You may now kill the Bride

Holding up the mirror

Lexi wandered through the bridal shop, surrounded by a sea of white and ivory. She should feel excited, elated. Instead, a growing sense of unease churned in her stomach. She was really doing this, really committing to a life with a man she barely knew.

Beside her, her best friend, Maya, chattered on, her dark eyes shining with excitement. "Oh my god, Lex, you have to try this one on! The lace is stunning!"

Lexi rolled her eyes, laughing. "Maya, I've tried on ten already. I'm a bride-zilla in the making."

Maya grinned, clinking her champagne flute against Lexi's. "Well, someone has to make up for my low-key wedding. I still can't believe I got married in a courthouse."

Lexi smiled, taking a sip of her drink. "Well, you guys were always meant to be. No fuss needed."

As they browsed through veil options, the conversation flowed easy, like no time had passed at all. They gossiped about work, caught up on each other's lives. It was a much-needed distraction from the looming wedding and all the doubts that came with it.

But as they sat in the plush fitting area, Lexi found herself pouring out her heart. "I don't know if I can do this," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "What if I'm making a mistake? What if he's not who he seems to be?"

Maya set down her glass, turning to Lexi with a serious expression. "Lex, you're not committing to a life of poverty and hardship. Reg can give you the world. Security, status...he can take care of you in a way most men can't."

Lexi sighed, running a hand through her hair. "That's not what scares me. It's the feeling that I'm losing myself in all of this. That I'm just a means to an end for him."

Maya reached out, squeezing her hand. "You're being paranoid. Reg is a good man. And he's crazy about you."

But as Lexi looked at her friend, she couldn't help but feel a pang of doubt. Maya was married to Ace, the head of a major electronics company, one that had dealings with Reg's enterprises. Was her perspective skewed? Was she seeing Reg through the lens of his business persona, rather than the man himself?

As the day wore on, Lexi found herself withdrawing, her mind spinning with questions. Was she letting fear cloud her judgement? Or was she ignoring her instincts? And as she stared at her reflection, draped in a designer wedding gown, she barely recognized the girl staring back.

Was this really what she wanted? A life of luxury, but potentially one of emptiness? Or was she brave enough to walk away, to forge her own path?

As she left the shop, Lexi felt a growing sense of resolve. She needed answers, about Reg, about their future. And she was going to get them. Because as she looked at her reflection, she realized one thing - she couldn't marry a man she didn't truly know. Not without losing herself completely.