Sinner's Paradise|| 18+

Doom's day part2

I woke up with a pounding headache, my mind foggy and disoriented. What the fuck did they do to me? My surroundings slowly came into focus, and I realized I was in the same room. But something was different. I glanced down and saw I was wearing a wedding dress, my makeup perfectly done. Anger flared up. They could have at least asked me to dress myself; it's not like I wouldn't cooperate. At the end of the day, I have no choice.

I pushed myself up and spotted a water vase on a nearby table. Grabbing it, I poured myself a glass and downed it in one go, hoping the cool water would help clear my head. Setting the empty glass aside, I moved in front of the full-length mirror and paused, taking in my reflection.

I'd be lying if I said this dress wasn't beautiful. The fabric clung to my form in all the right places, the lace and beading delicate and intricate. It was probably an expensive dress—vintage Vivienne Westwood bridal couture. A dress I could never have imagined myself wearing, especially not like this.

I'd never thought this was how I would marry. The thought of spending the rest of my life with a man like him had never crossed my mind. I wondered if Hunter was thinking about me, or even looking for me. I'd always imagined it would be him. He knew my parents, he was an intern for my father. God, I missed him. If only he knew the hell I went through after leaving London.

Lost in thought, I didn't notice Celia enter the room. She stood there, smug as ever, the bitch who'd ganged up on me with the other maids. Fury surged through me.

"How dare you do that!" I snapped, my voice trembling with a mix of rage and frustration. "Drugging me? Don't you know that's illegal?"

She looked at me with a bored expression, as if she had better things to do. "The guests have arrived. You need to come. Gigi will walk you down the aisle."

I huffed, grabbing the skirts of my dress in clenched fists. I swept past her, my heart pounding with a mix of adrenaline and defiance. Stepping out of the room, I saw Gigi waiting for me. She was dressed in a sophisticated black dress with matching heels, gloves, and a headpiece that looked more suited for a funeral than a wedding. Her expression was hard to read, but there was something almost murderous in her eyes, as if she wanted to kill me and attend my funeral all at once.

She looked me up and down before offering me her arm, an elegant gesture that felt out of place given the circumstances. With a deep breath, I looped my hand around her wrist, feeling like a doll being led to my fate.

Gigi led me to the large wooden doors, and I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. As the doors swung open, the reality of the situation hit me with the force of a tidal wave. A long aisle stretched out before me, lined with rows of unfamiliar faces. Gigi walked beside me, and I kept my head down, my eyes burning with unshed tears. This was really happening.

As we took the first steps, Gigi leaned in and whispered, "I hope you know what you're doing. But since you're your mother's daughter, I know you trapped my grandchild." Her words sent a jolt of shock through me, and I stopped in the middle of the aisle, staring at her in disbelief.

What makes this old hag think this was my choice? What does she know about my mother? Fury surged through me, and I glared at her, the tears now a mix of anger and helplessness. She patted my hand condescendingly and said through gritted teeth, "The guests are looking. Behave yourself."

The whole family were a bunch of animals. Were these people even human? I clenched my jaw and forced myself to keep walking, suppressing the urge to tear away from her grip. We finally reached the end of the aisle, and there he was. Luciano.

He stood there in his all-black Armani suit, looking every bit the dark, imposing figure I'd come to loathe. A smug smirk played on his lips as he watched me, his eyes glinting with something dangerous. I forced myself to look away, my gaze fixed on the ground as the priest began the ceremony.

The words blurred together, his voice a distant hum as I struggled to keep my composure. I blinked back tears, feeling like I was trapped in a nightmare I couldn't wake up from. And then, suddenly, the priest's voice cut through the haze.

"Miss Liliana Moor, do you take Mr. Luciano Santos as your lawfully wedded husband?"

I felt his eyes on me, the weight of his gaze like a physical force. My throat was dry, and for a second, I couldn't breathe. Then, with a shaky breath, I whispered, "I do."

The priest continued, "If there is anyone here who is against this union, speak now or forever hold your peace." A tense silence filled the room, the air thick with expectation. No one moved, no one spoke.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

Luciano stepped toward me, reaching up to lift the veil from my face. His touch was gentle, almost tender, and it made my skin crawl. He leaned in and pressed a kiss to my forehead, his lips cool and firm. Then he leaned closer, his breath warm against my ear.

"I have a wedding gift for you," he murmured, and there was a hint of something unsettling in his voice.

Fear tightened my chest, and I followed his gaze as he pointed to the second row of guests. My breath caught in my throat. There, sitting amidst the sea of strangers, was Tia Isabelle, her beautiful smile radiant as ever.

I didn't think. I just ran. I stumbled down the steps of the altar, past the rows of people, and threw myself into her arms, sobbing. All the pain, the fear, the rage I'd held back poured out in those tears as I clung to her.

"Tia, I missed you so much," I choked out, my voice breaking as I cried harder, burying my face in her shoulder. She held me tight, her arms strong and comforting around me, whispering soothing words I couldn't make out over the sound of my own sobs.

In that moment, nothing else mattered. Not Luciano, not the guests, not the fact that I was now married to a monster. All that mattered was that I wasn't alone anymore. I had Tia Isabelle, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I allowed myself to hope.