The officiating priest cleared his throat, and his voice echoed faintly through the corridor. The opening prayers had begun.
The timing felt deliberate, almost cruel. The ceremony had started.
I almost laughed.
Who could blame him? He had been paid to do his job. Outside this room, everything appeared perfect. Guests seated, musicians ready, flowers standing just so. To everyone else, today was unfolding exactly as planned.
Only I knew the truth.
There was a woman locked in my dressing room closet.
And that woman was my husband's mother.
My chest tightened. I leaned toward my mum and whispered, "Austin can't find out. Not now. Not today."
Her face was pale, her jaw tight. Muscles flexed in tension. "You should never have let your emotions take control," she whispered back. "This has gone too far."
"I know," I said quickly. "But we can still fix it. The ceremony has already started."
The words felt hollow even as I spoke them.
Just then, the door opened, and my chief bridesmaids rushed in, faces glowing with excitement. "It's time," she said. "The priest has begun."
Perfect timing. Cruel timing.
The closet loomed behind us like a silent threat.
My mum moved swiftly, hands steady despite the chaos. She loosened the tape just enough for the woman to breathe, then pushed the door shut and locked it again.
"Not a sound," she hissed. "Not one."
I closed my eyes for a second, forcing my mind to clear. This day could not get any messier.
Straighten shoulders. Smooth your gown. Lift your chin. Panic would destroy everything. I had worked too hard to let this mess undo me now.
Just get married first.
If the vows were said and the certificate signed, then everything else could be handled. Apologies could be made. Explanations could follow. I could even kneel if I had to.
But I needed the marriage.
I left the woman in my mum's care and hurried through the lounge and corridor to meet my bridesmaids. Every step felt heavier, as if my dress had suddenly gained weight. My uncle was waiting to walk me down the aisle.
I tried not to think about it.
One of my bridesmaids studied my face closely. "Are you okay?" she asked.
"Yes," I said quickly, too quickly. "Just nerves."
I forced a smile. Calm. Radiant. Wedding mode activated.
The orchestra began to play Here Comes the Bride.
My heart pounded violently. This was it. All my work. All my sacrifices. Every carefully executed step that led me here.
I remembered the night everything changed.
The dinner invitation had never been meant for me. Austin had been introduced to my roommate, beautiful, careless, effortlessly lucky. They were supposed to meet that night.
I watched her sip her drink, laughing, unaware.
I spiked it with something just enough to make her fall asleep.
Just enough.
She fell asleep before she could leave.
I dressed in my finest gown, apologizing sweetly on her behalf, claiming she was ill, feigning concern. She never suspected a thing. She still doesn't.
She had already been tipsy from an earlier date. Reckless, always reckless.
She couldn't have it all.
I needed this.
And now here I was, walking down the aisle toward the most coveted bachelor in Hiddenville.
I scanned the crowd discreetly, searching for my mum. She wasn't seated. My stomach twisted painfully. Handle it. Just hold on.
Austin stood at the altar, watching me approach. His gaze softened, filled with admiration, pride, and love.
Fear clawed at me. He adored his mother. He spoke of her with reverence. What would he do if he knew?
I forced a smile. He squeezed my hand gently.
The priest began reading scripture. The words washed over me, meaningless. Hurry up, I begged silently.
Then came the vows.
Austin read first, confident, sincere. The guests melted at his words.
When it was my turn, my hands trembled. I began reading mine, carefully, slowly.
Then, a loud bang.
Shock rippled through the guests. Heads turned.
A drunken guest had stumbled into the decor near the entrance. Relief surged through me so sharply I nearly laughed.
Security intervened quickly, escorting him away.
I resumed my vows, finishing the lines I had practiced countless times.
But then came another interruption.
Movement stirred at the garden entrance. Too deliberate to ignore. Security whispered urgently among themselves.
My chest tightened. I scanned the crowd again. Still no mum; seeing her at least would put my mind at ease, knowing she would ensure no surprises erupted. My mind raced. What if something had happened? Or worse, what if she had come and gone without me noticing? The chatter around me blurred into a dull hum, my senses drowning in anxiety.
What was happening? Is Austin's mother escaping? Where is my mother?
I clenched my hands, fighting the panic rising like smoke in my lungs. Every second stretched. Every heartbeat thumped in warning.
The priest hesitated. I whispered to myself: Just say it. Get married first.
"I do," I said quickly, cutting through the moment before he could pause.
Applause erupted. The ceremony pressed on.
But something was wrong. Very wrong. I could feel it, like a shadow moving closer, a warning in the quiet. The chaos wasn't over. The threat lingered.
Every step I took, every smile I forced, every graceful nod to guests was a careful dance to hide the storm inside.
I thought of my mum back in the room. Was she still standing over the woman we had locked away? What was going through her mind? What was the chaos about initially?
And then the thought struck me, sharp and icy:
If Austin's mother escaped… everything could crumble. In one moment, all my sacrifices, all my control, all my careful planning could be undone.
I swallowed hard. My pulse raced. My fingers tightened around my bouquet.
I had to stay calm. I had to finish this wedding. I had to survive today.
And yet, a deep, gnawing dread filled me.
I knew, with a certainty that terrified me, that this day would not end quietly.
The shadow in the closet was waiting.
And when it emerged, nothing would ever be the same.