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AUTHOR’S POV
The warm water lapped gently against Sloane’s bare skin as she laid in the oversized bathtub, her head resting against the marble edge.
The air smelled of lavender and jasmine, a calming scent meant to soothe her nerves, but her mind refused to quiet.
It was her wedding morning.
And yet, she felt nothing.
No excitement. No anticipation.
Just a quiet, creeping hollowness.
Her heart pounded in her chest—not from nerves about the ceremony, but from something else. Something unspoken, something she didn’t dare name.
She inhaled deeply, letting the steam surround her as she closed her eyes.
But then…
A presence.
Her entire body stiffened.
The soft flickering of candles was the only movement in the room, yet she felt it—felt him.
Before she could turn, an arm
