Chapter 1 Episode 1 – The Wedding That Ended Me (Elena's POV)

Episode 1 – The Wedding That Ended Me

(Elena's POV)

Flower and rain smells were in the air.

I held the bouquet in my hands at the altar, and my heart was beating so fast that I was sure everyone could hear it. The white roses I had in my hand moved with me. It was just jitters, I told myself. Every bride feels this way before she says "I do."

The piano stopped playing. People in the hall got up and looked at me. As I had done every day in front of the mirror for weeks, I smiled, small and shy. Damian was in a black suit and stood at the other end of the hallway. He was tall and good-looking. His eyes were always hard to read.

I stepped outside after taking a big breath.

Every step made the hall ring with sound. Like the life I thought I would have, the floor was smooth and soft under my dress. The light from the lighting above made the diamonds on my veil look like little moons. It was almost too good to be true.

When I got to him, he didn't move. Not even a blink or a smile. He looked at me blankly.

His best man coughed in a strange way. The priest began to talk in a holy, calm, and well-trained voice. My mind got cloudy as I read, and I only got bits and pieces of what he said: love, honor, forever.

After that it was my turn.

"I, Elena Rivers, take you, Damian Hale, to be-"

My voice stopped. He didn't change the look in his eyes when I tried to hide my laugh. They stayed away and cold. I took a deep breath and kept going. "-to be my husband."

The priest then looked at him.

He didn't say anything.

For a second, I believed he had not heard. I looked him in the eye and smiled. The guests began to whisper softly, making a sound like dry leaves being blown by the wind. My dad moved around in the front row with his jaw tight.

The priest let out a cough. "Mr. Hale?"

When Damian finally spoke, it broke the quiet with his sharp voice.

"I can't."

It made me feel really sick. "What?"

It looked like he turned his head a little, but not at me or anyone else. "This marriage isn't real." Elena, we made a deal. Okay. You knew that already.

I opened my mouth to speak, but I couldn't. There were more whispers. Someone took a deep breath. It felt like the ground was tilting under me.

He kept talking, and his voice was steady and almost like he had practiced it. "You were never meant to think it meant anything else."

There were tears in my eyes. I tried to smile and laugh it off. "Stop, Damian." It's not a joke.

He didn't stop, though. He took small steps away from me, as if I were dangerous. He said, "I'm sorry," in a soft voice. "She's going to have a baby."

It was very quiet in the hall. I felt the words like rocks.

"Who?" I spoke in a whisper, and my voice was very soft.

After that, she got up. Selene. The candles made her red dress shine. She smiled slowly and dangerously while putting her hand on her flat stomach.

I stopped feeling everything.

A camera clicked, and I heard it. Then one more. People turned their faces toward me, ready to fall.

My fingers began to loosen up. I lost control of the bouquet and it fell to the ground softly. The red carpet's white flowers looked like broken promises.

When I said "Damian," it was hard. "You said-"

He said, "I told you the truth." First he looked at Selene, then he looked back at me. "It was always her."

No one moved. No one breathed. The silence was stronger than the noise.

The priest looked down. When my dad stood up, his face was red with anger and shame. My mom covered her mouth with her hand.

What about me? I did nothing. Being in a room full of people and seeing my life fall apart.

It was said, "Poor girl."

Not being able to move my legs made me want to scream, run away, and leave. My dress felt heavy and like it was squeezing me all of a sudden. The lace made my throat itch like fire.

Damian turned his back on me after that. just like that. He led her out of the church by taking her hand.

I opened my eyes and hoped it was all a dream. That I would get ready again after waking up in my room and laughing at the bad dream. But the rose and candle wax smells kept me in that awful real moment.

The people there began to speak louder. Some got up, some left, and some pretended not to see me. It made me want to fall through the floor.

My dad came up to me and yelled in a low voice. "You've brought shame to this family, Elena."

I stared at him. "I didn't do anything."

He didn't pay attention, though. He turned away from me and told the guest to leave. My mom tried to grab my hand, but he pulled her along.

Soon, there was only me, the priest, and a path of dead flowers in the hall.

I couldn't cry for a long time as I stood there.

I moved not because of kindness, but because I had to. I ran while pulling up my skirt. I walked down the steps and out the door into the rain. Everything was being hit by silver water from the sky, which washed away hopes, makeup, and pride.

I kept going even though my shoes slipped on the ground. The city lights turned into gold streaks as I ran until my lungs hurt.

When I got to the main road, I stopped. As the cars went by, they sprayed water on my dress. The veil got stuck on my face. I took it off and threw it away.

At last, tears came and mixed with the rain. It hurt so much that I thought my chest would break.

How could he? After everything? After every look, word, and promise that seemed so true?

A horn went off. Headlights that flash. A black SUV stopped right next to me, and I fell backwards.

The window slowly went down. A clear, calm voice spoke.

"You shouldn't be running in the street, bride."

I turned my head toward the sound.

The man inside wasn't at all like Damian. His eyes were darker. They were cold and scary, but steady. There was no pity in them; they were in charge.

I was speechless for a second. My throat got sore. "Who are you?"

He tried to smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Someone who doesn't like to see people break."

The rain was hitting my face. It seemed like nothing was moving around me.

Before I could move back, he opened the car door. "Come in."

I gave it some thought. Fear and interest mixed in my heart, making it beat fast.

"Why?" I spoke quietly.

He moved in. It rained on his jaw and down the side of his cheek. His voice got deep and dark.

He said, "If you stay here, you'll wish the heartbreak was the worst thing that happened tonight."

I was having trouble breathing. The wind screamed. I thought I heard heavy, slow footsteps coming up behind me.

First I looked at him, then at the road, and finally back at the faraway church.

The sky and his eyes were both lit up by lightning for a split second.

My heart beat faster, and I moved forward.

Right into the car.