All Chapters of The Bride They Sacrificed: Reborn To Love And Kill: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

The chapel was filled with guests on this long-awaited wedding day, every pew taken, every aisle crowded, every corner filled with whispered conversations. The Vaughn family had extended invitations to numerous people, business contacts, influential partners, distant relatives who suddenly remembered their affection, and nearly everyone within their social circle who mattered enough to witness the spectacle they had orchestrated. White roses, Elara's least favorite, not that anyone had asked, adorned the altar and decorated the entrance, petals forming delicate patterns that mocked the heaviness pressing down on her chest. Although some harbored doubts about the union between the adopted sister and her adoptive brother, Elara and Aaron's marriage was a complex matter for many. They wondered, questioned, and disapproved quietly. Yet, since they shared no blood relation, most chose to remain silent, simply smiling and embracing the moment, enjoying the celebratory mood and pretendi

The pastor proceeded with the ceremony, delivering the usual words.He spoke of unity, of love, of sacred vows, of two souls coming together willingly, joyfully, expectantly. Elara stood silent, her expression calm, her face serene, yet beneath the fabric and lace of the wedding gown, beneath the carefully concealed bruises and burns, war raged inside of her.The pastor continued, reading scripture, smiling gently, looking from groom to bride, while the crowd watched with glowing eyes.And then it was time... The moment in every ceremony when everything narrows down to a single breath, a single question, and whatever answer follows changes the course of life.The pastor lifted his gaze toward Aaron first, the expected routine. He asked if Aaron took Elara Vaughn as his wife, promising to cherish her, stand by her, remain faithful, share his life and name, and future with her. Aaron straightened a little, mask of charm plastered over irritation, and responded immediately, loudly eno

Elara and Lucian broke their kiss when the sudden, violent sound of shattering glass split the stunned silence of the chapel. The sound wasn't just loud - it was furious, deliberate, and filled with rage. They both turned instinctively, their lips still tingling, breath shaky, to see Marjorie standing near the wine table like a woman possessed, grabbing bottles one after another and smashing them against the edge until the pale floor was littered with scarlet wine. Her chest heaved, her eyes wild, her face blotched red with fury and humiliation. She pointed a trembling but accusatory finger straight at Elara, her voice cutting through the shocked whispers of the crowd. "You-how dare you? How can you be this ungrateful? How can you disgrace our family like this, in this kind of way, in front of everyone? After everything we did for you? You bitch!" The word ungrateful echoed again and again in the room, attaching itself like a label Marjorie had always wanted the world to see.

"Let's get out of here," Lucian said softly to her. Elara’s heart was beating so fast. Nevertheless, she nodded, small, almost imperceptible, yet filled with determination, and then followed Lucian out of the chapel, with every gaze in the entire building glued to their backs. People shifted in their seats, some standing, some craning their necks just to keep watching the pair who had just shattered an entire family’s plans as if they were nothing more than fragile glass. The man was... Lucian Hale. Everyone knew that name. But not everyone knew the man in person. His reputation traveled faster than photographs ever could. His signature existed on contracts that dictated economic change, his shadow lingered behind mergers and whispered threats from corporate giants, and yet nobody truly knew his face. He hated interviews. He hated the media. He hated cameras. He hated spotlights. He lived like a ghost within a world desperate to have a glimpse of him. And whenever some bold

Elara stood frozen at the grand entrance of the Hale mansion, as her breath caught in her throat. Her fingers trembled ever so slightly as they curled around Lucian’s hand, clinging to him as if he were the only solid thing in a world that had suddenly tilted off its axis. The air was thick and heavy with every pair of eyes in the vast hall was fixed on her. Not just one or two glances. Not curious flickers that slid away after a second. No! They were staring at her openly and unapologetically. Elara had expected something. Like... Cold stares from people filled with arrogance. Maybe even thinly veiled hostility or outright. But this… this felt different. The looks directed at her weren’t merely curious. They were stunned. They stripped her bare inch by inch, dissecting her from head to toe as though she were a mistake, an anomaly that had disrupted the natural order of their universe. Elara swallowed hard. Her throat felt dry all of a sudden. Her grip on Lucian tightened u