Chapter 1 Introduction (Seraphina's POV)

As I stepped into the room, the soft rustle of my gown echoed in the hushed atmosphere. At 28, I've grown accustomed to the scrutiny that follows my every move, the weight of expectations pressing down on my shoulders like an invisible burden.

I rounded the corner of my childhood home, my breath catching in my throat as I caught sight of them – Alexander and Amanda, locked in an embrace so intimate it stole the very air from my lungs. My mind struggled to process what I was seeing, to make sense of the betrayal unfolding before my eyes.

The air crackled with tension as I stood frozen, unable to tear my gaze away from the scene before me. My sister, my confidante, wrapped in the arms of the man I had vowed to spend eternity with. It was a betrayal so profound, it threatened to tear apart the very fabric of my reality.

"I've never felt this alive, Amanda," Alexander's voice was low, filled with a passion I had never heard before. "Being with you... it's like nothing else matters."

Amanda's laughter echoed in the dimly lit corridor, the sound a cruel twist of fate. "I know what you mean, Alex. It's like the whole world fades away when we're together."

A pang of disbelief shot through me as their words sunk in. How could they revel in their deceit, their laughter a mockery of the love we had shared? I struggled to comprehend how they could be so callous, so indifferent to the pain they were causing.

Silent screams echoed in my mind, each one a dagger to my already wounded heart. How could I have been so blind? How could I have trusted them with my deepest secrets, only to have them trampled underfoot?

But amidst the hurt and confusion, a fierce determination took hold. I may have been blindsided by their betrayal, but I refused to be a victim of their selfishness. With trembling hands, I pressed play on my tape recorder, knowing that whatever truth lay hidden within its depths would set me free from the lies that had bound me.

On the day of my wedding, the hall echoed with the soft rustle of silk and the hushed whispers of anticipation. All eyes were on me as I stood before the altar, my heart heavy with the truth I carried. With trembling hands, I reached for the hidden tape recorder nestled beneath the layers of my gown, feeling its weight like a burden I could no longer bear alone.

With a deep breath, I pressed play, the sound of their betrayal filling the room like a thunderous clap of thunder. My heart pounded in my chest as I listened to Amanda's gasp of shock and Alexander's feeble protests, each word cutting deeper than the last.

"You promised me, Alexander!" My voice trembled with emotion as I confronted the man I had once loved with all my heart. "You promised to love and cherish me, to be faithful until death do us part. And yet here we are, on the eve of our wedding, and you're wrapped in the arms of my own sister!"

"How could you do this to me, Alexander? After everything we've been through?"

"Seraphina, I know you must be hurting right now, but please try to understand..."

"Understand what, Alexander? That you betrayed me with my own sister?"

"Seraphina, it wasn't like that. You have to believe me."

"Oh, shut up, Amanda! Are you not ashamed? Watching that clip, how do you feel? Believe you? How can I believe anything you say when you've shattered my trust into a million pieces?"

"Seraphina, please, let's not do this here. We can talk about this later, in private. Please don't cause a scene, I beg."

"Ha-ha!" I let out a sad chuckle. "Is this happening for real, Alexander. This needs to be addressed now. Our families, our friends, they all deserve to know the truth."

"Seraphina, please, don't do this. Think about the consequences."

"Con- Conseq..." I was sick to my stomach. "You want to talk about consequences after what you've done? You've torn apart our family, Amanda. How could you live with yourself?"

"Seraphina, I never meant to hurt you. Please, give me a chance to make things right."

"Make things right? How? By erasing what happened from existence? By sweeping this under the carpet? Some wounds can't be healed, Alex."

"Seraphina, I know you're angry. Your anger is justified, but please, try to see things from our perspective."

"Your perspective? How can I possibly see things from your perspective when you've betrayed me in the worst possible way?"

"Seraphina, I love you. You have to know that."

"Love me? If you loved me, you would have never allowed this to happen in the first place."

"Seraphina, please, don't leave. We can work through this together."

"Work through this? How? By pretending like none of this ever happened? I can't do that, Amanda. I won't. Amanda... Please do me a favor. Go in your room and hide!"

"Seraphina, please, don't say that. We can find a way to move past this, I promise."

"Move past this? Some things can't be undone, Alexander. No matter how much you want them to be."

As the argument intensified, the guests exchanged worried glances, uncertain of how to react to the escalating drama.

"This is a show of shame. I think we should leave."

"Agreed. Let's get out of here before things get even uglier."

"Ladies and gentlemen," my voice cracked with emotion as I spoke, the weight of betrayal heavy on my heart. "I present to you the truth, the evidence of the betrayal that has shattered my dreams and torn apart my family. And now, I leave it to you to decide what happens next."

As the uproar of the video disclosure settles, I brace myself for the aftermath, expecting fury and criticism. But, to my surprise, the room begins to vibrate with a strange energy.

"Seraphina, darling," my mother says, her voice shaking from emotion. "We understand this is difficult, but we cannot afford to cancel the wedding."

My eyes widen with disbelief, and my heart sinks as I realize the enormity of their position. My parents want this marriage to happen, no matter what the cost. My heart falls as I realize the depth of their despair. They're willing to compromise my happiness and dignity for their own financial stability. The discovery leaves me with a painful sense of betrayal and abandonment that cuts deeper than any knife.

"But how can you ask me to marry him after everything he's done? I mean.. You just watched in 4K.." I protest, my voice shaking with fury and anguish.

My father's expression is anguished as he reaches out to gently touch my trembling hands. "Listen, we're going to pretend that didn't happen. We have no choice, my dear," he says, his voice strained with emotion. "The future of our family hangs in the balance."

My mother's eyes brim with no emotion, her voice choked with assertiveness. "I know it's not ideal, my dear," she says, her voice barely above a whisper. "But sometimes we have to make sacrifices for the greater good. Please, Seraphina, for the sake of our family, for the sake of everything we hold dear, we must go through with this wedding."

Tears well up in my eyes as I gaze into my parents' faces, seeing the desperation and fear reflected back at me. I know they're clinging to this marriage as their last hope for financial security.

My mind reels at the thought, my heart torn between duty to my family and the betrayal I feel at the hands of my fiancé and sister. But before I can respond, my mother continues, her voice trembling with desperation.

"There is another option," she says, her words hanging heavy in the air. "If you cannot bring yourself to marry Alexander, then perhaps... Perhaps Amanda could take your place. That sounds like a good idea..right?"

My breath freezes in my throat at the proposal, and my mind races with astonishment. The prospect of my own sister, who did something as horrible as that, stepping into my shoes and marrying the guy who betrayed me is almost unbearable.

"... I can't believe what I'm hearing... You don't even care about how I feel... Uhn!!?? Please, Excuse me!" I can't bear to entertain my parents' offer any longer, fueled by rage and betrayal. I stormed out of the room without saying anything.

"Phina, Seraphina..." I hear my parents' desperate and imploring calls, but I can't take hearing their pleas and attempts to excuse their conduct at my expense.