The three of us stopped at a distance. Looking at the scene before me sent a jolt of dizzying pain through my chest. The curve of every arch, the color of every ribbon, even the angle of every beam of light falling across the floor—I had spent months designing it all. Now, I was slipping back into my own wedding like a thief.
The professor turned to Nathan, his expression grimmer than I had ever seen. "Watch her," he commanded. "Watch the Evelyn standing right here. No matter what happens, do not let your eyes leave her for even a single second. You must use your eyes to pin her to reality."
Nathan didn't answer. His fingers clamped around my wrist with staggering force. His gaze was like a chain wrapped around my face. He was using his eyes to fight against an invisible void.
The professor pressed a hand onto my shoulder. "Evelyn, do not try to convince your parents; it is futile. Walk straight ahead and take the rings. Only when the logical flaw of this replacement is exposed before the crowd will the consensus begin to shatter."
I took a deep breath and stepped out.
Inside the hall, the Wedding March was reaching its crescendo. My father was walking Luna down the aisle, a satisfied smile on his face. At the altar, he ceremoniously placed Luna's hand into Daniel's. The best man had already opened the ring box. His hand was beginning to lift.
I quickened my pace. My heels struck the floor with a sharp, rhythmic sound.
"Wait."
The word wasn't loud, but it cut through the music like a pair of shears. A heavy silence fell over the room. Everyone's attention shifted, locking onto me.
I knew the moment had come.
I cut through the crowd and stood directly between Daniel, Luna, and the best man. I could see Daniel's pupils contract violently. Luna turned her head, that face—identical to mine—completely devoid of expression. In that moment, the eyes of hundreds were focused on me. And behind me, in the shadows, Nathan stood like a stone statue, his gaze still fixed unyieldingly on me.