Chương 2 - The Wedding Everyone Mocked
The morning of Delara and Damian's wedding began beautifully.
The rain had washed every leaf clean.
Mist hovered over the garden.
White roses lined the aisle.
Magnolia blossoms hung from the old oak branches.
Delara stood in the bridal suite while Aunt Ruth fastened the final pearl into her hair.
“You look happy,” Ruth said.
“I am.”
“That's enough.”
Delara smiled at herself in the mirror.
Her sisters entered without knocking.
Vivian wore a champagne-colored dress.
Colette wore emerald.
Both looked immaculate.
Both looked annoyed.
Vivian's eyes went directly to Delara's hand.
“There it is.”
Delara smiled.
“My favorite part.”
Vivian laughed.
“You are actually wearing it.”
“Yes.”
“Delara, it's iron.”
“I know.”
“It looks like something from a hardware store.”
Colette covered her laugh.
“You could have at least gotten a small stone.”
Delara turned.
“What would a stone change?”
“Everything.”
“No.”
She looked at them calmly.
“It would change what the ring costs.”
Vivian folded her arms.
“What did Damian spend on your wedding ring?”
“Not enough for you?”
The room became silent.
Delara almost never answered sharply.
Vivian's eyes narrowed.
“You've changed.”
“No.”
Delara smiled.
“I've just stopped being ashamed of things you don't understand.”
Colette looked uncomfortable.
Before anyone could respond, Aunt Ruth announced that the groom had arrived.
The room changed instantly.
The wedding coordinator hurried outside.
Guests murmured.
Security quietly positioned themselves around the property.
Damian stepped from his car in a black tuxedo.
The noise around him seemed to fade.
He looked toward the house.
He saw Delara at the window.
And smiled.
Only for her.
The ceremony began fifteen minutes later.
As Delara walked down the aisle, Damian's attention never left her.
Her father took her hand and placed it in Damian's.
Damian whispered, “You're beautiful.”
She whispered back, “You're terrified.”
He almost laughed.
“Maybe.”
The vows were simple.
No dramatic promises.
No exaggerated declarations.
Only honesty.
When the time came to exchange rings, Damian took the iron band.
A murmur moved through the guests.
Then someone laughed.
Vivian.
It was quiet.
But enough.
Colette followed.
A few others joined.
Delara heard every one.
Damian heard them too.
His expression did not change.
He slid the iron ring onto her finger.
Then he leaned close.
“You okay?”
She nodded.
“I love it.”
“I know.”
The officiant pronounced them husband and wife.
Applause erupted.
Damian kissed her.
For one beautiful moment, nothing else mattered.
Then Vivian leaned toward Colette.
“He couldn't even buy her a real ring.”
They laughed again.
Neither noticed Damian's security chief standing behind them.
His face was expressionless.
But he heard.
The reception began.
Champagne flowed.
The band played.
Guests danced.
Damian barely drank.
He watched Delara.
Always.
At one point, Vivian's fiancé approached him.
“So, Damian, what line of work are you in?”
Damian looked amused.
“Several.”
“Finance?”
“Among other things.”
“You don't talk much.”
“I listen.”
The man laughed awkwardly.
“You know, Vivian says you're not exactly what people expected for Delara.”
Damian stared at him.
“People are usually wrong.”
Before the man could respond, Delara appeared.
She slipped her hand into Damian's.
“Dance with me.”
He nodded.
They moved beneath the lights.
For several minutes, the world was peaceful.
Then Elias Cole appeared.
He leaned close to Damian.
“Someone breached the outer perimeter.”
Damian's expression changed instantly.
Delara noticed.
“What happened?”
“Nothing you need to worry about.”
“That means something happened.”
“Stay with Ruth.”
“No.”
His eyes met hers.
“Delara.”
“I married you five minutes ago. I'm not starting this marriage by being lied to.”
He stared at her.
Then gave a tiny nod.
“Three men were found outside the garden.”
Her face paled.
“Why?”
“We don't know yet.”
The wedding continued, but Damian's men began quietly clearing the grounds.
Delara stayed beside him.
When the final guests left, Damian walked her to the bridal cottage.
She turned.
“Tell me everything.”
“There are people who want leverage over me.”
“And now they know about me.”
“Yes.”
She took his hand.
“Then let them know.”
His eyebrows lifted.
“What?”
“That I'm not ashamed of you.”
He looked at her.
“You don't understand what that can cost.”
“I understand what being ashamed would cost me.”
She kissed him.
“Besides, you gave me iron.”
He smiled.
“Apparently I did.”
She touched his chest.
“Then let's see if everything else can hold too.”
At 2:17 in the morning, after Delara fell asleep, Damian stood alone on the balcony.
Elias approached.
“We found something.”
“What?”
“A photograph.”
Damian took it.
It showed Delara leaving the garden.
A red circle had been drawn around her.
On the back were six words.
SHE'S THE ONE YOU'LL DIE FOR.
Damian's face hardened.
“Who sent this?”
“We don't know.”
“Find out.”
“And Damian?”
“Yes?”
Elias lowered his voice.
“This isn't random. Someone inside Savannah's old families is helping them.”
Damian stared into the darkness.
“Then we find the traitor.”
Behind the bedroom door, Delara woke from a dream.
May you like
She stared at her iron ring.
She had no idea that before sunrise, her husband would make a decision that would pull her directly into the most dangerous secret of his life.
