A Loveless Wedding
1100 Words
Elena Carter POV
The ivory lace of my wedding gown felt like chains wrapped around my body. The heavy silk train trailed behind me, a weight both literal and figurative as I stood at the grand entrance of the cathedral. Gold chandeliers sparkled overhead, casting an ethereal glow on the extravagant floral arrangements and the hundreds of guests who had gathered to witness a love story that didn’t exist.
I clutched the bouquet of white roses tightly, my fingers trembling against the smooth petals. The whispers and murmurs of the guests filled the air, their curious glances burning into my skin. They were here for a spectacle, for the marriage of Elena Carter, an unknown event planner, to Xander Knight, the heir to one of the most powerful business empires in the country. They weren’t here for love; they were here for gossip, for headlines, for a perfectly orchestrated illusion.
My gaze swept the vast cathedral, searching for a familiar, reassuring face, but all I saw were strangers dressed in designer suits and sparkling gowns. Even the people I had once considered acquaintances now seemed distant, their expressions unreadable behind their socialite masks. This wasn’t my world. This was his.
Xander Knight stood at the altar, his face carved from stone, his jaw clenched so tight I wondered if he’d c***k under the pressure of his own resentment. He looked devastatingly handsome, dressed in a tailored black suit, every inch the powerful, untouchable man the world expected him to be. But beneath the polished exterior, I saw the storm brewing in his dark eyes. He was furious.
I took a deep breath as the music began to play, signaling my cue to move forward. My feet felt like lead as I took each step, my heart pounding against my ribcage. My father wasn’t here to walk me down the aisle; I was utterly alone in this charade. Xander’s father, William Knight, watched me from the front pew, his calculating eyes filled with triumph. This was his doing—his demand that his son marry me to prevent a scandal.
A scandal I never wanted.
The night I found out I was pregnant, my life had unraveled. Xander hadn’t taken the news well, his anger manifesting in harsh words and colder actions. He had accused me of trapping him, of scheming my way into the Knight family, and while I had defended myself, I knew deep down that nothing I said would change his mind.
And now, I was here, about to become his wife in name only.
As I reached the altar, Xander extended his hand, his fingers barely brushing mine. The contact sent a jolt through me, but not of love—of fear, of uncertainty. His expression remained unreadable, his lips pressed into a thin line.
The officiant began to speak, his voice a distant hum in my ears. I barely registered the words, my mind spinning with thoughts of what this marriage meant. I had dreamed of love, of a wedding filled with warmth and devotion. Instead, I was standing beside a man who didn’t want me, in front of an audience who relished my misery.
“Do you, Xander Knight, take Elena Carter to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
A long pause. The tension in the air thickened, suffocating me. Xander’s fingers twitched against mine, and for a second, I thought he might refuse, might turn his back on me and walk away. But then he spoke, his voice void of any emotion.
“I do.”
My chest tightened. The words should have meant something, should have carried weight, but instead, they felt like a prison door slamming shut.
The officiant turned to me, his gaze softer, as if he knew what this marriage truly was. “Do you, Elena Carter, take Xander Knight to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
I swallowed hard, my throat dry. I wanted to run, to scream that this wasn’t right. But I couldn’t. The consequences of refusing would be far worse. My child deserved stability, even if it came in the form of a cold, loveless union.
“I do,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.
The rings were exchanged, the final step in solidifying this arrangement. Xander’s fingers were cold as he slid the diamond-encrusted band onto my finger, his touch lingering just long enough to make me question if he felt even an ounce of regret.
“You may kiss the bride.”
Another pause. I held my breath as Xander turned to face me, his dark eyes locking onto mine. The air between us crackled with tension, not the kind of passion shared between lovers, but the kind born from unspoken resentment. He cupped my face with practiced ease, his fingers brushing against my cheek as he leaned in. His lips barely touched mine, the briefest press, before he pulled away. The room erupted into applause, but I barely heard it.
This wasn’t a kiss. This was an obligation.
The reception that followed was a blur of champagne toasts and forced smiles. Xander and I played our roles flawlessly, the perfect couple in front of cameras and guests. Every time he touched my waist or leaned in to whisper something meaningless in my ear, I reminded myself that this was for show. That the moment we were alone, the walls would come crashing down again.
As the evening dragged on, exhaustion settled deep in my bones. I stood near the grand windows of the ballroom, watching the city lights twinkle in the distance. This was my life now—a gilded cage of wealth and expectations, a marriage that felt more like a business contract than a promise of forever.
“You should smile more,” Xander’s voice cut through my thoughts. “People are watching.”
I turned to face him, my mask slipping for just a moment. “I don’t have the energy to pretend anymore.”
He studied me, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. “Then don’t. Just remember, this is what you signed up for.”
My chest tightened. “I never signed up for this. You think I wanted this marriage any more than you did?”
His jaw clenched, but he said nothing. Instead, he downed the rest of his whiskey and walked away, leaving me standing there, a bride abandoned on her wedding night.
As I watched him disappear into the crowd, I realized something painfully clear—
I had married a man who would never love me.
And I had never felt more alone.
- Writer
