Chapter 4

“Sometimes the most beautiful days hide the most painful truths"

The morning of the wedding came like a dream Arielle didn’t want to wake up from — not because it was perfect, but because it didn’t feel real.

The mansion was filled with the hum of preparations — hair stylists rushing in, florists arranging white roses, and distant chatter echoing through the halls. Everyone was smiling. Everyone was excited. Everyone but her.

Arielle sat quietly in front of her vanity mirror, the soft glow of the lights reflecting her pale face. Her wedding gown hung near the window, swaying gently as the breeze entered. It was beautiful — intricate lace, delicate beadwork, and a long, flowing train that shimmered like morning dew.

But as she looked at it, her chest tightened.

It wasn’t hers.

“Ma, it’s too much,” she whispered as her mother entered, eyes already glistening with emotion.

Celina smiled softly, brushing a strand of Arielle’s hair away. “Anak, today is your day. You deserve to look like a princess.”

“Do I?” Arielle’s voice cracked. “Because it doesn’t feel like my day, Ma. It feels like theirs.”

Her mother’s hands paused. “Arielle…”

“I know,” Arielle said, forcing a small smile. “For the family. For our future.”

Celina nodded, her silence heavy with guilt.

Meanwhile, across the city, Evan stood in front of a mirror of his own.

His best man adjusted his tie, while Arthur Monteverde gave last-minute instructions to reporters waiting outside the hotel.

Evan’s reflection looked immaculate — the perfect groom in a perfectly tailored suit.

But his eyes? Cold. Detached.

His phone buzzed. A message from Cassandra.

“Good luck on your business deal.”

He stared at the text for a long moment, then locked his phone and slipped it into his pocket without replying.

Love. Commitment. Forever.

Words that once meant everything — now felt like traps.

“Ready, son?” Arthur asked, clapping him on the shoulder.

Evan met his father’s eyes in the mirror. “I’ll be there.”

The church bells began to ring by mid-afternoon, echoing through the air like the beating of an anxious heart. Guests filled the pews — powerful businessmen, old family friends, people dressed in expensive smiles.

Reporters whispered from the sidelines, cameras flashing with every entrance.

Evan stood at the altar, expression unreadable. His hands were clasped loosely in front of him, his thoughts miles away.

Then the music changed — soft piano notes filled the air.

Arielle appeared at the far end of the aisle.

For a moment, the world stopped.

Her gown caught the light like a thousand stars, her veil flowing behind her like a cloud of silk. Every step she took felt heavy, her heart pounding against her ribs.

Each face she passed wore the same expression — admiration, envy, curiosity.

But no one saw the tremor in her hands, the way her eyes glistened not with joy but with fear.

Evan looked up as she approached, his jaw tightening slightly. She was breathtaking — too pure, too real for the world he lived in. And somehow, that frightened him.

When she reached him, he offered his hand — formal, careful, distant.

Her fingers brushed his, soft and hesitant.

The priest began to speak. Words about love, unity, and forever filled the air, but they both heard only the silence between them.

When it was time for their vows, Arielle’s voice trembled slightly.

“I… take you, Evan, to be my husband…”

She swallowed, forcing the next words. “…for better or for worse.”

Evan followed suit, his tone steady but devoid of warmth.

“I take you, Arielle, to be my wife.”

Their hands met as the priest said, “You may now exchange rings.”

Arielle’s ring slipped easily onto her finger — cool metal, heavy with meaning she didn’t want to carry.

When it was Evan’s turn, she hesitated for a split second before sliding the gold band onto his hand. Their eyes met — and in that fleeting moment, something unspoken passed between them.

Not love. Not yet. But a shared resignation.

A silent promise to survive this, somehow.

“You may now kiss the bride.”

The crowd leaned forward, eager for the picture-perfect ending.

Evan leaned in, brushing his lips against her cheek — not out of affection, but obligation. Cameras flashed. Applause erupted.

And just like that, it was done.

Two strangers, bound by a deal.

The reception was grand — chandeliers glittering above, violins playing soft music, guests raising champagne glasses to celebrate “love.”

Arielle sat beside Evan at the main table, smiling when she had to, nodding at every compliment.

“You look so in love!” one guest gushed.

Arielle laughed softly. “Looks can be deceiving.”

Evan’s lips twitched at her honesty. He leaned closer, his voice low. “You’re handling this better than I expected.”

She glanced at him. “Pretending gets easier the longer you do it.”

For the first time, a hint of respect flickered in his eyes.

When the first dance began, Arielle hesitated. “Do we really have to?”

Evan offered his hand. “It’s expected.”

So they danced. Slowly. Carefully.

Two people moving in rhythm but not in heart.

As the crowd watched and admired, Arielle whispered, “Do you ever wonder what would happen if we just walked away?”

Evan’s gaze softened slightly. “People like us don’t get to walk away.”

Her chest tightened at the truth of it.

Later that night, after the last toast had been made and the guests began to leave, Arielle stepped outside the ballroom for a breath of air. The cool wind brushed against her face, carrying the faint scent of roses and rain.

She looked down at her ring — gold, flawless, foreign.

Behind her, Evan’s voice broke the silence.

“Long day.”

She turned, finding him standing a few feet away, his jacket unbuttoned, his expression tired.

“It’s not over yet,” she said quietly.

He exhaled, looking up at the night sky. “You did well, Arielle.”

She gave a small, humorless laugh. “So did you. We fooled them all.”

He looked at her then — really looked at her — and for a brief moment, his mask slipped. “Maybe we fooled ourselves too.”

She didn’t reply. Instead, she turned her gaze back to the sky, eyes glimmering under the moonlight.

And for the first time that day, a tear escaped — quiet, unseen.

Inside the ballroom, the music played on, celebrating a love story that never existed.

But outside, under the quiet hum of the night, two hearts stood side by side — lost, bound, and unknowingly beginning something real.