The grand cathedral was a masterpiece of marble and gold, its towering arches glowing beneath the crystal chandeliers. Rows of nobles, businessmen, and society elites sat in polished silence, their curious eyes tracking her every step. Elena's white gown trailed behind her like a river of silk, heavy with pearls and the weight of a decision she still couldn't believe she'd made.
Her heart pounded in her ears, but her face remained a mask of quiet grace. She had practiced this expression in the mirror last night, calm, collected, untouchable.
Across the aisle, Adrian stood tall and unshaken, a dark prince in his tailored black suit. His eyes were unreadable, his jaw sharp as if carved from ice. If there was joy in this day, it was buried deep where no one could find it.
The organ swelled. Her fingers tightened around the bouquet until the stems dug into her palms. Step by step, she walked toward him, toward the man who had made it very clear he didn't want her.
The whispers started somewhere in the crowd.
"Isn't she the daughter of that bankrupt woman?""I heard she begged for this marriage.""No vows? How unromantic…"
The words slid over her like cold rain. She didn't flinch. She couldn't.
When she reached him, Adrian didn't offer his hand immediately. Instead, he looked down at her with eyes so dark she felt as if she were staring into a bottomless pit. Then, almost lazily, he extended his hand.
The priest began the ceremony, but there were no tender glances, no whispered promises, no vows of love. It was business, an exchange sealed not by affection but by obligation. Rings were placed. Papers would be signed later.
"By the power vested in me"
Before the final blessing, Adrian stepped forward, his hand sliding into hers. His grip was iron, the pressure deliberate, forcing her to meet his gaze. He leaned in, his breath grazing her ear so no one else could hear.
"This," he whispered, voice a razor's edge, "is just the beginning."
Her pulse stumbled. For the first time since she agreed to this marriage, she wondered if she had truly made a deal with the devil.