Chapter3
1141 Words
Liana stared at her reflection in the floor-length mirror, hands gripping the edge of the gown like it could keep her upright.
The white silk wedding gown hugged her frame like a second skin, the sweetheart neckline dipping just enough to feel more vulnerable. Her long dark hair had been pinned into soft waves, a delicate pearl comb glinting from the side. She looked like a bride.
But inside?
She felt like an impostor in someone else's fairytale.
"You okay?" Selena asked from behind, gently tugging the corset ties at her back.
Liana blinked at the mirror. “No.”
Selena paused. “You want to run?”
“Yes.”
“You want me to grab your shoes and help you make a break for it?”
“Yes.”
Selena smirked. “But you won’t.”
Liana sighed. “No. I won’t.”
Because she couldn’t. Because the contract was signed, the money transferred, the media notified, the Bennett legacy depending on this charade. And most of all because her mom was in the next room, glowing with joy, thinking this was love.
Selena finished tying the last knot and stepped back. “You look stunning. But if you breathe any harder, you’re going to snap the boning in that corset.”
Liana gave a choked laugh.
There was a soft knock at the door.
Her mom peeked in, eyes immediately welling. “Oh, sweetheart…”
“Mom, please don’t cry,” Liana whispered, biting the inside of her cheek to stay composed.
Claudia crossed the room and held Liana’s face in her hands.
“I’m just so proud of you,” she said gently. “I never imagined you'd get married before graduation, but… Adrian seems like a good man. Quiet. Polite. And if he makes you happy…”
Liana forced a smile so wide her cheeks hurt. “He does, Mom. He really does.”
The lie stuck in her throat.
Selena met her gaze from behind her mom and gave her a small nod.
The door opened again, this time revealing the wedding coordinator. “It’s time.”
The ceremony was held at an exclusive rooftop garden overlooking Crestmont City’s skyline. Rows of white chairs. Blossoms in full bloom. A string quartet playing softly beneath the archway where Liana would say vows she didn’t mean to a man she barely knew.
When she walked down the aisle on her own, her heart thudded in her chest like a drum of guilt. Every step echoed her doubt.
Adrian stood at the altar in a black suit, sharp enough to cut. He looked infuriatingly composed, his face unreadable. Like always.
When she reached him, he offered his hand.
She hesitated just for a second then slid hers into his. It was warm. Strong. Too steady.
The vows were short and simple, just as Adrian had instructed. No emotional flourishes. No declarations of eternal love. Just legal commitments and showmanship.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the officiant said.
Adrian leaned in and brushed a kiss against her cheek light and almost imperceptible. The crowd clapped.
And just like that, Liana Brooks became Liana Bennett.
The reception buzzed with champagne flutes and murmured gossip, but all of it dimmed the moment Mr. Fred Bennett the man who practically ruled Crestmont’s elite stepped into Liana’s path.
He didn’t smile. Didn’t extend a hand. He simply stared at her like she was a misplaced decoration.
“You’re the girl,” he said, voice sharp like a knife on glass.
Liana offered a polite smile. “Yes, sir. Liana, Liana Brooks. Adrian’s wife.”
“Wife,” he repeated, like the word offended him.
She didn’t respond.
He stepped closer, eyes narrowing. “Tell me something, Ms. Brooks. Did you always dream of marrying into wealth?”
Liana blinked. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” he said coldly. “You see, I’ve known girls like you. Pretty. Smart enough. Just waiting for a lifeboat to float by so you can cling to it like your life depends on it.”
Her jaw clenched. “With all due respect, I didn’t marry your son for a lifeboat.”
He sipped his whiskey, ignoring her protest. “No, I imagine you married him for survival. And he married you to spite me.”
He leaned in slightly, voice dropping.
“But don’t mistake this transaction for belonging. You’ll never be one of us. You weren’t raised for this world. You weren’t bred for it. And believe me, this world can smell a pretender from a mile away.”
Liana stood stiff, her spine locked.
“And you’re a bitter, miserable old man,” she said quietly, her smile frozen.
Fred chuckled. “You have fire. I’ll give you that. But fire’s not enough. Not here.”
With that, he turned and walked away, leaving her stunned, breathless, and rattled.
Selena appeared beside her seconds later, eyes scanning Liana’s face. “You okay?”
Liana swallowed hard. “No. But I will be.”
It was almost midnight when she slipped out to the private garden balcony for air. She leaned on the railing, letting the city lights calm her nerves.
Footsteps sounded behind her.
“I figured I’d find you here,” Adrian said, appearing beside her with two glasses of champagne.
She took one. “You’ve been avoiding me.”
“I’ve been avoiding everyone.”
They stood in silence for a moment. For once, it didn’t feel awkward. It felt… easy.
“Your father doesn’t like me,” she said.
Adrian didn’t deny it. “He doesn’t like anyone.”
“He said I don’t belong in your world.”
Adrian glanced at her, then away. “He’s wrong.”
Liana turned to face him. “Why did you really choose me, Adrian?”
He met her gaze—steady, unreadable.
“Because you’re brave enough to stand in front of that crowd and pretend it doesn’t hurt.”
Her breath caught.
That was the closest thing to a compliment she’d gotten from him.
Adrian set his champagne down and stepped closer.
For a second, the air between them shifted.
The music from inside faded.
Her heartbeat picked up.
He leaned in just slightly, eyes flicking to her lips
Then the door burst open.
A tall, elegant woman stepped into view, hips swaying with the confidence of someone who didn’t need an introduction but offered one anyway.
Her red gown hugged her figure like it was poured on, and her smoky eyes zeroed in on Liana like a sniper’s scope.
“Well,” she drawled. “Isn’t this a cozy little moment?”
Adrian stiffened instantly.
Liana turned slowly. “And you are?”
The woman smiled sweetly.
“I’m Ella Whitmore. Adrian’s first love.”
- Writer
