The sound of rain hitting the chapel windows echoed like a quiet symphony of sorrow.
Adeliaraaa's hands trembled inside her lace gloves. She couldn't tell whether it was from the cold air, or from the thought of the man waiting for her at the end of the aisle — Ethan Frost, the infamous CEO with a heart as cold as his name.
Her white wedding dress felt heavy, like a chain instead of a dream.
Everyone said she was lucky. Marrying the Frost Group's CEO is every woman's fantasy, they whispered.
But they didn't know — this marriage wasn't built on love. It was a business deal, arranged to save her father's collapsing company.
The chapel doors opened.
Hundreds of eyes turned toward her, but none of them mattered. Her gaze fixed on the man in the black suit — tall, broad-shouldered, and unreadable. Ethan's expression was cold, his dark eyes sharper than the diamond on her ring.
"Walk," her mother whispered behind her. "Do it for the family."
So she walked. Each step felt like a lifetime.
When she reached him, Ethan didn't smile. He didn't even offer his hand. He just nodded slightly, as if the ceremony was another meeting he needed to get through.
The priest began his speech, but Adeliaraaa barely heard a word. Her heartbeat was louder.
When it was time for the vows, Ethan's voice was calm, detached.
"I, Ethan Frost, take you, Adeliaraaa, to be my wife."
And then it was her turn. Her voice cracked slightly.
"I… I take you, Ethan Frost, to be my husband."
Their eyes met. For a second, she thought she saw something — a flicker of emotion, maybe pity — but it vanished as fast as it came.
When the priest said, "You may now kiss the bride," Ethan leaned forward, just enough for the cameras, brushing her lips with a cold, practiced touch. No warmth. No tenderness. Just duty.
The applause sounded distant.
The moment the ceremony ended, Ethan turned to his assistant. "Prepare the car," he said curtly, not even looking at her.
Adeliaraaa stood there, heart sinking.
This was supposed to be the happiest day of her life — but instead, it felt like the start of her sentence.
As the rain poured harder outside, she whispered to herself,
> "If this is my destiny… then I'll face it. Even if his heart is made of ice."