The vows

June stood in front of the ornate full-length mirror in the bridal suite of the Bloomfield Estate, her white gown cascading like a river of silk down her body. The delicate lace sleeves hugged her arms, and the soft shimmer of the beading caught the morning sunlight pouring in from the tall windows. A soft blush sat on her cheeks—not from makeup alone, but from nerves, excitement, and a thousand untold thoughts.

Behind her, Renee, her childhood best friend and maid of honor, was gently adjusting the veil, her fingers steady but her eyes uncertain.

“June,” Renee said softly, finally breaking the silence, “do you really want to go through with this?”

June met her friend’s gaze in the mirror. “I already told you, Renee. I love Xander. He’s been good to me, and this—today—it’s right.”

Renee sighed, stepping back. “I know you believe that. I just… I’ve been watching you. And I still feel like you’re holding something back. Like your heart is racing ahead, but your gut is lagging behind.”

June turned, her veil catching the light like a halo. “Enough,” she said gently but firmly. “I love Xander, and he loves me. That’s what matters. He’s shown me care, respect, softness… He came into my life when everything was falling apart, and somehow, he made me feel whole again.”

Renee bit her lip. “I just want you to be happy. You know that. I stood by you through everything with Larry. I saw what that kind of hurt did to you. And now I’m standing here again, watching you walk into something so quickly, with a man you haven’t even known for a year.”

June’s voice faltered, but she didn’t turn away. “You think I haven’t asked myself all those questions, Renee? I have. A million times. But every time I look at Xander, I don’t see someone who wants to break me. I see someone who wants to build something with me. He’s met my broken pieces and didn’t run. He’s patient… gentle. Not perfect, but he tries.”

“But do you trust him?” Renee asked, her voice quieter now. “Do you trust him with your heart? With your future?”

June paused, taking a breath. “I trust who he’s shown me. I trust the man who held me when I cried about Larry, who helped me rebuild my confidence, who makes me laugh even on days when my world feels heavy. That’s the man I’m marrying today.”

Renee looked away, blinking back her emotion. “I just don’t want to be the one who has to pick up the pieces again if he ever changes.”

June walked over and took her friend’s hands. “I know. And I love you for that. But you have to trust me, too. I’m not walking into this blind, even if it looks that way. I’ve seen darkness. I’ve lived with a manipulator. I know what red flags look like now, and Xander isn’t showing any.”

Renee finally smiled, albeit faintly. “Well, you’re glowing. And you look like a dream.”

June gave her a genuine smile. “Then help me walk into my dream, okay?”

The door creaked open as the wedding planner peeked in. “Five minutes, ladies. Let’s line up.”

Renee stepped back, giving June one last glance half pride, half concern. “Okay, let’s do this.”

June nodded, gathering her bouquet soft blush roses, lilies, and sprigs of baby’s breath and took a long breath.

As she stood at the threshold of the aisle, the music began to play softly, the gentle notes of a piano arrangement she had chosen herself. Her heart pounded like a drum inside her chest, not just with excitement but with the quiet terror of what the future might hold.

Xander was waiting at the end of that aisle.

And somewhere deep inside her, June whispered a silent prayer:

"Please let this be real. Let this be different."

The grand ceremonial hall of Bloomfield Estate was hushed, as though even the walls dared not breathe during this pivotal moment. Golden light streamed in through the stained glass, casting warm halos across the white marble floor where June and Xander stood, side by side, facing the officiant.

June’s fingers trembled slightly inside Xander’s palm, her nerves concealed behind a soft, serene smile. She looked breathtaking in her fitted ivory gown, a subtle shimmer dancing across the fabric as though the dress itself knew this was a moment it had waited for.

Xander stood in a perfectly tailored black tuxedo, his usual confidence dulled by the invisible weight sitting on his chest. His jaw was tight. Not because he was marrying June no, she was more beautiful and radiant than ever but because he knew this moment wasn’t as pure as she believed it to be.

The officiant’s voice rang clear through the stillness:

“Do you, Xander ,take June Williams, to be your lawfully wedded wife? To love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better or worse, from this day forward until death do you part?”

The question lingered in the air. For a second just one second it felt as though time suspended itself.

June turned her head slightly, looking up at him with quiet anticipation.

Xander swallowed.

In that second, flashes danced across his mind—June’s laughter, her tears, the way she held him at night, her head resting on his chest like she belonged there. But also the dark reminder of the scheme he’d been a part of. His father’s threats. The promise of power, of legacy, and of wealth. The truth June didn’t know.

He hesitated.

The silence was heavy enough to draw attention from a few murmuring guests. June’s fingers tensed inside his.

“I…” Xander finally said, his voice tight. “I do.”

There was a collective breath of relief. A smile broke across June’s face, radiant and full of hope. The crowd settled again.

The officiant turned to her.

“And do you, June Williams, take Xander Cole, to be your lawfully wedded husband? To love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better or worse, from this day forward until death do you part?”

June didn’t hesitate.

“I do.”

Her voice was soft, but it rang with conviction.

The officiant smiled warmly, lifting his hands.

“By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride.”

The hall erupted with applause. White rose petals rained down from above. Guests stood, clapping, cheering, capturing the moment on their phones and cameras.

Xander took a step forward, placing his hands gently on either side of June’s face. Their eyes locked hers gleaming with love, his clouded with guilt.

“Please forgive me, June,” Xander said silently in his heart, as he leaned in and kissed her lips.

It was soft. Tender. Almost reverent. She kissed him back without hesitation, wrapping her arms around his neck. To the world, it was a perfect kiss the sealing of a fairytale union.

But within Xander, a war raged.

She didn’t know the truth. That this wedding wasn’t born purely from love but from obligation, manipulation, and a dangerous plan born of desperation. And now, standing there with June in his arms, it didn’t feel like a victory.

It felt like betrayal.

But he’d gone too far. There was no turning back now.

As they turned to walk back down the aisle, husband and wife, with the crowd tossing flower petals and cheers all around them, Xander forced a smile. June beamed at him, eyes full of trust.

And yet in the deepest part of his soul, Xander whispered once more:

“I’m sorry, June. I hope one day you’ll understand… and maybe, somehow, forgive me.”