HATRED

PROLOGUE

As the priest prompted us to say our vows, my anticipation soared. Raphael was supposed to declare his unwavering love for me, yet he remained silent. Initially, I assumed he was simply searching for the right words, those same romantic phrases he often whispered to me late at night, each one stealing another fragment of my heart, if any remained. But his demeanor seemed different, distant, for no apparent reason. Was it something I had done? I gently squeezed his right hand, hoping to jolt him back to the moment, but still, nothing. Suddenly, a wave of dread washed over me, that ominous feeling that something terrible was on the brink of happening.

"Mr. Williams," the priest whispered, but he received a cold glare in return.

My heart raced as I watched my man cast a disgusted look at the priest, sending a shiver down my spine. Only then did I realize my hands were trembling as they lay interlocked with his. I struggled to steady them, but they continued to quiver, and his expression shifted from disdain to sadness, leaving me bewildered.

I had never seen him like this before.

"R-Raph, what's happening?" I managed to stutter, finally finding my voice.

"Gina, I can't do this," he whispered, refusing to meet my gaze. On our wedding day, he uttered the most devastating words imaginable. Who does that?

I was beyond shocked, utterly stunned and speechless. My vision blurred as my brain struggled to comprehend what was happening. Maybe Raph was pulling some kind of prank, but deep down, I knew he wasn't the type. I silenced the voice in my head insisting otherwise.

He offered an apology, then turned and walked away, leaving me stranded at the altar in front of more than nine hundred guests. Why did my mother and best friend insist on such a large ceremony?

The gasps and murmurs from the crowd confirmed the harsh reality. My four-year relationship was over, my fiancé had abandoned me without explanation, and my foolishness had allowed my mother to orchestrate this extravagant wedding. And to top it off, my father had warned me about this.

My body went numb, drained of all energy and sensation. I couldn't bring myself to look back, to scream, to run, or to do anything at all. It was as if my legs had turned to stone, and my mind had deserted me in that moment of utter disbelief.

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