Chapter 5

Still on the bathroom floor, I heard footsteps coming closer. The door creaked open, and I lifted my head only to see Venice and Von.

My siblings.

They stood in the doorway of the dressing room, both dressed in elegant formal wear. Venice’s gown shimmered like rose gold in the light, and Von wore a deep navy suit with the Montgomery crest pinned to his chest.

I scrambled up, my legs shaking.

“Please,” I whispered. “Please, don’t let this happen. Talk to Father. Talk to Mother. Help me…”

Venice’s lips trembled for a moment. She stepped forward but didn’t reach for me.

“I’m sorry, Lei” she said softly. “I can’t. You know how it is.”

Her eyes dropped to the floor. And just like that, I understood. She wasn’t here to save me—only to watch me survive the way she had.

“She’s married to a city councilor,” Von said flatly, stepping in behind her. “She didn’t choose him either.”

Venice’s shoulders stiffened at the words. Von looked at me—expression unreadable, but not cruel. Just… tired.

“I married to secure the vice mayor seat,” he continued. “It’s not about what we want, Lorelie. It’s about what the name needs. That’s how it’s always been.”

A sob escaped my throat as I pressed a trembling hand to my stomach, as if that could keep me from breaking apart.

“So that’s it?” I said hoarsely. “We all just… survive it?”

Von didn’t answer right away. Instead, he reached into the inside pocket of his suit and pulled out something small. He stepped forward, closing the space between us, and gently placed it into my palm. A necklace. A simple aquamarine necklace—silver-framed. The violet stone shimmered softly under the room’s pale lighting. It was cool in my hand. Heavy in a way that felt… grounding.

“This is for you,” he said quietly. “My wedding gift.”

I stared at it.

“A little piece of control they can’t take from you,” he added.

I looked up at him, confused, my fingers curling around the pendant. “W-what—?”

“Promise me you’ll never take it off,” he said firmly now, his voice sharper than before—like this mattered more than anything else.

I nodded hesitantly, the lump in my throat making it hard to speak. “I… I don’t know if I can survive this.”

Von’s gaze didn’t falter. For once, there was no coldness in his eyes. Only something tired… and sad.

“You will,” he said. “Not because it’s fair. Not because it gets easier. But because you’re Lorelie.”

He paused, then added in a quieter voice “And because you’re the only one left who still dreams of more.”

I closed my hand around the pendant, my knuckles white. I wanted to believe him. But all I could think about was the man waiting at the altar. Sebastian Kingston.

I had never seen him in person, but his name was everywhere. A rising political star. The governor. Celebrated by the public for his efficiency and charity reforms. But behind closed doors? Rumors whispered of a different man. Cold, emotionless, ruthless and ambitious beyond reason. Some said his smile could convince you to trust him, even as he prepared your downfall.

That was the man I was about to marry.

Von gave my shoulder a final squeeze, then turned to leave. Venice hesitated for a moment longer; her eyes filled with guilt—but she followed. And I was alone again.

……

The grand doors opened. Music swelled gently through the air.

And I stepped into a room that didn’t feel real.

The cathedral was massive. Stained glass windows arched high above, casting soft colors over marble floors. Cream-colored walls rose into a vaulted ceiling lined with gold trim and carved angels. Every side was filled—rows upon rows of familiar faces and strangers with money and power.

Rosehill’s most powerful families were here. I recognized business tycoons, political figures, foreign investors, and magazine editors. Men who once shook my father’s hand at charity balls. Women who once whispered gossip about my mother in the powder room. Their jewelry sparkled like they had something to celebrate.

Maybe they did.

Power loved watching power consolidate.

My arm was locked in my father’s as he led me forward down the long aisle. His grip was strong, like I would anytime. He leaned in close as we walked.

“Posture, Lorelie,” he murmured. “Smile at the front row. Breathe through your nose. Pause at the second pillar for the cameras. Remember what I said about—”

I didn’t hear the rest. Because my eyes were already on the man standing at the altar.

Sebastian Kingston.

Tall. Imposing. Dark suit. No trace of warmth in his features. He stood with perfect stillness, hands clasped in front of him. He didn’t fidget or glance around. He didn’t even blink much. His expression was unreadable and cold like the rumors said.

My chest felt tight. Panic itched beneath my skin, but I kept walking. My heels echoed in rhythm with the organ. My throat tightened and my mind screamed.

I wanted to run. But I didn’t. Instead, I fixed my gaze straight ahead and forced my face into neutrality like him.

Then I heard it—the click of a camera. I turned my head slightly and smiled like a reflex.

Another step. Another smile. Another lie.

And just like that, I walked closer to a man I didn’t know, surrounded by people who never asked what I wanted, holding back tears behind the perfect expression they trained into me.

This wasn’t a wedding. It was a performance, and I was the main act.

Soon after, we reached the altar. My heels halted on the last marble step, and I instinctively lowered my gaze. The lights above felt too bright. My hands were cold and trembling.

Then I felt it—my father gently unclasping our arms. He took my right hand and placed it into another.

A larger, firmer one. The second my father let go; I felt the weight of something new pressing on my chest. Before I could react, a deep voice cut through the murmurs and music—low, commanding, almost too close.

"Look at me."

I froze. His tone wasn’t cruel, but it wasn’t kind either. It was sharp and authoritative. The kind of voice people obeyed without thinking.

Slowly—mechanically—I lifted my eyes. And there he was.

Sebastian Kingston.

He stood so close I could feel the tension humming off of him. But one thing that caught me off guard was…..he was… beautiful, in the kind of way that left people breathless. Dark hair, neatly styled, sharp jawline, thick brows, and piercing gray eyes that gave nothing away. His skin was a shade or two warmer than mine. Every feature was symmetrical, sculpted, as if tailored by nature for power. But he didn’t smile. Not even the slightest twitch of a corner lip.

My throat tightened as my heart pounded in my ears. But my face remained still. I forced my eyes not to drop again. I didn’t want to hear his voice repeat the order.