THE BRIDES DIARY

The bells of St. Augustine Cathedral rang with slow, measured grace, their echoes drifting across the city like a solemn promise. Every toll announced the beginning of what newspapers had already called the wedding of the year. Luxury cars lined the cathedral's entrance. Television crews waited behind velvet barriers. Guests dressed in designer suits and elegant gowns filled the ancient building with quiet conversations and expectant smiles. Business leaders, politicians, celebrities, and influential families had all gathered to witness the marriage of Adrian Wolfe and Sophia Vale. It should have been the happiest day of Adrian's life. Instead, he felt as though he were walking toward a future that belonged to someone else. Standing in a private room beside the sanctuary, Adrian adjusted the cuff of his tailored black tuxedo. His reflection stared back from the mirror, calm and polished, but his eyes carried a tiredness no expensive suit could hide. Daniel Mercer, his closest friend since university, watched him with folded arms. "You still have five minutes to escape," Daniel joked. "I can distract security while you disappear through the back door." A faint smile crossed Adrian's face before fading almost immediately. "I've disappointed enough people already." Daniel sighed. "You're thinking about her again." Adrian didn't answer. He didn't have to. Exactly one year had passed since Elena Hart died. Time had dulled the public's memory, but not his own. He still remembered the late-night phone call. The flashing blue lights. The overturned guardrail beside the river. The rescue teams searching through freezing water. Three endless days before divers recovered her body. The funeral. The rain. The closed casket. The silence that followed. For months, he had visited her grave every Sunday, unable to accept that the woman who filled every corner of his life had vanished forever. His family insisted he move on. His board of directors encouraged him to focus on work. Friends introduced him to new people. Then came Sophia. She had never pressured him. She never spoke badly about Elena or tried to replace her memory. She simply remained patient, offering kindness when he had none left to give. Eventually, Adrian convinced himself that perhaps surviving meant learning to love again. Or at least pretending he could. A knock sounded at the door. The wedding coordinator stepped inside. "Mr. Wolfe, the ceremony begins in ten minutes." Adrian nodded politely. "We'll be there." She smiled before leaving. Daniel straightened Adrian's bow tie. "You look nervous." "I am." "Cold feet?" "No." Adrian looked toward the cathedral windows where colored sunlight spilled across the polished floor. "It feels like I'm forgetting someone I promised never to forget." Daniel placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Elena would have wanted you to be happy." Before Adrian could reply, another knock interrupted them. A young courier entered carrying a plain brown package. "Delivery for Mr. Adrian Wolfe." Daniel frowned. "Who sends packages ten minutes before a wedding?" The courier shrugged. "I was instructed to deliver it directly into his hands before the ceremony. Those were the exact instructions." Adrian accepted the parcel. It was surprisingly light. No company logo. No postage. No sender's name. Only his own name written neatly across the front. Daniel chuckled. "Maybe it's another wedding gift." "Maybe." Adrian carefully opened the package. Inside lay an old leather diary. Dark blue. Worn around the edges. His breath caught in his throat. He knew that diary. Every evening, Elena had written inside it before going to sleep. She never missed a single day. She called it her memory book. She once laughed and told him, "If I ever lose my memories, this little book will remember everything for me." His fingers trembled as he lifted it from the box. A pressed lavender flower slipped from between the pages and landed on the table. His heart skipped. He remembered giving her that flower during a picnic three summers earlier. No one else knew about it. Beneath the diary rested a cream-colored envelope. His name was written across it. Not printed. Written. In Elena's handwriting. Adrian stared at it, unable to breathe. Daniel noticed the change in his expression. "What is it?" Adrian slowly handed him the envelope. Daniel looked down. His smile disappeared. "This..." He looked up again. "This looks exactly like her handwriting." "It is." "That's impossible." Adrian nodded silently. He turned the envelope over. The seal had never been broken. Across the back were five simple words. Open only on your wedding day. His pulse pounded against his ribs. With unsteady hands, he opened the envelope. A single folded letter rested inside. The first line almost made him collapse. Dear Adrian, If you're reading this, I am already dead. His vision blurred. He forced himself to continue. If fate has been kind, you have finally found the courage to love again. Don't feel guilty. You deserve a future. But before you marry her, read my diary. Someone stole my life. And the person waiting at the altar knows the truth. The letter slipped from Adrian's fingers. Daniel picked it up, reading silently. His face turned pale. "This has to be fake." Adrian shook his head. "No." He pointed toward the diary. "The scratch on the cover." Daniel leaned closer. "The coffee stain inside." "The pressed lavender flower." "They're all real." Daniel swallowed hard. "Who could possibly recreate all this?" Neither man had an answer. Outside, the organ began to play. Guests took their seats. The ceremony had started. A member of the church staff knocked again. "Sir?" No reply. "Everyone is waiting." Adrian barely heard her. His attention had shifted to the diary. He slowly opened the first page. Elena's familiar handwriting filled the paper. If you've opened this before the ceremony begins, then I guessed correctly. Adrian frowned. He looked toward the sanctuary. The music had only just begun. He turned another page. You're standing inside St. Augustine Cathedral. His heartbeat quickened. Another page. Daniel is beside you. Daniel instinctively stepped back. "What is this?" Adrian continued reading. He's wearing a silver tie because I once told him blue made him look older than he really is. Daniel stared at his tie in disbelief. "I never told anyone that conversation happened." Adrian slowly turned another page. By now, you'll believe someone forged this diary. Keep reading. The impossible has only begun. The church doors opened. Soft music filled the cathedral. Guests stood together. Sophia appeared at the far end of the aisle in an elegant white wedding gown, smiling as flower petals scattered before her. She looked radiant. Beautiful. Perfect. Everyone turned to admire the bride. Everyone except Adrian. His eyes dropped to the final sentence written on the page. If Sophia is walking toward you now, don't smile. She's counting the steps until she becomes your widow.