Unwanted Bride Of Atticus Fawn

Clarissa's POV

**The Wedding**

It was finally here. The day I had hoped would never reach was finally here. Damon would marry Anya today unless I found the proof I needed to show everyone she was a liar.

It was not easy getting the address from Autumn without her finding out what I was doing, but I finally had it, and I was going there before the wedding ceremony started. But before that, I wanted to see Damon one last time. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to return in time. I wasn’t sure if he would be a married man by the time I got back. I had no idea how long any of this would take.

I didn’t plan on speaking to him, but I wanted him to have one last good look at me. I wanted him to see what he was letting go of.

“You look absolutely beautiful.” Autumn compliments me when she sees me in the long black dress she chose for me to wear.

“Thank you,” I tell her. “And so do you.”

She holds my hand and walks with me down the stairs. I know she’s trying to give me the strength to attend the wedding.

I decided to make everyone think that I was attending the wedding without them having to force me. I felt it was the best way to ensure less attention on me.

I spot Damon at the top of the stairs. He’s already dressed in his suit, and he looks handsome just standing there. He looks exactly the way I dreamt of him looking while getting married to me.

Anya was getting to live my dream, and she didn’t even deserve it.

His eyes finally fall on me, and his body goes entirely still. Griffin is talking to him, but he isn’t paying any attention to him. His eyes are glued to mine.

I could feel the tears slowly rolling down my cheeks. I didn’t think anything could break my heart as much as this did. Autumn stops moving when she realizes what’s happening. I know that anyone can see us. I know that it’s possible Autumn isn’t the only one watching us right now. Neither of us was moving. The tears weren’t helping our situation either. If Atticus came out and saw this, his assumptions would be confirmed.

Autumn tugs at my arm, and I know it’s time for me to let go. Damon may not have realized it yet, but his actions today have severely damaged the beautiful relationship that we once shared.

Things could never be the same between us after today, even if the wedding doesn’t happen. I would never be able to forgive him for hurting me.

I gave him many opportunities to choose me. I gave him many opportunities to fight for us. I threw myself at home multiple times, and each time he pushed me away.

“You got this,” Autumn whispers as she hands me a handkerchief.

“Thank you,” I whisper as I wipe my tears. I still couldn’t believe that this was happening. I couldn’t wait for it all to be over.

If seeing Damon in his suit was this hard for me to watch, how difficult would it be to see Anya in her wedding dress walking toward him? Thankfully, I wouldn’t be here to see any of that.

“Do you need me to get you anything?” Autumn asks me gently.

“No. You’ve done plenty for me already.” I assure her.

I waited for everyone to get busy with something Anya assigned for them. Autumn was the last to go. Anya was using every opportunity to get every member of the family busy. It was surprising that she wasn’t trying to get me to do something like take pictures of her and Damon. I was sure she was waiting for the right opportunity to tie me.

I looked around me and noticed that there was no one next to me that could see me leaving.

This was it.

Now was my time to leave.

I was sure this time that no one would realize that I was gone. Damon would be too busy with his wedding to notice I was missing. Autumn would also be busy.

I had to leave now, and I had to act fast before anything got a chance to start.

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**DAMON**

What the hell was I doing with my life? Why the fuck was this so hard to do?

I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought protecting Clarissa from herself and even from me would be the best decision.

Now I knew how fucking wrong I’d been all along.

She was right. Everything she said to me yesterday was true. I was a coward for not fighting for her. I was a coward for choosing to marry Anya instead of ending things with her. I was an asshole for hurting her because of my poor decisions.

I blamed everything on protecting her, but maybe she was right about me being scared. Perhaps my feelings for her terrified me to the point that I kept pushing her away without even realizing it.

This day had reached much faster than I expected it to. Seeing the tears in Clarissa’s eyes earlier had broken my heart. It had completely left me shattered inside. I was doing this to protect her, but it only dawned on me that I was hurting her more than ever by marrying Anya.

She may never be able to forgive me after today. If I married Anya, I would not have the Clarissa that I was crazy about in my life anymore. My actions would destroy the joy in her heart. I would lose the one person I never wanted to lose.

No matter how much I wanted to protect her, I couldn’t break her heart anymore to do it. I had to find another way. I couldn’t marry Anya. I had to find a way to end this.

I had to find a way to stop this wedding.

I had to.