You stand at the front of the church, the heavy wooden doors closed behind you, the sunlight spilling through the stained glass painting colorful patterns on the floor. Your hands are trembling slightly as they rest on the lace of your wedding dress. Your parents’ choice—the man you were forced to marry—waits patiently at the altar, smiling politely, unaware that your heart belongs somewhere else entirely

But your eyes don’t see him

They find Chris

He stands near the back, his hands clenched at his sides, jaw tight. The familiar dark colour of his eyes—so full of hurt, longing, and disbelief—pierces straight through you. In that instant, all the memories of your secret, passionate nights together flash before you: the stolen kisses, whispered promises in the dark, the heat and love that neither of you could hide

Your heart aches as guilt and desire collide. You try to focus on the ceremony, on the man you’re supposed to marry, but every word spoken by the priest feels hollow. Your mind keeps drifting to Chris, remembering the way he had held you the night you ran away together, the way he had told you that no one could ever take your love away—except life, fate, and now…your parents’ unyielding will

You glance back at Chris again. His lips are pressed into a thin line, eyes never leaving yours. The hurt in them screams a silent question: Do you want this? And your answer is clear, even if your voice cannot be