Nicole was now alone in the room. Her friends had left after chatting with her for a while, needing to be at the church to await her arrival. The quiet that followed felt almost heavy, filled with anticipation and nervous energy. She felt a flutter of nervousness in her chest, the kind that made her hands tremble slightly. To steady herself, she took a small sip of wine, letting the warmth calm her racing thoughts. Now that she was fully dressed, reality struck her fully, causing her heart to pound—she was about to marry Gabriel, and there was no way either of them could avoid it. There were no detours, no delays. It had to happen, and the magnitude of that truth both thrilled and terrified her.She perched on the edge of the bed, hands shaking slightly, heart racing like a drumbeat in her chest. She tried to steady herself, but the realization weighed heavily, as her mind drifted in a whirlwind of “what ifs” and “maybes,” when she suddenly heard a gentle knock at the door. Startled, s
Read more