The music swelled, grand and sweeping, echoing through the golden cathedral-like hall that shimmered beneath a canopy of chandeliers. Every crystal twinkled like stars suspended in daylight, each one catching fire from the sunlight pouring through the domed skylight above. Petals rained from the balconies like snow in spring—roses the color of blood and cream, perfuming the air with beauty so thick it made the lungs forget they were breathing in a trap.
It was a wedding.
A spectacle.
A dream painted in decadent brushstrokes.
The aisle stretched endlessly ahead, a river of white marble veined with gold, flanked by rows of impeccably dressed guests. The men stood tall in tailored suits of obsidian and navy, sharp jaws and sharper gazes. Some smiled politely, others wore masks of curiosit
