<b>Chapter </b><b>30 </b>
The hush deepened, and Nivea instinctively sat up straighter in her seat before standing with the rest of the congregation,
Her gaze followed the soft shift of movement as the doors at the back of the church opened wide.
Everyone turned. Then the musk swelled–the kind that made the air shimmer with something intangible, something sacred.
And there she was.
The bride stepped into view, radiant and breathtaking.
Her dress shimmered like stardust under the chandeller light
Lace kissed her shoulders and arms, and her veil flowed behind her.
Hmm, Antonio <b>had </b>really scored himself a beautiful bride.
As the bride made her way down, Nivera’s attention moved to the man walking her down the aisle, and she squinted her eyes.
It was definitely not the bride’s father.
The man looked… eerily familiar. Tall, his dark <b>hair </b><bbed </b>back, sharp jawline<b>, </b>eyes as cutting <b>as </b>frost
He carried himself like he owned the air around him. It struck Nivera instantly–he looked like an older version of both Alejandro and Antonio. As she wondered which of the two men <b>was </b>his son,
He looked more like Antonio, she observed, just as her brows knit.
Where was the bride’s father? Why wasn’t he the one giving her away?
She, however, didn’t linger on her questions<b>, </b><b>as </b>it was none of her business
As they got closer to the row she was in, she returned her attention back to the altar, and she and Alejandro’s eyes met for a brief second before he looked away.
Seriously? He dragged her all the way to the wedding, and he was barely acknowledging her?
Meanwhile, Alejandro shitted his weight slightly, sping his <b>hands </b>in front of him as he stood by Antonio’s side
His gaze was steady as the bride walked down the aisle. Her steps were graceful, the very image of elegance–but it wasn’t her that had his attention.
<b>It </b>was Antonio.
From the corner of his eye, Alejandro noticed how his cousin stared–utterly transfixed by his bride and unable to take his eyes off her
Antonio wasn’t a romantic, he hated the idea of love just like he did, and he wasn’t the type to be fazed <b>by </b><b>a </b>woman’s beauty
But there he was, staring like a man seeing something sacred, and at the woman he <b>said </b>he hated.
Alejandro leaned slightly toward him, smirking. “Stop drooling. We know she’s beautiful.”
Antonio didn’t dignify him with a response, but Alejandro caught the way his cousin’s jaw tightened and knew he’dnded the hit
Still grinning faintly, Alejandro let his eyes wander–until they inevitably found her once again.
Nivera
Sitting near the front, exactly where he’d told her to be.
She lookedposed and polsed–unbothered by the stares that followed her Her chin was lied high, her back straight, but it sh him
That emerald green.
He’d known it would suit her perfectly, which was why he had immediately chosen it the moment he saw it on her, but now now he warnegretting giving her the option.
The fabric cling to her like it was made for no one else. Her hair was styled in soft, morous waves, catching the light with every slight movement.
Her makeup was delicate yet bold, a perfect ent to the fire in her eyes-
yes – even if she didn’t know it.
She looked like a queen sitting among nobles who couldn’t quite match her, and he had caught a few men graking at her.
Hell, Mejandro thought, she looked like she owned the room, well without taking the bride into ount.
Fuck, even he had to admit, Nivera looked fucking beautiful.
He swallowed once, eyes lingering just a moment longer on her profile, the proud angle of her jaw.
He watched how she focused on the ceremony with that unreadable face of hers, and he found himself wondering what she was thinking.
“We <b>have </b>gathered here… He heard the priest say, and it made him realize how long he’d been staring, as Zabelle was already at the altar with Antonio
And that he was doing the very thing he mocked Antonio for
Idiot, he muttered internally and dragged his eyes back to the ceremony.
Nivera was still, her eyes fixed forward, her expression serene–but her mind was a storm.
The beauty of the ceremony was undeniable. The music, the floral arrangements, the murmurs of love warm in her.
I love and eternity it should have stirred something
<b>But </b>it didn’t. Rather, it irritated her because deep down, she knew she’d never have this.
She wasn’t <b>meant </b>for weddings or white dresses <b>or </b>the warm promise of someone walking her down the aisle. Not in her world. Not in her family
In her family’s world, marriages were tools. Contracts. Strategic alliances forged behind closed doors.
Like property being traded, she thought bitterly, and with her being the ck sheep of the family, they would never throw an borate wedding for her.
She’s walked away from that life, but the shadow of it clung to her. And it wasn’t like she’d found some fairytale escape
No. <b>She </b>was still entangled–in danger, even. Just under a different kind of roof, with a man who saw her more as a pawn than a person,
There was no one who would want <b>to </b><b>get </b>involved with her, all thanks to all the drama surrounding her, and truthfully, she didn’t want to have to put anyone in such a situation.
Nivera blinked and snapped out of her thoughts when she heard people pping.
When he returned <b>her </b>attention to the couple, she realized she hadn’t taken in <b>a </b>single word of the vows. She didn’t even notice when the couple exchanged rings.
Her gaze flicked forward again. She forced her spine straighter and masked her face in practiced calm. It only took all her life to be able to mask her feelings even when chans was happening.
The ceremony concluded with salt apuse, and the couple kissed.
Then came the smooth<b>, </b>orchestrated transition to the reception. Guests begin to rise from their seats,ughter bubbling in the most picked up a palet
Nivea rensained seated, quietly preparing herself as the real job was about to begin. That was until the felt someone beside her
Alejandro, She smell him even before she looked at him.
<b>She </b>turned just in time to catch his eyes on her again. She saw something soft swell in his eyes, and for a split second, she thought maybe he’d finally <b>say </b>something about how she looked.
Instead, he grabbed her hand. “I hope you’re ready for those who are ready to tear you apart,” he grinned.
Bastard! <b>She </b>screamed the word in her head, not daring to say it out loud.
The heat of his grip swallowed hers, and before she could yank her hands away from his as she hated the feeling, he pulled her to her fant and immediately began leading her down the aisle.
Her hools clicked hastily against the polished floor as she tried to keep up.
“Seriously?” She muttered, more to herself than him. “Why are you dragging me like some <b>kidnapped </b>bridesmaid?”
He didn’t respond <b>and </b>continued leading her towards the exit of the church.
The moment they stepped out of the cathedral, they were hit by a barrage of shing lights.
Click, Click, Click.
Photographers, event staff, paparazzi Everyone wanted a shot of the newlyweds, and Nivera found herself caught in the middle of it all.
The bride and groom <b>stood </b>near the grand floral arch at the steps of the church, glowing with post–vow joy as the cameras adored them. Nivera instinctively turned her face, shielding herself slightly with her free hand.
<b>She </b>hadn’t signed up for this, and <b>she </b>immediately tried to cower, but Alejandro didn’t let go of her
“Keep walking,” he murmured, low enough that only she could hear. “Don’t let them get too close”
If she had her way, she would go back into the church and find another exit so she wouldn’t have to deal with this, but she walked<b>. </b>
Because at that moment, she didn’t have any <b>say </b>in the matter
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