The chapel felt like a prison.
Its towering stained-glass windows cast fractured light across the aisle, the colors vivid but cold. Rows of strangers lined the pews, their faces a blur of polite curiosity and indifference. Everything felt surreal—distant, like I was watching someone else walk toward a life they hadn't chosen.
The dress was heavy, suffocating in its perfection. The veil over my face didn't soften the sharp stares or the weight of the moment pressing against my chest. My hands trembled, clutching the bouquet so tightly I could feel the stems biting into my palms.
Ophelia's words echoed in my head, her voice a sickly sweet reassurance as she adjusted my veil earlier. "You're making history, Maria. Be proud. You're a Greystone."
Proud? No. That wasn't the word.
The music swelled, pulling me back to the present. Victor's arm tightened around mine as he escorted me down the aisle. His grip was firm, possessive, as though even now he wanted to remind me I wasn't walking toward freedom—I was being delivered.
My chest tightened as I reached the altar.
And there he was.
Leonardo Von Grimm.
His blond hair was neatly combed, his sharp blue eyes unreadable as they fixed on me. He stood with the same composed confidence I'd seen during our garden walk, his tailored suit fitting him perfectly. But there was something in his expression—a flicker of tension, gone too quickly to name.
Victor stepped aside, placing my hand in his. His palm was warm, steady, but mine was ice cold.
The priest began to speak, his voice low and sonorous, but the words blurred into noise. My heart pounded as I stared at Leonardo and tried to anchor myself in the only thing I could control.
My silence.
"Do you, Maria Greystone, take Leonardo Von Grimm…"
The priest's voice rang in my ears, and I felt every gaze in the room settle on me.
My throat tightened. I forced myself to nod, my voice barely a whisper as I said the words. "I do."
His turn came next. Leonardo's voice was stronger, smoother. "I do."
The finality of it struck like a blow.
The vows were over in minutes. The ring slid onto my finger, cold and foreign, a weight I would carry for the rest of my life. The priest's voice rose, triumphant.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife."
The applause started, polite and subdued, but it grew louder as Leonardo lifted the veil from my face. His blue eyes locked onto mine for a brief moment, and something flickered there, just out of reach.
Then he leaned in, brushing his lips lightly against mine. The kiss was brief, distant, a formality we both understood. But it left my heart racing for reasons I couldn't explain.
The reception was a blur of champagne glasses and meaningless conversations.
I stood beside him, Leonardo Von Grimm, my husband, in the grand ballroom of the Greystone estate, our families mingling like they hadn't just traded me like a piece on a chessboard.
Leonardo played his part perfectly. He smiled when expected, nodded when required, his hand resting lightly on my lower back as if to steady me. But even through the facade, I could feel his tension, his discomfort.
"Are you all right?" he asked quietly as we stepped aside from the crowd for a moment.
I glanced at him, startled by the question. His voice was low, almost hesitant, and his gaze was steady, not cold or calculating like I'd expected.
I wanted to snap at him, to say What do you think? But the words caught in my throat. Instead, I nodded. "I'm fine."
He didn't press me, and for that, I was grateful.
The night dragged on.
Ophelia's laughter rang out as she flitted between guests, basking in the glory of her success. Victor stood beside her, his smug smile never faltering as he toasted to the union that had solidified their power.
I avoided their eyes, my hands clenched tightly at my sides as I stood near the edge of the room.
Leonardo returned to my side, offering me a glass of champagne. I took it, more out of habit than desire, and sipped it slowly.
"You're quieter than I expected," he said, his tone casual but curious.
I glanced at him, frowning. "What did you expect?"
His lips twitched, almost into a smile. "Fireworks."
I didn't answer.
The truth was, I didn't have the energy for fireworks. Not tonight. Not with the weight of everything pressing down on me, trapping me in a life I didn't choose.
Later, when the guests had left and the house was quiet, I sat on the edge of the bed in my new room—our room. The silence was deafening, the space unfamiliar.
Leonardo stepped inside, closing the door behind him. He looked at me for a long moment, then crossed the room, shrugging off his jacket and draping it over a chair.
"This isn't what you wanted," he said, his voice low but even.
I looked up at him, my chest tightening. "No," I admitted quietly. "It's not."
He nodded, as though he'd expected the answer. Then he sat in the chair across from me, his gaze steady but softer than before.
"It's not what I wanted either," he said.
As he spoke, Leonardo's eyes never left mine, and I felt a shiver run down my spine. The air in the room seemed to thicken, and I could sense a shift in his demeanor.
He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, and his voice took on a low, husky tone. "But I'm willing to make the best of it," he said, his eyes locked on mine.
I felt a flutter in my chest as he slowly rose from the chair and took a step closer to me. His movements were deliberate, and I could sense a newfound intensity in his gaze.
My heart skipped a beat as he reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. His touch sent shivers down my spine, and I felt my breath catch in my throat.
"What are you doing?" I whispered, my voice barely audible.
Leonardo's eyes never left mine, and his voice was low and seductive. "I'm making the best of it," he repeated, his fingers trailing down my cheek and sending sparks flying through my veins.
As his hand reached my chin, he tilted my face up, his eyes burning with a newfound desire. I felt my lips part, and my heart racing in anticipation.
And then, just as suddenly, everything stopped.
Leonardo's eyes locked on mine, and I felt like I was drowning in their depths. The world around us melted away, leaving only the two of us, suspended in a moment of charged tension.
"What do you want?" he whispered, his breath warm against my skin.
I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest. "I...I don't know," I stammered.
Leonardo's eyes never left mine, and his voice was low and husky. "Let me show you," he whispered, his lips inches from mine...
Before I could respond, the door burst open.
The sharp crack of it slamming against the wall made us both flinch.
I shot to my feet instinctively, my heart racing as I turned toward the intruder.
Maria stood as well, confusion and alarm etched into her features.
And there he was.
Leonardo.