Emily and Richard Blackwood

In the dimly lit dressing room, Emily stood motionless before the full-length mirror. She could barely recognize herself in the intricate lace of the wedding gown, its delicate design clinging to her body as though it were a second skin. Her lips, once poised in a practised smile, now reflected the weight of something much heavier.

This can't be me, she thought. This can't be my fate.

Her eyes, usually so good at masking her true feelings, betrayed her this time. Behind the long, dark lashes, she saw the fear, the doubt she had tried so hard to suppress. The room was too quiet, amplifying the ache inside her chest, as if the silence itself was begging her to acknowledge the truth she'd been avoiding for too long.

She tugged gently at the veil, adjusting it with trembling fingers. Strands of her silky black and brown hair spilled down her back, catching the dim light, a glimmer of hope in an otherwise suffocating reality.

I’m not ready. I’m not ready for this. It can’t be happening.

Emily's breath caught in her throat as she stared at herself, her elegant nose and graceful neckline framing a picture of perfection she had spent years creating. But behind the image she had so carefully constructed, a storm brewed, one that threatened to unravel everything.

Enough is enough, she thought, her inner voice growing more resolute. I can’t go through with this. I have to run... I have to.

Her reflection gazed back at her, trapped in the white gown that symbolised everything she was expected to be. It was beautiful, yes, but it was also a cage, a symbol of a life she wasn’t ready to accept. Each delicate lace detail seemed to mock her, reminding her of the unspoken expectations waiting just outside the door.

I…… i… i ... .have to get out. No matter the consequences. I have to escape.

Her thoughts echoed in the quiet room, a private rebellion against the fate she was being forced into. In the stillness of the dressing room, Emily knew she was standing on the edge of a choice—one that would change everything.

Emily’s hands trembled as she hastily shoved clothes into a small suitcase, her phone buzzing with half-written texts. "I have to go," she whispered to herself, her fingers shaking as she tried to book the flight. The decision to run was terrifying, but the thought of staying—of accepting her parents’ wishes—was unbearable.

The airport buzzed with life, a chaotic hum of people moving in all directions. Emily stood in line, her pulse racing, eyes darting to every screen announcing departures. Suddenly, a voice pierced through the noise.

“Emily!” Her father’s voice rang out, sharp and cold. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Emily froze. Her parents stood just a few feet away, their faces a mix of fury and disbelief.

“You think you can just run away from this?” Mr. Thomas’s voice was cutting. “The consequences, Emily. You don’t even know what you’re getting yourself into.”

Mrs. Thomas’s voice trembled as she stepped forward, desperation etched on her face. “Emily, please. You’ll destroy us. You’ll be the reason for our death. How could you do this to us?”

Emily’s throat tightened. “I can’t—I can’t do this anymore,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I have to go.”

“Go?” Her father’s voice grew louder. “You think you can run from your responsibilities? From us? What about our family? Our reputation?”

Tears welled up in Emily’s eyes. “I don’t care about the reputation anymore. I can’t live this life for you.”

“You’re being selfish,” Mrs. Thomas said, her voice breaking. “Do you know what people will say about us? About you? You’re ruining everything.”

At that moment, Emily felt a firm hand clasp around her wrist. She turned sharply,( She met the intense gaze of her brother.)

“Emily, don’t,” he said quietly, his grip tightening.

She tried to pull away, but his hold was unyielding. The bustling airport, which had once been her lifeline, now felt like a suffocating prison.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice cracking with the weight of her emotions. “I ….i….i.. can’t stay .

Her brother Viven “Emily, stop this. You’re making a mistake.”

Tears welled up in her eyes as she shook her head. “But don’t... don’t do this to me. Please.”

“I have to go,” Emily pleaded, her breath coming in shallow gasps. “I’m begging you... let me go.”

But his silence was louder than his words, and in that moment, Emily knew—her escape was slipping away.

---------

Back in her room, Emily’s hands shook as she gripped her phone, panic rising. She called again and again, her voice barely a whisper.

( the would be husband of her)

“Please, please…please... pick up.”

The phone rang, but there was no answer. Frantically, she sent more messages.

Where are you? We need to talk.

Still nothing.

Desperate, she turned to Sarah, her best friend—the one person she thought would help.

“Sarah , please,” she whispered as she sent another message. “I need you.”

But the silence was deafening. It felt like the whole world had turned against her, leaving her completely alone.

Emily stood at the altar, her fingers trembling against the bouquet. The room, drenched in beauty, felt like a suffocating prison. Her eyes darted to the door again. Still nothing. No one could save her.The guests were starting to murmur, but all she could hear was her own heartbeat.

"Maybe… maybe he’s read it. Maybe he’s left," she muttered under her breath, forcing herself to believe. “Richard Blackwood, you’re a smart man. Once this charade is over, I’ll thank you personally.”

Then the doors burst open.

Richard Blackwood stepped in, his imposing figure blocking the light behind him. The room seemed to shrink. Every inch of him was carefully crafted for this moment—broad shoulders, impeccable suit, styled hair. But it was his eyes—those cold, calculating eyes—that froze her in place.

He approached, his smile calculated.

“Emily,” he said softly, the word wrapped in charm. “You’re desperate….to marry….”

Ignoring him,. Her eyes scanning the room for a miracle, for Sarah.

Richard leaned in, his breath warm against her ear.

“This marriage,.... It'll be your worst nightmare, I promise you that…?”

She was frozen.

Richard pulled back slightly, his eyes boring into hers.

Richard ;“No one’s going to save you, from me.”

Her heart raced, her mind screamed for an escape, but she stood there, numb. He smiled again, stepping closer, and in that moment, she knew.

There was no way out.