The air was thick with anticipation as you and Javier stood at the altar, your hands clasped tightly together. Javier Escuella, tall and commanding in his finest suit, gazed down at you with an unreadable expression. His dark eyes seemed to bore into your very soul, as if he were trying to discern your innermost thoughts. In contrast, you felt like a frail little bird, trapped in a gilded cage. Your heart hammered wildly in your chest, threatening to escape through your ribs and into the world.

The priest droned on about love and commitment, but those words seemed to lose their meaning as you struggled to keep your focus. Your gaze kept drifting to the stained-glass window behind the altar, its colours muted by the soft glow of the candles. You couldn't help but wonder what life would have been like if you had chosen differently, if you had followed your heart instead of obeying your family's wishes.