LOGINAbby Intrigued, I let Karl take my hand and lead me discreetly away from the reception, weaving through the tables and out a back door into the gardens. A mischievous grin plays on his lips as we giggle like teenagers, ducking behind hedges and scurrying across the lush green lawns. “Where are w
As the music shifts to a slow ballad, I feel a familiar pair of strong arms circle my waist from behind. “There’s my beautiful wife,” Karl’s deep voice rumbles in my ear, sending shivers down my spine. He spins me around to face him, our bodies swaying in time to the soft music. I gaze up at him
Abby The reception hall is cast in a warm, romantic glow, with twinkling lights and the warm flickering of candles on every table. Soft music plays as Karl and I make our entrance, hand-in-hand to raucous applause and cheers from our guests. I can’t stop smiling as we wave to our loved ones gather
Abby The afternoon sun streaming in through the tall windows of the chapel casts the stones in a warm golden light, giving everything a sort of ethereal energy. I stand in the hallway, my arm linked with Anton’s, as the wedding coordinator prepares everyone to walk down the aisle. “Are you ready
Abby As I sit in front of the vanity mirror with the hair and makeup artist circling around me, I meet my friends’ gazes in the reflection; Chloe, Leah, Daisy, and even Elsie are here as my bridesmaids, each of them looking more beautiful than the last. “The seamstress really did do a great job
Abby With a gasp of excitement, I pull the wedding gown out of its box and hold it up in the light. Everything is perfect; the way the beadwork catches the light, the silky texture, the shape. I can’t wait to try it on now that it’s been altered to fit my body. Quickly, I slip out of my clothe
Abby The light of the moon streaming in through the high windows casts a dim blue glow over the corridor. As I step up to the cracked-open door of Damon’s private chambers, however, a flickering orange light mixes in with the dusky blues and grays. “Hello?” I call out softly, knocking twice on t
Abby “Ahh… My feet are so sore,” Daisy whines as we enter our private chambers. She wanders over to one of the large, plush couches and flops down with a satisfied sigh. “Your feet hurt, but your heart is soaring, isn’t it?” Anton teases. “What a successful party, eh?” I almost laugh out loud
Karl “And stay out!” The guard shoves me away with so much force that I nearly pitch forward onto my knees on the front lawn. All around us, curious guests watch and whisper in hushed tones. I turn, dusting myself off, and bow theatrically to the crowd. “Enjoy the show, everyone,” I chide them
In fact, I think I didn’t speak because I was a coward. That was it. And now I need to get away. Damon hands me his pocket square instead of slipping it back into his pocket and rubs my shoulder gently. “Perhaps a little work might do you some good,” he says gently. “But please, if you need to r







