The church is full of flowers and light. Everyone is smiling.
Today is supposed to be the happiest day of my life.
I walk down the aisle, my hands shaking inside the lace gloves. I can see Adrian waiting at the end. He looks perfect in his black suit, calm, serious, handsome. My heart beats so hard it hurts.
Then the doors behind me swing open.
"Stop the wedding!"
I know that voice. My sister, Isabella.
She walks in wearing a white dress, brighter than mine. The room goes silent. Cameras flash. I can't move.
"Adrian," she says softly, "you can't marry her. She tricked you."
My smile fades. "Isabella, what are you doing?"
She holds up a folder. "I found these papers. Emma forged company files to trap you into this marriage. She only wants your money."
People whisper. The sound grows louder, like a storm.
I shake my head. "That's a lie!"
Adrian takes the folder from her. He looks at the papers for a long time. His face turns cold. When he finally meets my eyes, I see no love there, only anger.
"Tell me this isn't true," he says.
"It's not!" My voice cracks. "You know me, Adrian. You know I'd never "
"Enough," he cuts me off. "I won't be made a fool of."
My chest tightens. "You believe her over me?"
"I believe proof," he says. His words are sharp as knives.
Isabella lowers her eyes like she's the victim. "I'm sorry, sister. I just couldn't let you hurt him."
The crowd begins to whisper again. Liar. Cheat. Gold digger. The words spin around me. I can't breathe.
Adrian turns to the priest. "This wedding is canceled."
The room explodes with noise. Someone gasps, someone laughs. The bouquet slips from my hands and hits the floor. I stare at it, the white petals crushed against the marble.
Adrian walks past me without another glance.
Isabella follows him, smiling like she has won.
The music stops. The guests avoid my eyes as I walk down the aisle alone. The door closes behind me with a heavy sound, and the noise inside fades away.
Outside, the sky is dark and full of clouds.
I don't know how long I stand there. My phone keeps buzzing with messages, headlines, and photos. My disgrace is already everywhere.
By the time I reach my apartment, night has fallen.
I sit on the couch, still wearing my ruined wedding dress. The makeup has smeared; my veil lies in a corner. The city lights blur through my tears.
I replay the day again and again, the way Adrian looked at me, the way Isabella smiled. Every time it hurts more.
A knock at the door makes me jump.
No one is there, only an envelope on the floor.
My name is written on it in Adrian's handwriting.
Inside is a single line: We're done.
I sink to my knees, the letter shaking in my hands.
For a moment, I can't even cry. I just feel empty.
Rain starts to fall outside. The sound fills the room.
I look out at the city and whisper, "Why?"
No answer comes. Only the steady beat of rain against glass.
Something inside me changes. The pain turns cold. The fear fades, leaving only one thing: anger.
I walk to the window and press my hand against it. The lights of the city glow below, bright and cruel. I see my reflection in the glass, a broken bride in a white dress that no longer means anything.
"They took everything from me," I whisper. "My love. My name. My life."
Thunder rolls in the distance.
It feels like the world is listening.
"If I ever get another chance," I say softly, "I'll make them pay."
The wind picks up, blowing the curtains like waves. The room feels colder, quieter. I close my eyes and picture the church again, the lies, the faces, the fire that now burns only in my heart.
This isn't the end.
It's the beginning of something else.
When I open my eyes, the city still shines, and I whisper the only promise I have left.
"Watch me rise."