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AUTHOR’S POV
Sloane sat on the plush velvet couch, the rich, dark fabric cool beneath her fingertips as she rested her hands in her lap.
The grand chamber was bathed in the warm glow of an elaborate chandelier, its golden light flickering softly against the polished marble floors.
Everything about the room was elegant, pristine, and suffocating.
Before her, the bridal gown was held aloft by the manager, a middle-aged woman dressed in all black, her expression carefully neutral as she adjusted the shimmering folds of fabric.
It was a masterpiece—pure white, adorned with delicate pearls and intricate lacework, its long train spilling like liquid silk onto the floor.
The bodice, fitted to perfection, bore patterns of embroidered roses and vines, an ode to femininity and gr
