001 Shattered Dreams

The bridesmaids were a whirlwind of color and laughter around me, their voices bouncing off the walls of the bridal suite like joyful music. I stood frozen in front of the full-length mirror, my hands gently smoothing over the soft ivory silk that clung to my body. The dress was everything I never thought I could wear. It hugged my curves with intention instead of apology. The neckline was elegant, the waist nipped just right, and the skirt flowed in a way that made me feel seen. Alex had worked with Eleanor on the design for weeks, insisting on every detail. “I want you walking down that aisle knowing exactly how stunning you are to me,” he had said one night, his eyes soft as he sketched ideas on a napkin.

Sarah, my best friend since college, stepped behind me and adjusted my veil with careful fingers. “Lila, you’re glowing. Seriously. Alex is going to forget how to speak when he sees you.”

I let out a nervous laugh, my stomach still doing anxious flips despite the warm compliments. “I hope so. I feel like I might trip over these heels and ruin everything. They are higher than my confidence has been in months.”

Another bridesmaid, Tina handed me my bouquet of soft pink roses and white lilies. “Stop doubting yourself. You’ve got this. He’s crazy about you. The way he looks at you? That man is completely gone.”

Their words wrapped around me like a warm blanket, but deep down, a small voice still whispered the old insecurities. Growing up plus-size had taught me to brace for sideways glances and quiet judgments. But Alex had never been like that. From our first awkward date, he had made me feel wanted exactly as I was. Today was supposed to be the day all those doubts finally faded.

A soft knock sounded on the door. The bridesmaids giggled knowingly as Alex poked his head in, breaking every wedding tradition without a care. His eyes lit up the moment they landed on me, that crooked smile I loved so much spreading across his face. “Wow… Lila.”

He stepped inside, ignoring the teasing from the girls who pretended to give us a little space. He took my hands in his, warm and steady, his thumb brushing over my knuckles.

“You look perfect,” he whispered, leaning close so only I could hear. “Every single inch of you. I can’t wait to call you my wife.”

My heart swelled. “I forgot the little gift bag for Eleanor in the car, those Libyan sweets she loves so much. She mentioned missing them yesterday, and I wanted today to feel special for her too.”

“Say no more.” He kissed my temple quickly, his cologne, that familiar mix of citrus and warm wood, lingering around me. “Be right back, love. I’ll grab it and be back before anyone even notices I broke the rules.”

“Alex, we’re literally minutes from starting the ceremony,” I protested, though I couldn’t stop smiling.

“Exactly. Can’t have my future wife stressed on our big day.” He gave my hands one last squeeze, winked at the bridesmaids, and slipped out the door.

The room felt brighter with him in it, even for those few moments. The girls resumed their chatter, fixing stray hairs and touching up my makeup. Ten minutes passed. Then fifteen. I glanced at the clock, a tiny knot forming in my stomach.

Sarah checked her phone. “Should I send someone to look for him?”

Before I could answer, my phone started ringing loudly on the dressing table. Eleanor’s name flashed across the screen. She had flown all the way from Libya just for this day, and she had been nothing but warm and motherly to me these past months. I answered quickly, trying to keep my voice light.

“Eleanor? Is everything okay?”

Her voice came through broken and thick with tears. “Lila… There has been an accident. Alex was on the road, rushing back to the venue… a van lost control and hit him. They’re taking him to the hospital right now. You need to come. Hurry, please.”

The world tilted violently. My knees nearly gave out. “What? No, where is he exactly? Is he okay?”

The bridesmaids froze around me, their smiles fading into confusion and concern.

“I don’t know the details yet,” Eleanor sobbed softly. “Just get here. I’m heading to the hospital too.”

I didn’t remember dropping the phone or running out of the suite. My heels clicked frantically against the pavement as I rushed toward the parking area, the beautiful dress now feeling like dead weight dragging behind me. Another call came in, this time from one of the groomsmen, his voice shaking.

“Lila… he’s gone. Alex didn’t make it. I’m so sorry.”

I froze on the side of the road just outside the venue, cars blurring past in streaks of color. The phone slipped from my fingers. My legs buckled, and I sank onto the curb, the silk pooling around me like spilled cream. Horns honked in the distance, but everything sounded muffled, distant. Alex was gone. Just like that. On the day we were supposed to start our forever, he had left to get a small forgotten gift for me and never came back.

The next hours dissolved into a nightmare I still can’t fully piece together. Police lights flashing. The sterile smell of the hospital. Eleanor arrived with red eyes, pulling me into her arms as we both broke down in the waiting room. The doctor’s quiet, devastating words: Alex Voss, thirty-two years old, pronounced dead on arrival after severe internal injuries from the crash.

I sat there in my blood-speckled wedding dress, staring at nothing, replaying his last smile, his quick kiss, the way he had promised to be right back. The gift he never got to bring me. The future we had planned, the home, the children, the life together, all shattered in a single moment on a busy road.

Eleanor stayed by my side through it all, even though her real home was far away in Libya. She had only come for the wedding, but now she held me like I was her own daughter. “You can’t disappear now, Lila,” she whispered later that evening in a quiet hospital corridor, her voice gentle but laced with grief-stricken determination. “Alex wouldn’t want that. Little Mia already asks about you all the time. The family needs you to stay close. I’ve spoken to Damian. He shares the same father with Alex. Marrying him would keep you protected and part of this family. He didn’t like the idea at first, but he agreed for my sake. Please… think about it. Don’t make me lose another child.”

I couldn’t find the words to respond. Everything felt too raw, too soon.

Three days later, we buried Alex under a heavy gray sky that refused to rain, as if even the heavens were holding back their tears. I stood at the graveside in a simple black dress, feeling completely hollow inside. Eleanor remained close, her arm wrapped tightly around my shoulders for support. Across the grave, Damian Voss watched us with cold, burning fury etched into every line of his face, tall, broad-shouldered, radiating power and barely contained rage. Alex’s older half-brother. The ruthless billionaire who controlled the Voss empire with an iron fist. He hadn’t said a single word to me yet, but I could already sense the storm he carried toward me.

That night, back in my small, quiet apartment, the full weight of everything finally crashed down. I curled up on the couch, still wearing the black dress, and let the tears flow freely. Alex was really gone. Eleanor’s plea kept echoing in my head like a distant bell.

I had no idea what tomorrow would bring.

But something deep inside warned me that Damian Voss was going to make sure I regretted ever falling in love with a Voss man.