THE LOVE THAT IS NOT REAL
There were two things in this world that Lisa hated more than anything else: math and loud noises. Unfortunately for her, these nuisances had been a constant in her life. And today, of all days, they surrounded her more than ever. Today was supposed to be the happiest day of her life—her wedding day. But instead, it felt like a nightmare she couldn’t wake up from.
Hours had passed since she’d begun preparing for the ceremony. Lisa had meticulously applied her makeup, smoothing her foundation with care, ensuring her eyeliner was perfectly symmetrical. She had watched YouTube tutorials, and her efforts had paid off—she was, by all definitions, the epitome of a perfect bride. Her long, flowing white dress fit her like a dream, though in her current state of agitation, she couldn’t even remember what kind of fabric it was. Tulle? Satin? It didn’t matter. What mattered was how suffocating it all felt—the dress, the makeup, the expectations.
Most of all, what suffocated her was the man she was supposed to marry.Her fiancé, a math professor, was everything she despised: logical, methodical, detached. He approached life like a problem to be solved, an equation to be balanced. She had fallen out of love with him long ago, perhaps even before their engagement was officially announced. What was supposed to be the beginning of their life together felt like the end of her freedom. But that wasn’t even the worst of it.
Because Lisa wasn’t in love with him. She was in love with someone else.As she stood near the grand entrance of her family’s old mansion, the relentless sounds of celebration grating on her nerves, Lisa felt a deep sense of dread in the pit of her stomach. She wasn’t just nervous. She wasn’t just anxious. She was terrified—because today, she wasn’t going to marry the man her family had chosen for her. She was about to run away and gamble everything on the person who truly held her heart.
But where was he?
Her eyes darted toward the driveway, scanning the area for any sign of him. Misale, her best friend, had promised to help her escape. He had always been there for her, through every heartbreak and every moment of joy. He was her rock. But now, when she needed him the most, he was nowhere to be found.
“If that idiot doesn’t show up in the next five minutes, I’ll escape by myself and kill him later,” Lisa muttered under her breath.
The sound of laughter from the guests in the garden grew louder. It was a beautiful summer day, and the outdoor celebration was in full swing. The mansion, built during World War II by her grandfather, loomed behind her. Its thick stone walls and narrow windows gave it an imposing, almost eerie appearance. The mansion was a relic of a bygone era, a maze of dark hallways and hidden corners that Lisa knew better than anyone else.
Suddenly, the sound she had been waiting for reached her ears—a car horn, sharp and clear. “Pip!” Lisa’s heart raced as she heard the signal. Misale had arrived.
Lisa had prepared for this moment meticulously. Her grandfather, during the construction of the mansion, had built an emergency exit—a hidden door that led from the house to the garden. It was meant for wartime, but today, it would serve a different purpose. Lisa had always been fascinated by the mansion’s history, and now, she was grateful for its secrets.
She quickly navigated through the narrow, dimly lit corridors, her dress rustling against the old walls. The noise was deafening to her already frayed nerves, and she cursed herself for choosing such an elaborate gown. Reaching the hidden door, she hesitated only for a second before pushing it open.
The garden was quiet, with only the distant hum of the party audible. Just beyond the tall hedges, she spotted Misale’s car, waiting for her.
As soon as she reached the vehicle, Misale leaned over and opened the passenger door. “Get in, quick.”
Lisa didn’t need to be told twice. She slid into the seat, her heart pounding in her chest. She glanced back at the mansion, the laughter and music fading as Misale sped off down the winding driveway. She felt a mixture of excitement and dread, knowing that every second they drove took her farther away from the life she had known—and closer to the unknown future she craved.
“Are you sure about this?” Misale asked, glancing over at her as they raced down the narrow country road.
“I’ve never been more sure of anything,” Lisa replied, though her voice trembled slightly. The noise of the engine was loud, too loud, but she ignored it. There were bigger problems to focus on now. “We just need to make it to the station without getting caught.”
Misale nodded, his face grim. He knew the risks as well as she did. Her family would be furious when they realized what had happened, and the police would be involved before long. But he had a plan. He knew the location of every police post between the mansion and the train station, and if luck was on their side, they would avoid any unwanted attention.
They reached the station in under twenty minutes. It was a small, rural station, the kind of place where the trains came infrequently and the staff was sparse. Misale pulled up just outside the entrance, his fingers drumming nervously on the steering wheel.
