Chapter 5: Beneath the Lies, We Still Said I Do

Aurora's POV 

Aridian’s last words echoed through the chapel like a death sentence: “Ask Alexander why he really wanted me gone all these years.”

Shock froze the entire venue. The beautiful hall, once filled with joyful murmurs and the sweet scent of roses, now vibrated with stunned silence broken only by scattered gasps.

My heart hammered violently against my ribs, the white lace of my wedding gown suddenly feeling like chains binding me to this nightmare. Oh God, what is happening?*

My mind screamed in overload. Last night I had let Aridian fuck me senseless, my body betraying Alexander in the most intimate way possible. 

And now this—public accusations, hidden covenants, elder twin rights. Everything I thought I knew about the man I was about to marry was crumbling.

Guests shifted in their seats, whispering furiously. Phones were discreetly raised, capturing the scandal. Elena looked as if she might faint, her face ghostly pale. Alexander’s grip on my hand became iron, almost painful. I was shaken to my core, emotionally overloaded, tears threatening to ruin the flawless makeup the stylists had applied. *Aridian knows. He knows what we did. Is this his revenge? Or is there something far darker?*

Alexander lost his patience completely. His face twisted with fury as he snapped toward the back of the hall. “Security! Remove him immediately. This is nothing but the ranting of a bitter, unstable man.”

Aridian remained standing for a moment longer, calm and almost amused, a faint smirk playing on his lips—the same lips that had claimed mine so masterfully the night before. My treacherous body remembered every detail.

 The way he had held my head during that deep kiss, the massive dick stretching me perfectly, the relentless thrusts from behind that had me moaning Alexander’s name in delusion. *Stop it, Aurora. Focus.* But the guilt clawed deeper. Security guards approached swiftly, two burly men in dark suits. 

Aridian did not resist. He allowed them to take his arms, his eyes locking directly onto mine as they escorted him toward the doors.

In that locked gaze, I saw everything—hunger, triumph, and a silent promise that this was far from over. *He’s warning me. Or tempting me.* The heavy chapel doors shut behind him with a resounding thud that echoed like finality.

Alexander immediately took control, turning to the guests with authoritative poise, though I caught the slight strain in his voice.

“The ceremony continues,” he declared firmly. “My brother has been troubled for years. His exile was a family decision for peace, and today he seeks only to disrupt our happiness. Please, disregard his words. This is our day.”

Guests murmured uneasily but complied, pressured by the family’s status and the lavish setting. No one wanted to challenge the powerful Alexander on his wedding day. The officiant cleared his throat hesitantly, flipping through his notes as if searching for normalcy. “Very well... let us resume.”

But the atmosphere was broken. The energy that should have sparkled with celebration was gone, replaced by a heavy, performative tension. Guests sat distracted, whispering behind fans and programs, some still glancing at the exit where Aridian had been taken. The music felt forced, the flowers less vibrant. It was all a hollow show now.

I struggled to breathe under the delicate veil, my chest tight as if invisible hands were squeezing the life from me. *How did we get here?* My psychological spiral deepened with every second. Aridian’s revelation about the grandfather’s will replayed endlessly. The family covenant. 

The elder twin. Alexander had never breathed a word of it. *He lied to me. Or hid everything.* Then the memories of last night flooded back unbidden—Aridian pushing into me, my body wet and eager despite the horror, the way I had deceived myself that it was Alexander. *I betrayed him. 

But now... does he even deserve my loyalty? What else has he hidden?*

Naomi noticed my increasing distress. She stepped closer from her position, her hand brushing my arm discreetly. “Aurora,” she whispered urgently, “breathe. You look like you’re about to pass out. Is this about what he said? Or... something more?”

I could only shake my head slightly, unable to form words. *If only you knew the full truth, Naomi. I let the wrong twin into my bed. And now the right one might be a stranger wearing his face.*

Alexander resumed his position beside me, but he was not fully present. His handsome features were set in determination, yet his eyes kept darting toward the exit doors where Aridian had disappeared.

His grip on my hand tightened too hard, almost crushing my fingers. I winced inwardly. This isn’t the loving man I know. Or is this the real him—desperate to control the narrative? The doubt gnawed at me like acid. Both brothers now seemed like shadows of deception. 

Aridian with his raw passion and forbidden truth, Alexander with his polished lies and forced calm.

The officiant, clearly rattled, continued hesitantly. “We gather here today despite interruptions, to join Aurora and Alexander in holy matrimony.” His voice lacked conviction, the words falling flat in the tense air. 

The room waited, thick with anticipation and unease. Guests fanned themselves, some checking phones for updates on the unfolding drama.

As he transitioned toward the vows, my internal monologue became a storm. 

Do I say yes? After last night’s ecstasy with Aridian? After learning Alexander might have exiled his own twin over inheritance? I wanted Alexander so badly yesterday, but now... I doubt everything. My body still aches with betrayal, and my heart is torn between two identical monsters.

Alexander glanced at me, attempting a reassuring smile that did not reach his eyes. His thumb brushed my knuckles mechanically, but the pressure remained too firm.

He’s scared. Just like I saw earlier. What is he hiding that could make him fear his own brother this much?

The officiant reached the critical point, his voice echoing slightly. “Alexander, do you take Aurora to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love and to cherish...”

Before he could complete the question, the heavy doors at the back of the chapel creaked open once more.

 A security guard— one of the same men who had escorted Aridian out—walked straight down the aisle with purposeful strides. Whispers erupted again. He approached Alexander directly, leaning in close to whisper something into his ear.

I watched Alexander’s expression change instantly. Shock flashed first, then raw anger, followed by deep, unmistakable fear—the same crack I had glimpsed earlier, now fully exposed. His face paled beneath the composed mask. 

The authoritative grip on my hand loosened for a split second before tightening again.

My heart lurched. *What now? What did that guard say? Is it about Aridian? About last night?*

Before I could react or whisper a question, Alexander turned to look at me. His eyes held a storm of emotions—regret, desperation, and something darker. Then, in a voice that cut through the stunned silence, he said firmly:

“Stop the ceremony.”

I froze.

The words hung in the air, heavier than Aridian’s objection. Guests gasped audibly. Naomi’s eyes widened in horror beside me. Elena looked ready to collapse. My mind reeled in complete chaos. *Stop? After forcing it to continue? What did the guard tell you, Alexander? Is this the end... or the beginning of something even worse?*

The perfect wedding I had dreamed of had become a battlefield of twins, secrets, and shattered trust. And I stood at the center, my body still marked by one brother, my heart now doubting the other.