Married to the man who loved me first

o: Under t

the Blackwood ma

ward-ju

g at all. He didn't look at his phone. He didn't look at me either. His attention was focused str

a st

her

inue

the luxury vehicle. The city lights blurred past the tinted windows, and with e

s ma

wedding dress. No vows. No smiles or witnesses. Just ink on

table?" Damien

ce star

lied quickly

and returned

small talk. No u

ade my chest ti

ened, revealing a long driveway lined with perfectly trimmed hedges and soft golden

as his

apparen

almost instantly, moving with practiced precision. A middle-ag

he said, then turned t

da

as damien stepped out of th

a second before pla

eady. Reassuring in a

until I was ful

d calmly to the staff. "She

ay

visi

poraril

ay

they repli

. H

allo

t lighting that made everything feel unreal-like I had stepped into someone e

idn

was giving me time to adjust. We stopped in the expans

he said. "Across the east w

ara

confusion mixing to

ouple in public. At home, you have freedom. You can decorate your space as you like. You can

I hadn't ex

asked carefully.

pa

ur boundaries," he sai

ess

at that meant, b

ting the tray down quietly. D

d. "You haven

ed. "You

briefly. "You didn't

h

trembling just slightly. Adrian remained standin

memorizing

over," I said softly

readable cro

e replied. "I'm makin

and too

as warm.

oment, "do your family

es

tened. "Will I

ing," he answe

e cup tighten

es

had been bothering me since morning. "Wh

ly. He sat across from me inst

e been waiting

it

get marrie

," he co

th caug

he said calmly. "Someone without

spite myself. "And t

stimated you

p at him,

r than necessary before he stood. "Yo

stairs. "Mrs. Helen wil

. Nothing about this man fit what I had expected. He wasn't

.. rest

holding so

d, a private sitting area, and a balcony overlooking the

Helen said gently. "If there's any

," I said

the door and leaned aga

was

e balcony, letting the cool night air brush against my

ll," a voice

ned s

orway, hands in his po

hear you

kno

bothered me. So

u," he said. "Make sure

eptable," I replied

oftened, j

m g

table silen

ed. "But there's somet

tened. "W

he said carefully, "but while it e

tec

espect you. No one in my family

sto

ey try?" I

l answe

at the quiet inte

ould stop myself. "Why go

t me for a

make careless dec

turned a

after the door clos

sleep refu

ce-calm, controlled, watching me like he

, Damien stood by his bedroom wi

n ye

g from a distance. Of

she wa

his

wi

only o

urmured to hims