Chapter 3

Damian was twenty minutes late.

He thought I would stand at the altar and wait for him, just like I had for twelve long years.

The church was full. The whispers grew louder every second. Damian did this on purpose. He wanted to prove to the world that no matter how he humiliated me, I would never leave him.

I stood at the front, gripping my bouquet. The old Evelyn would be crying. She would be trembling in her white dress, begging him to come.

But my tears had dried up. I didn't even look at the door. I just waited.

Finally, the heavy oak doors opened.

The whispers stopped. The guests gasped. It was not Damian.

It was Adrian.

He wore a sharp black suit. His steps were steady and confident. He walked down the aisle, his eyes fixed only on me. My heart gave a strange flutter. I stepped forward and took his arm.

The priest looked stunned. The guests were silent. I simply nodded at the priest to begin.

Adrian held my hand. His fingers were warm and grounding. He didn't ask if I was sure; he just stood by my side, an unbreakable wall between me and my past.

The priest asked the final question.

"I do," Adrian answered. His voice was firm.

Just as the words left his mouth, the church doors slammed open again.

Damian stood there, breathless. He had arrived just in time to hear Adrian's vow.

"Evelyn!" Damian marched down the aisle, his face red with fury. "Are you crazy? You don't even know this man!"

I turned to face the man who had tortured me for over a decade. My voice did not shake.

"At least he is on time," I said coldly.

Damian’s face twisted. He reached out to grab my wrist, but Adrian moved faster. He stepped between us, blocking Damian’s hand.

"And," Adrian said, his voice echoing through the massive room, "twelve years ago, I was the one who pulled Evelyn out of that fire."

The church fell into a dead silence. Damian froze. The color drained from his face. For the first time, someone had publicly challenged the lie he had built my life upon.

Damian was like a cornered snake. He refused to lose. A dark, twisted smile slowly crept onto his face.

"Since you are so honest," Damian sneered, looking directly into my eyes, "did you tell her? Did you tell her why Lila really went back into that fire, even though she had already escaped?"

I felt an icy chill run down my spine. I looked up at Adrian.

For the first time since we met, Adrian’s steady expression changed.