SERENA

I knew something was wrong. It didn't feel quite right like I had been cast in a movie I didn't ever want to be in. Like I was a lost character in a children's storybook.

I sat before the vanity, and in minutes my makeup was done and my hair styled to perfection.

I stood to stare at my reflection, my gown fitted me perfectly. It was the most expensive and most beautiful dress I have ever seen.

I could hardly believe it. Today was the day I was getting married to Jesse—the man who had been my world for the past two years, my universe, my all in all. Jesse Vancouver, son of the richest man in all of Maine.

My cousin, Tasha, fussed with the last bit of my dress, smoothing down the fabric. "You look stunning, Serena," Tasha said softly, stepping back to admire her handiwork. "Jesse's jaw is going to hit the floor when he sees you."

I laughed, my nerves bubbling to the surface, but my laughter was dry, very dry. "I hope so. I don't want him to pass out before he even makes it to the vows."

From the corner of the room, my best friend Nina grinned, already dressed in a blush pink Maid of Honor gown. "Trust me, you are going to knock him dead."

The excitement was just too much to handle; my heart pounded with anxiety as I glanced at the clock. "Is the driver here yet?" I asked, trying to put the tremor out of my voice.

Nina frowned, checking my phone. "Not yet, but we are still on time. Maybe the driver got stuck in traffic."

I nodded, brushing off the tiny sliver of unease creeping up my spine. "Yeah, you are right. I'm probably just too anxious."

As more minutes ticked by, my smile began to fade. "Tina, could you try calling him?"

Tina dialed the driver's number and pressed the phone to my ear, and my frown deepened. "Straight to voicemail."

My heart gave a little flutter. My grip tightened around my bouquet, and my pulse quickened. "Voicemail?" My voice was barely steady. "That's odd."

I glanced at Tasha, who was now pacing the room, biting her lips. "Okay, no big deal, we will just—"

"Grab another car, right?" Tasha finished with a forced smile. "You can ride with me. We'll be at the church in no time."

"Exactly." I took a deep breath, forcing myself to relax. "Let's go. I can't keep Jesse waiting."

We all bundled into Tasha's car; the atmosphere lit up again as Nina hummed along with the radio; the drive felt like a blur. My mind was already at the church, imagining Jesse's face when he saw me walking down the aisle.

As soon as we pulled up, I felt something was off. No crowd. No decorations. The silence stretched like a long, suffocating pause.

I stared out of the window, expecting to see a crowd of guests, photographers, and maybe a few bridesmaids, waiting to help me out of the car. But the street outside the cathedral was as empty as a desert. Not even a butterfly lingered in the doorway.

Even a funeral procession was way better than what I saw. My heart gave a small stutter. "Are you sure this is the cathedral, Tasha?" I murmured, my gaze darting from the door to the empty sidewalk.

It looked like an apocalypse had happened, and just three of us were left in the world. Because I just couldn't understand everything happening.

Tasha looked around. "I am a hundred percent sure that this is the right address."

Nina squinted. "Maybe everyone's inside already, waiting for you at the altar."

Tasha said, forcing a laugh. "Yeah, that is probably it."

My fingers dug into the bouquet, crushing the delicate flowers in my grip. The pressure was the only thing grounding me, holding me together as my world tilted.

The cathedral stood overhead, its tall doors shut, and the silence felt almost deafening.

I took a deep breath and walked towards the entrance, Tasha and Nina flanking me on both sides.

That moment, as they pulled the doors open, instantly I froze, and my head spun on my neck like I had been hit by a bazooka.

The cathedral... was empty. Completely, utterly empty.

Rows and rows of empty pews stood before me as if the church had never entertained a single person before. The sun rays pushed through the stained glass windows making everywhere look so quiet.

Slowly, my eyes moved to the altar, where Jesse and the officiant should have stood, waiting for me, but no one was there.

No music.

Nothing.

My chest tightened; panic started to rise in my throat. "Where is everyone?" I whispered, my voice trembling.

"This can't be real." My breath came in short, sharp gasps. The empty pews seemed to mock me, each one echoing my heartbreak.

I swallowed hard, the hope that had filled me moments ago now turning into a sharp, painful knot in my chest.

Nina blinked rapidly, her confusion turning into disbelief. "Maybe... maybe they are running late."

"Running late? The guest or the groom?" Tasha asked, quite frustrated.

"What is going on here?" My voice cracked again, the overwhelming silence in the cathedral sinking in like a stone in my stomach.

Tasha was already pulling out my phone, trying to call Jesse. "Don't worry, Serena, let me call him. This prank he is pulling isn't funny."

But I could feel it. Something was off. Deeply, off.

Just as I was about to speak again, Nina, who had been scrolling through her phone, gasped, her face went pale as a ghost, and she froze as her hands reached over to cover her half-opened mouth.

"Nina?" I asked, "What is it?"

Nina's eyes widened, and then, without warning, she almost let out a scream, but instead, she shook her head sadly.

My blood ran cold.

"What happened?" Nina was shaking; her hands trembled as she shoved the phone towards Tasha.

"Look at this!" She squeaked, her voice barely audible over her racing breath.

Tasha grabbed the phone, her eyes widening as she stared at the screen, and it felt like she wanted to pass out soon.

"No way..." She whispered, her voice hollow.

My eyes stung and my hands were shaking as I took the phone forcefully.

I didn't want to look so I waited, my heart beating, scared of what I was about to see.

For a second, my heart stopped beating and I forgot how to breathe as I scrolled with fear.

It was on a blog, the headline flashing, and then the video. The live video.

Of Jesse. Jesse was in a different suit. Smiling. And next to him was... another woman.

A woman in a wedding dress who wasn't me.

The bouquet slipped from my fingers.

The ground seemed to move beneath my feet as I swallowed painfully and my legs turned to jelly.

"No, this can't be happening." I stammered, the room and my eyes spinning in my head as I stumbled on a nearby chair.

"That's not—" But it was.

My grip on the phone loosened, and my fingers were numb.

The room spun violently, and for a moment, I thought I might faint.

My knees wobbled, the strength draining from my body as Jesse's smile burned into my vision.

My heart shattered into pieces as the video continued to play.

Jesse was getting married.

Right now.

To someone else.

Someone was standing beside him. A woman dressed in a white dress more beautiful than mine, her face hidden by a veil.

And that was when my heart missed a beat. Darkness surrounded me, and my legs wobbled, and I fell into nothingness