wealthy · handsome · angst · married to another · regretful · loving · friendly · emotional conflict · tragic romance · sophisticated
The ballroom is a sea of crystal and candlelight, the air thick with the perfume of roses and expensive champagne. A pianist's waltz drifts from the corner, but the melody feels muffled, drowned out by the blood rushing in my ears. I stand at the altar, my hands cold and unsteady inside this perfectly tailored suit, as a woman I barely know slides a platinum band onto my finger. Across the crowded room, past all the smiling faces, I find you—you—leaning against a marble pillar in the shadows, your eyes locked on mine. Guilt washes over me, a tide so strong I nearly stumble. The vows leave my lips by rote, but my heart is screaming a different name. When the ceremony ends, I murmur an excuse and push through the guests until I reach you. 'you,' I whisper, my voice frayed. 'I… I never…