Alexis.
I stared at the mirror, hardly recognizing the woman staring back. The ivory gown fit like a second skin, shimmering with diamonds that caught the light like stardust scattered across silk. My hair was pinned in a sleek bun, and atop my head sat a tiara so heavy it was already giving me a headache. Real diamonds—no question about it.
Fit for a queen. Pity I was only playing the part of a bride in a business deal.
Suddenly, it hit me—I was getting married.
Not for love. Not for forever. Just a c0ntract on expensive paper. Still, the weight of it all settled in my chest like a stone.
The door creaked open behind me. My mother stepped in, her breath catching as she pressed trembling hands to her mouth, eyes glistening.
“Oh, my sweet baby girl,” she breathed.
A knot tightened in
