The Substitute Bride He Could Never Replace

ah's

nt of the mirror, l

man in the reflection, she seemed so calm. Composed. A sh

on the dresser next to me. I touched the edg

to myself. "Not for him, no

promise, because I had to

hand. He placed the vows and the papers that will be required to be signed on the dresser next

aid without looki

en his eyes fell to his sleeve. He rubbed at

ed, "Da

for something to wipe it with. While he was stretching the fabric taut a smal

ty minutes we will be on our way. I need to change this

Empty, foil cut open on one side and no pills inside

took a pic of it, send it

. Impaired awareness. Memory gaps. Higher doses: Hallucinations. It was not something you'd take on a

her up to no

again before I co

new jacket, he said, "Let

acket in my clutch, I think there was something in my

-

sound of the engine. I looked out the w

d eventually. "When he rea

he give me a reaction. "It's none of

swer," I replie

"Stop worrying about things that don't conc

h and didn't s

ere, Cassian, the man I'm going to marry, I've never seen his face. The room was almos

groom?" I s

, "He's already signed. All we nee

sked what I didn't

simply, "j

ce, trying to find some comfort. He didn't say a si

and signed my name at the spot where th

m married to a

up for the wedding night. I was standing in the doorway,

here when he's not

as the deal, Neriah, you agreed to th

er hit the

us added. "He will not bother you tonight, jus

dgingly and t

edge of my bed, waiting, with my clutch still beside me, clutched in my h

oking at the door, worrying about all the anxious thoughts

ing the wait, everythi

I can recall at that moment, I felt heavy and strang

how long was el

h a foggy head, and my body unresponsive to my commands. Cassian was beside me,

ound my waist, but he didn't look,

to figure out what had happened in between sitting at the ed

didn't drink a

in my clutch: an empty foil packet. These are the search re

fit in together in a si

ed by Darius