Chapter 10
по кеер шеш… иш now.
I felt my heart race, a cascade of emotions washing over me. Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm myself, but it felt like something had shifted within me. The makeup artist
must have sensed my reaction, as she rushed over, holding a hand mirror protectively in front of me.
“Careful!” she exclaimed, half–joking.
“Let’s not ruin your makeup, or this day won’t be as picture–perfect as you deserve.” Hearing her fuss, Mom hurried over, concern etched into every line on her face. “What‘ s wrong, darling? Listen, if you‘ re not ready to get married, you don’t have to. I’d be happier having you by my side forever.”
I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay composed even as my heart pounded
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erratically. “I’m fine,” I whispered, trying to sound convincing.
Mom’s shoulders relaxed a bit. “Good. Remember what we talked about last night? If you don’t want to rush into marriage, just take your time to get to know him better. There’s no need for a ‘flash wedding. We’re not in a hurry and I’ll always respect your wishes.”
I managed a small nod, signaling that I was okay, though deep down, an unsettling feeling gnawed at me. I waited, steeling myself for the arrival of my groom, trying to ignore the faint but nagging sense of foreboding that had taken root within me.
Then, the hall erupted with the excited cries of guests. “The groom’s here!” someone announced with glee.
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We‘ d chosen a traditional ceremony, Mom hurried over and gently placed a white veil over my head. The muffled sounds of firecrackers and cheering filled the air as I stepped forward. Everything was simple, just as I’d requested, but my mind couldn’t shake the growing unease within me.
The groom held my hand, guiding me with tender care. At one point, he fed me a bowl of noodles my mom had prepared. The flavor was different from what I was used to- perhaps because of my mood, or maybe just the significance of the moment. Still, the faint edge of anxiety persisted, almost as if something was out of place.
As we approached the car, I noticed a faint scar on his leg peeking out from under his clothing My heart lurched laude had a scar
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scar on his leg peeking out from under his clothing. My heart lurched. Jayde had a scar like that. The recognition hit me so sharply that I instinctively opened my mouth to
speak, but my voice caught in my throat, as if trapped.
That bowl of noodles. My mind was racing. It had to be… there was something wrong with it. I could feel my voice fading, my strength slipping. I tried to turn, but the man next to me seemed to sense my intentions, tightening his grip on me.
“Darrel! What are you doing?”
My cousin’s voice cut through the chaos, snapping me out of my stupor. Relief flooded me as I heard him shouting from just a short distance away. Fueled by a sudden surge of desperation, I broke free from the man’s
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hold, stumbling backward. My veil tell to the ground and in that instant, I saw him–my
groom was none other than Darrel.
My cousin stormed over, his face blazing with anger. “We’re not even halfway through the wedding and here you are, already trying to whisk her away? Have you no shame, Darrel? Don’t you think Fionna deserves a clean break from your drama?”
The room fell silent, an awkward tension hanging thick in the air. Darrel‘ s face twisted and he made a move to grab me again, but my cousin stood in her path, blocking his way.
As Darrel glanced around, frustration etched into every line of his face, he tightened his grip on my wrist. Then, in one swift movement, he shoved me toward the waiting
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car.
He circled around to get to the driver’s side, but before he could open the door, a car came barreling down the road, screeching as it swerved toward him. In a flash, it collided with him, sending him sprawling onto the pavement.
A mix of horror and disbelief froze me in place. For a split second, everything around me was silent and all I could do was stare at the scene in front of me, my heart pounding with both fear and relief.
