Wedding day at the Hilton hotel ballroom.
In the end, Evelyn came, not willingly, but practically dragged to the venue by Aiden's bodyguards.
Under Iris's careful orchestration, she'd even been forced dress like the maid of honor.
The makeup in the mirror mostly concealed her sickly pallor, but it couldn't hide the bone-deep exhaustion in her eyes.
Iris, resplendent in an expensive custom wedding gown, smiled radiantly. She looped her arm affectionately through Evelyn's and whispered, just loud enough for the two of them to hear, "Evelyn, I'm really going to need your help today. My health isn't great, so I can't drink. When it's time for the toasts, you'll have to cover for me."
Evelyn closed her eyes briefly and said nothing.
The familiar ache had already begun gnawing at her stoma
