Her fists were clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white, and her teeth were nearly grinding to pieces. "Fine," she hissed through gritted teeth, "let's just say I owe you. I'll give you the wedding you want."

"That's more like it." Stewart's hand pressed firmly to the back of her neck as he leaned in and brushed a gentle kiss against her forehead.

Briony closed her eyes. Silent tears slipped from the corners and traced down her cheeks.

Stewart had planned everything down to the last detail.

Besides Bianca, there was an entire team of wedding staff waiting aboard the yacht.

A private doctor, a master of ceremonies, even a chef-no expense spared.

This yacht had been extensively renovated, but nowhere more so than the cabin Briony had stayed in these past days. It was an exact replica of Southcreek Manor's master bedroom, recreated with painstaking precision.

Ever since Briony had finally agreed to Stewart's demand for a wedding ceremony, these people began appearing one after another before her.

Two female stylists were busy doing her hair and makeup.

The yacht floated in calm waters, anchored far from shore.

Today, the sea was as smooth as glass.

Blue sky arched overhead, the ocean stretched endlessly, and every now and then a seagull soared past.

On deck, the wedding planners scurried back and forth, stringing up flowers and balloons, rolling out a red carpet, testing the sound equipment. The scene was every bit as extravagant and meticulously orchestrated as the ceremonies that made their rounds on social media-full of pageantry, designed for glossy perfection.

With the help of the stylists, Briony was made to change back into the wedding dress she'd come to hate.

on the gown-blood, stark

suggested they could glue rose petals over the stains, call it artistic,

She let them do as they wished,

might look creative, a clever flourish for a dramatic love

truth. It didn't matter how many rose petals they glued on- the blood was still there, and no amount of decoration could ever make this dress

her marriage to

shadowed by death-there was no going

the moment she'd agreed to Stewart's terms, Briony had felt nothing but

makeup was only

dressed in his suit,

walked in. OR

stylists greeted him

can go," Stewart said,

and palettes and

over to

expressionless, refusing to even

seem

knelt slowly in

her,

on the floor, and

custom high heels from

their box.

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

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