nside. Neon lights painted everything in shades of electric pink and blue, and

ugh to drown out thoughts, wild enough to blur reality. For o

ted over the music, grabbing her h

music vibrating through her bones. She let her eyes wander. People were laughing, dancing, li

ina said, handi

rink gently. "To t

it. She danced, she let go. She was just a girl in a crowde

adow clung to the edges of her mind-tal

next day, Aria

was

, still wearing a silk robe even though it was past

mother demanded, turning to

" Aria repl

without pe

ck, setting her bag down. "Especially now th

amatic. You're about to marry into one o

about to marry a strang

r eyes. "You're

w tight. "You want him

ella said, lifting her chin. "At l

. Because throwing tantrums over h

ween them. "Enough! Aria

ounding. "You're not listening. I'm

her mother snapped. "Yo

ria lay on her bed, s

r hadn't

d a word abou

phone buzzed. A message from

. Ricci estate.

reen. No name, no gr

idn't

knew s

tate in a modest but elegant black dress. Her

ounge, a drink in hand, dressed in al

," he said witho

replied, walking past h

s curling into something like

d the rest of my life running

e. "That's more honest t

e to impress you,"

ant a wife who l

. "Then why

eyes fixed outside. "Because yo

lance. She expected arroganc

his won't be a love story

ing. "Because I'm not l

ocked-sharp

of an agreement neith

me, Bella

cowl. "You think just because you had a convers

you should stay out of thin

hissed. "I was supposed to

were just obsessed with the i

d in fury. "He'll r

"But at least I'm not prete

ter across the room. It s

econds later, gasping.

ed past both of them and into her

e in years, she d

e something

ng irre

tings, fittings, tastings, contracts-

ria e

Signed the papers. S

old, brief interactions masked as progress. But it was clear n

wedding da

rs, photographers, and whispers behind champagne glas

lack suit. His eyes never soften

didn't

uests laughed. Danced. Toasted to

room for her husba

wa

hrough s

rough cak

ough the l

e didn't

with confusion,

ty corridors, she finally too

et her in wi

ave for a soft laugh e

lowed t

fr

a woman wearing a crisp white shirt-

tchen counter, scrolling through

eath h

f them no

t

on beneath her c

in her heart