Rivana opened her eyes with a gasp, her heart pounding as if she'd just escaped from death itself. The room swayed, and it felt like she'd been thrown off a roller coaster that had screeched to a sudden halt. Her eyes caught her reflection in the mirror, the attire bringing a frown to her lips.
Her mind struggled to grasp what was happening, her wide, blank eyes staring back at her from the mirror. What… where was she?
Rivana's trembling hands reached her back, where she could almost feel the bullets that had ripped through her just minutes ago. Was this some twisted afterlife? Were the gods mocking her for being a fool all this time by dressing her in a wedding gown?
"Why haven't you put on the veil yet?" came her mother's irritated voice from the doorway. Amerie Faye strode into the room, her figure wrapped in a tight, shimmering blue sequin dress that would rip apart any moment.
It was the same dress she'd worn at her wedding, one that had embarrassed Rivana in front of her new in-laws.
"What's wrong?" Amerie asked, snatching up the white veil and a few pins from the vanity. "Getting cold feet?" she asked dismissively as if Rivana's wide-eyed confusion was nothing more than pre-wedding jitters.
Rivana winced as Amerie tugged the veil roughly over her head, not caring if it was hurting her. The prick of a pin barely registered as Rivana's eyes fell on her phone on the vanity.
"Sit up straight, Rivana!" Amerie grumbled, fussing over the veil as Rivana reached for her phone with trembling hands.
"No fucking way!" Rivana gasped out loud, her eyes fixed on the date. Was she back in time? Back to two years ago, to the very day of her wedding? Rivana's mind reeled, but her surroundings, her mother's behavior, all of it made one thing horribly clear. She had really gone back in time!
"It's done. Let's go!" Amerie murmured, finishing the veil. "Your father is angry and waiting at the aisle." She added, recalling how impatient Emmerich Faye was to get done with this tradition.
Amerie ignored Rivana's struggles and dragged her until they reached the wedding hall, her grip tight around her arm as if afraid she would escape. There, Rivana caught her father, checking his watch with a look of deep irritation.
"What took you so long?" Emmerich snapped, barely sparing her a glance. His eyes narrowed at Amerie, then shifted to Rivana with the usual disdain she'd known all her life. Amerie offered him a coy smile, then shoved a bouquet into Rivana's hand and forced her to cling to his arm.
The contact made Emmerich flinch in disgust, his eyes narrowing. The look didn't faze Rivana; she was used to this from him, the constant reminders that she'd always been no less than an inconvenience.
Her gaze swept the room, taking in her future in-laws on one side, and her own family on the other. Her younger sister, Rubina, hid her sadness behind a carefully blank mask, while her older brother Rafaelo and his mother, Gianna, idly scrolled through their phones, barely paying attention.
It seemed like no one was aware that they had traveled back in time. No one seemed to have memories of it unlike her and everything looked the same, exactly like two years ago. Even the guest number was low, with only a few major shareholders, and the staff of Shadow Inc., a company Rivana had built along with Viktor a year ago. It was booming in success and was the sole reason the Hugon family had agreed to this marriage, while her own family was all too eager to be rid of her.
Rivana walked down the aisle and as she moved closer, she caught the sight of the groom, her bastard fiance who seemed all set to destroy her life again. Everything he had done, everything she had gone through in the name of love flashed through her mind, tears filling her eyes in frustration. But she was all set to ruin him this time!
Viktor's eyes sparkled as she came closer, his gaze raking over her with that sickening possessiveness. Rivana felt bile rise in her throat at his expression, cursing herself for mistaking he loved all these years. Yes, she was a total fool! A simp that deserved such tragic death for liking this jerk!
"You look breathtaking, Riv!" Viktor commented, extending his hand with a grin.
Rivana's hand tightened around the bouquet until her knuckles turned white. She could barely resist the urge to throw it in his face, to scratch the smile he wore so freely. But just as she took a breath, preparing to say something—anything—the guests around them began to whisper, their voices rising in a confused murmur.
Rivana frowned, bewildered by the sudden shift in energy, and then she caught a strange look on Viktor's face. His smile faltered, his eyes narrowing as he glanced over her shoulder, causing her to turn around.
And there, striding down the aisle with a confident, deliberate pace was him. Azrael Dynar Hugon!
He was Santino Hugon's first son, but his maternal uncle took him away at a young age after his mother's death. Over the years, he'd led the Dynar family to unparalleled heights. Since then, the underworld has surrendered to fear his name, and the business world has learned to bow to it, his power casting a shadow over both realms.
But it wasn't just his reputation that drew the eye. Azrael was striking, impossibly tall, and strong, with a face that women felt had been sculpted by the god of seduction himself. His eyes, dark as midnight and as dangerous as the depths of hell, had an intensity that could burn anyone alive with a single glance.
But no one knew those fearsome orbs would soften too whenever they fell on one person. And right now, Azrael was looking at the same person.
Rivana felt her heart skip a beat as their eyes locked. How long had it been since she'd seen him in person? The last time had been when he was fifteen and she was barely seven—the painful day his uncle took him away.
"What the hell are you doing here, Azrael?" Santino barked, his irritation sharp. Rising from his chair, he stepped into the aisle to block Azrael from reaching the couple.
Azrael didn't reply and simply kept staring at Rivana. His expression suddenly darkened but his words shocked everyone even more.
"Are you cheating on me with this tiny loser? Tch, you have a poor taste, wifey." Azrael drawled in disappointment, his voice loud and clear.
The guests erupted into shocked whispers. The Faye family looked at the aisle, their interests piqued in, while the Hugon family, consisting of only Melisande and her younger daughter, shot to their feet, stunned. Was Rivana cheating on Viktor?
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Santino roared, convinced that Azrael was pulling yet another prank. His uncle, Ezekiel Dynar had already declared he wouldn't stop Azrael from claiming what belonged to him within the Hugon family, and this seemed to be part of it.
Azrael's assistant stepped forward instead and replied, "This wedding can't happen, Mr. Hugon." Passing the marriage certificates, he continued, "Ms. Faye is already married to Mr. Dynar, as of two months ago."