The wedding

Lucy had always been the type to put others before herself, especially when it came to her family. So when Chris had asked her to marry him, she hesitated. It wasn't that she didn't care for him—Chris was a good man, stable, reliable. But there was something missing, she just wasn't in love with him.

She hesitated so badly that she almost said no. But then she noticed her mother, standing there with a camera, recording the proposal with a look of pure joy and pride on her face. It was the first time Lucy had seen her mother proud of her, a sight that was so rare, so precious, that she couldn't bear to take it away. So, instead of following her heart, she said yes. But not because she was madly in love with Chris.

And now, here she was, dress shopping with her best friends—Nyla, Angela, Luna, and an old friend from high school. Everyone knew what was going on but what were they going to say? Not to marry her fiance? But Lucy felt it with every step, picking out a venue, a cake and everything else that comes with getting married, she felt it. Lucy couldn't shake the memory of those undercover kisses with Tim, no matter how hard she tried.

The warmth of his lips, the way his hands had gently cupped her face as if she was the most precious thing in the world—it lingered in her thoughts, slipping into her mind at the most unexpected moments. It wasn't just the kisses, though; it was the way he made her feel. With Tim, everything felt effortless, natural, like they were meant to be, even if neither of them had ever said it out loud. When she had first told Tim she was engaged to Chris, the look on his face had nearly broken her.

He had gone pale, his eyes widening with something between shock and hurt, as if the news had physically struck him. He had congratulated her, of course, because that was the kind of person Tim was. But Lucy saw right through the forced smile and the way his voice had caught in his throat.

He hadn't been able to meet her eyes for the rest of the conversation, and that had been the hardest part. Lucy's heart pounded in her chest as she took each step down the aisle. Her eyes glistened, not with joy, but with the crushing weight of what was about to happen. The reality of marrying Chris settled heavily on her shoulders.

Her mother's insistent words about what a good man Chris was echoed in her mind, but they did nothing to ease her. As she walked, her eyes scanned the faces in the crowd, searching desperately for Tim. The moment she found him, her breath caught in her throat. Tim sat there, looking every bit as handsome as she remembered, his blue eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her heart ache. His suit, sharp and perfectly tailored, made him stand out, more so than Chris, even on his own wedding day.

Tim's expression was one of shock and awe, as if he were seeing her for the first time, a vision of perfection walking towards someone else. To him, she looked like a Greek goddess, ethereal and breathtaking. Their eyes remained locked, the world around them fading as the distance between them closed.

When she finally reached the altar, the pain of knowing she was about to marry the wrong man nearly brought him to tears. Chris was practically buzzing with excitement, a stark contrast to the dread that filled Lucy's heart. He took her hands eagerly, his grip firm and full of anticipation which made Lucy almost gag. The officiant began to speak, but Lucy barely heard a word. All she could feel was the crushing weight of her mistake, the wrongness of this moment pressing down on her chest like a vice.

She couldn't stop herself from glancing back at Tim, whose face now held a deep sadness. Chris noticed her lingering gaze but chose to ignore it, focusing instead on the ceremony. The air in the room seemed to thicken as the officiant's words echoed through the space, "If there is anyone present who can show just cause why these two persons may not be joined in matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace."