wedding night when Jaxton's col