The knock didn't just wake me; it shattered the pathetic excuse for sleep I'd finally slipped into after staring at the ceiling for six hours.
"Wake up, Master Vale. You should start getting ready. The guests are arriving. It's your wedding day."
"My wedding day?" I scoffed under my breath. The words felt so absurd, I felt irritated.
I had spent the entire night tossing and turning, as my mind kept overthinking everything…..Diane's slap, Mom's face when I pulled away, Ian's voice telling me to fix what I broke, only to be dragged back into this reality the second my body finally gave in.
I pushed myself up slowly, dragging a hand down my face.
"Of course," I muttered bitterly. "Of course that's what wakes me up."
My eyes dropped immediately to my hands.
My knuckles were still bruised from yesterday. Swollen, and split in places, like pain could somehow fix anything I was feeling.
I stared at them, and then stood up anyways.
