Chapter 1 - The Walk of the Valkyrie
The heavy oak doors of the chapel swung open. The string quartet was playing a delicate, traditional bridal chorus, but the moment the guests laid eyes on me, the music faltered.
A collective, synchronized gasp echoed through the vaulted sanctuary. Two hundred and fifty of the city’s most elite socialites, politicians, and CEOs froze. They stared at the massive, foul-smelling stain of wine and ash that painted the front of my pristine silk gown.
"Just keep walking, Dad," I whispered, keeping my chin parallel to the floor.
My father’s posture stiffened with pride. He didn't rush. He matched my slow, deliberate pace. We walked down the white runner not like victims, but like generals inspecting the troops.
I kept my eyes locked on the altar.
Julian was standing there, his practiced, charming smile sliding off his face like wet plaster. Next to him, sitting in the front pew, was his mother, Victoria Sterling.
She wore a custom emerald pantsuit. When she first saw me, her lips curled into a victorious smirk. She expected me to run away crying. She expected me to cancel the wedding in shame, allowing her to spin a narrative about my "fragile mental state."
But as I kept walking, closer and closer, her smirk vanished. Her emerald eyes widened in confusion, then panic.
I reached the altar. My father kissed my cheek, glared daggers at Julian, and stepped back.
Julian grabbed my hands, his palms sweating. "Elena, what happened? Why are you wearing that? My mother is mortified..."
I leaned in close, my lips brushing his ear, and whispered the words I had been saving for six months.
May you like
"Your mother forgot one detail, Julian. I possess the secret that will ruin you both."
Julian pulled back, the color draining entirely from his face. "What?"
