The moment they stepped into the sunlight, Ava wished she could turn around and walk back into the empty hallway. The sudden brightness, the noise, the hundreds of eyes and everything slammed into her at once.
And she felt Damian's grip tighten slightly as if he sensed her instinct to retreat.
The outdoor garden had been transformed into something straight out of a royal gala. Glass tents glittered under the sun. White roses, gold-trimmed arches, and overflowing arrangements covered almost every inch. Soft classical music drifted through the air from a live quartet in the corner. Photographers waited like predators, their cameras lifted and ready.
All of it for her. For them and for a wedding she didn't want.
Clara hurried ahead to arrange the photographers' positions, turning back every few seconds to ensure Ava was following, that she hadn't collapsed or vanished into thin air.
