Page 54 of Broken Princess

Istare down at the invitation in my hand, not quite sure what to make of it.

I've been expecting an invite to Amelia's wedding for weeks now. After all, I am Kayleigh's fiance, even if I haven't so much as spoken with her in the better part of a month. That's as far as I can go toward making the relationship work.

Seeing Amelia again will be torture, especially knowing she's going to marry another man.

Stefan, of all people.

But then there’s the business side of things to consider. If I don't show up, it will be a clear sign that something is wrong.

I sigh, raking a hand through my hair as I try to think of what to do. There is no way I can go to this wedding. But I have to. This is business.

Family business.

That’s fitting, considering Amelia will technically be family soon enough. The thought makes my stomach turn, but I push it away. I can't think about that right now.

I have to figure out what I'm going to do about this wedding first.

And unfortunately, there aren't a whole lot of options on the table. If I don't show, my father will lose his mind, and if I do, well… I might lose mine.

There’s no winning.

There’s only a gamble.

A wager that I can get through three of the worst hours of my life without tearing apart the world around me.

Those are odds I really don't like.

But it's a chance I will just have to take.

CHAPTER 26

AMELIA

Istare at myself in the mirror, hardly able to believe what I'm seeing.

In less than an hour, I will be Stefan’s wife. It still doesn't feel real.

This entire day has been a blur. I haven't been able to eat much, despite Natalie's insistence that I need to keep my strength up. Everything feels like it's happening too fast. Like maybe if I could just slow things down for a bit, I could think straight and figure out what the right thing to do is. But there’s no slowing down now.

I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself.

I can do this.

Ihaveto do this.

There’s no other choice.

"Are you ready?" Natalie asks, coming into the room with my veil in her hands.

I nod, even though I don't feel ready at all. But it doesn't matter. This is happening whether I'm ready or not.

Natalie places the veil over my head, and I stare at myself in the mirror once more. I look like a bride. A beautiful, scared bride. I highly doubt I'm the first Mafia bride to feel this way, and I'm far more privileged than most, considering I don't have any reason to fear the man I'm betrothed to.

At least, I don't feel like I do. Even if Stefan has a terrifying past I can't debunk or explain because he keeps it as hidden as I kept the truth about my pregnancy from everyone else, I don't believe he would hurt me.

Aside from this.

Aside from going through with this sham marriage, knowing I will always love another man.

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