The wedding dress was beautiful.
Too beautiful for a marriage I didn't want.
I stood in front of the tall mirror, staring at the woman dressed in white. Lace clung to my arms, the corset tightened around my waist, and a long veil rested on my head like a crown I never asked for.
Everyone said I looked like a dream.
But all I felt was fear.
My hands trembled as I pressed my palms against the mirror. The girl staring back at me looked calm, composed—perfect. Yet inside, my heart was racing, pounding so hard it hurt.
Marriage.
To a man I had met only a handful of times.
A man chosen for me, not by love, but by contracts, wealth, and family expectations.
Outside the bridal room, I could hear laughter. Music. Celebration. Guests had arrived, and the ceremony was about to begin. This wedding was the talk of the city—a powerful union between two wealthy families.
Everyone was happy.
Everyone except the bride.
"Smile," my mother had said earlier while adjusting my veil. "This marriage will secure your future."
Secure my future.
I swallowed hard.
What about my dreams? My choices? My happiness?
None of that mattered.
To them, I was just a piece on a chessboard.
A soft knock came at the door. "Are you ready?" the wedding planner asked gently.
My throat tightened. I forced myself to nod, even though my legs felt weak.
"Five minutes," she added before closing the door again.
Five minutes.
That was all I had left before my life stopped being mine.
I took a shaky breath and glanced around the room. The window was open slightly, letting in cool air. White curtains fluttered softly, teasing me with freedom.
My gaze locked onto it.
My heart skipped.
The thought came suddenly, dangerously.
Run.
I shook my head, trying to dismiss it. This was crazy. This was reckless. What would people say? What would my family do?
But then another thought followed.
What if you stay?
The image of a lifetime trapped in a loveless marriage flashed through my mind. Smiling for cameras. Living by rules. Belonging to a man I never chose.
Tears burned my eyes.
I couldn't do it.
My hands clenched into fists as my chest rose and fell. The room felt smaller, the walls closing in on me.
I lifted the heavy skirt of my dress.
Once.
Twice.
My heart hammered as I stepped toward the window.
"This is madness," I whispered to myself.
But even as I said it, I knew—I was already lost.
With one last glance at the room where I was supposed to become a wife, I climbed onto the window ledge. The cool night air wrapped around me, carrying the distant sounds of the wedding hall.
I didn't look back.
I jumped.
My feet hit the ground painfully, but I ignored the sting. I gathered my dress and ran, barefoot, heart racing, tears streaming down my face.
I ran from the altar.
From the groom waiting for me.
From the life they chose.
I didn't know where I was going.
I only knew one thing—
I was finally free.