TITLE:RUNAWAY BRIDE

The church doors slammed behind me. Rain hit my face like needles. My white wedding dress was already soaked, the torn hem dragging in the mud. I didn’t care. Behind me, I could hear shouting. "Stop her!" "She can’t run!" My soon-to-be husband. My nightmare. My bare feet slipped as I ran down the church steps. The veil that was supposed to make me beautiful was now choking me. I ripped it off and threw it away. I just needed to get away. Anywhere. Headlights blinded me. A black luxury car screeched to a stop in front of me, blocking the road. The passenger window rolled down slowly. And there he was. Alex Smith. Cold eyes. Black tuxedo. Bow tie perfect even in the rain. The city’s most feared billionaire CEO. My fiancé’s business partner. The man who never smiled. "Get in," he said. His voice was low, emotionless. I shook my head, water dripping from my hair. "Please... don’t let him take me." He stared at me for one long second. Rain ran down the window between us. Then he did the thing I didn’t expect. He reached out... and wiped the fog from the glass with his hand. Like he was studying me. Like I was something he wanted to own. "Last chance," Alex Smith said. "Get in the car." My heart was pounding. If I got in, there was no going back. If I didn’t, he would find me. I grabbed the door handle with trembling hands.