Chapter 6 - The Wedding

The wedding is small. Cold. A room full of strangers who look through Olivia like she's invisible.

She wears white. A simple dress, the only one she could afford. Her mother stands beside her, clutching her hand.

Chloe is behind her, close enough to feel her presence. They are her anchor. The only warmth in this room.

Sebastian Logan watches from the front row. His smile never reaches his eyes.

Aiden stands at the altar. His face is stone. He doesn't look at her when she walks toward him. He doesn't look at her when the judge pronounces them married.

He doesn't look at her when they sign the certificate.

It's over in ten minutes. Ten minutes to change her entire life.

The reception is worse. Champagne glasses clinking. Hollow laughter. People who whisper behind their hands, who look at her like she's something they stepped in. 

Yes, it's supposed to be a ceremony between the two families but the pride in Sebastian couldn't permit that.

Olivia stands beside Aiden, pretending. Smiling. Nodding and playing the role.

Then Aiden turns to her. A glass of wine in his hand. His face is unreadable.

He brings the glass to her lips, like he's trying to feed her. She plays along, opens her mouth slightly, confused.

He tilts the glass. Red wine spills down her white dress. Spills down her chest, her stomach, her legs. The stain spreads like blood.

Olivia's mouth falls open, she looks down at the mess on her dress . She can't move. Can't speak. The room is spinning. People are staring. Whispering.

Aiden sets the glass down. He walks out without a word.

She stands there, frozen, wine dripping onto the floor. Her hands are shaking. Her face is burning. She doesn't know what to do. Doesn't know where to go. Doesn't know how to breathe.

Across the room, Magdalene watches. Tears slip down her cheeks, silent, effortless. Her hands curl into fists in her lap.

She wants to scream. She wants to run to her daughter. She wants to tear Aiden Logan apart with her bare hands.

But she can't. She can't do anything except sit here and watch her daughter be destroyed.

Beside her, Chloe's face turns red. Her jaw tightens. Her body tenses like she's about to spring out of her chair.

Magdalene's hand shoots out. She grips Chloe's thigh, presses down hard, using every bit of strength she has left.

"Don't," she whispers. "Please, Chloe. Not here. Not now."

Chloe's eyes are wild. "Mom, he……"

"I know. But if you cause a scene, it will only get worse for her. Please. For your sister."

Chloe's whole body is shaking. But she stays seated. Her fists are clenched so tight her knuckles are white.

Sebastian gives a smirk as he comfortably takes a sip of some juice from his glass. Like there is nothing at stake.

Magdalene stands. Walks to her daughter and takes her hand.

"Come," she says quietly. "Let's get you cleaned up."

A maid appears, leads them to a bathroom. Magdalene guides Olivia inside, closes the door.

Olivia stands in front of the mirror, staring at herself. The red stain is everywhere. Ruined. Just like everything else.

"I'm fine," Olivia says. Her voice is steady. Too steady. "It's just a dress. It doesn't matter."

Magdalene wants to hold her. She wants to wrap her arms around her and never let go. But she knows Olivia. She knows she needs to be alone right now.

"I'll wait outside," Magdalene says softly.

She closes the door behind her.

The moment she's gone, Olivia breaks.

She presses her hands against the sink, head bowed, shoulders shaking. The tears come hot and fast, pouring out of her like water from a broken dam.

She doesn't make a sound. She can't, she wished she could scream her tears out. If she makes a sound, someone will hear. Someone will know.

She cries until there's nothing left. Then she washes her face. Wipes her eyes. Fixes her dress as best she can.

When she walks back out, her face is calm. Her smile is in place.

Chloe is waiting. She sees everything. The redness around Olivia's eyes. The faint streaks where tears dried. But she doesn't say anything. She just takes her sister's hand and squeezes.

The drive to the apartment takes forever.

Chloe tries to fill the silence with jokes. "Did you see the flower arrangements? Looked like a funeral. Maybe that's what he was going for."

Magdalene tries to offer comfort. "He's a troubled man, that one. Raised without love. He doesn't know what he's doing."

Olivia listens. Nods. Smiles.

Then she cuts in. "You guys." Her voice is soft. "I know what you're trying to do. And I appreciate it. But I'm fine. I'm totally fine, okay?"

Chloe opens her mouth to argue. She closes it.

Magdalene just looks at her daughter with eyes that hold too much sadness.

They drive the rest of the way in silence.

The apartment is small. Familiar. Home.

Chloe helps Olivia pack. She holds up a faded grey shirt. "You know," she says, "this thing has more holes than my future. Maybe we should just frame it as a historical artifact."

Olivia laughs despite herself. "That's my favorite shirt."

"Exactly. A crime against fashion." She folds it gently. "I'm just saying, you're marrying a billionaire.

You could probably buy a hundred shirts that don't look like they survived a hurricane."

"I don't want a hundred shirts."

"What do you want?"

The question hangs in the air. Olivia doesn't answer.

Magdalene appears in the doorway. She's wearing her best dress. Her face is calm. But her hands are trembling.

"My daughter is getting married," she says softly. "All I wanted was to look nice."

She sits on the bed. Picks up the photo of Alexander. Stares at it.

"Your father would have been so proud of you," she says.

Olivia kneels in front of her. Takes her hands. "He wouldn't be proud of this."

"He would be proud of you. Of how you take care of us. Of how you never give up." She cups Olivia's face. "I know why you're doing this. I've always known."

Olivia's breath catches. "Mom…."

"You survive this." Tears slip down Magdalene's cheeks. "You come back to us. And I'll be waiting. Always."

Olivia buries her face in her mother's shoulder. Chloe wraps her arms around them both.