16. Maya

It's almost six o'clock. Inside the church vestibule, the air is thick with tension. I'm worried I might throw up again. Sabrina keeps fussing with my veil. Mother looks as miserable as I feel. Father's grinning like he just won the lottery.

The church door creaks open, and the wedding planner pokes his head out. "Two minutes until showtime. Get ready for the best day of your life."

I feel lightheaded.

Duchess, if you're watching this, I'll see you soon.

My heart cracks as I hear Cade's words from last night ring through my head. I bawled like a baby watching his final game. I'll never see him again, never touch him. I'll never hear his laugh or see one of his smiles.

Bile burns the back of my throat.

"Uh oh. Here we go again." Sabrina hoists the train of my dress in the air. "Run, Maya."

I rush into the tiny bathroom to vomit, but nothing comes out. All I do is dry heave and cry.

"Oh, sis." Sabrina rubs my back. "I'm so sorry. This is all my fault."

"It's not your fault." I collapse on the floor in a pile of sparkling tulle.

"I told Father where you were and who you were with."

"Did he give you any other choice?" I ask.

"No. But…"

"I didn't tell him no." I sigh. "I've never told him no. Why would you? We've been controlled our whole lives."

"Well, except for when I made the biggest mistake of my life." Sabrina wets a paper towel and presses it to my neck. "I should have listened to Father then."

"One time." I press a hand to my stomach, trying to quiet it down.

"You're so pale, Maya." She dabs my forehead with the cool towel. "And you've lost too much weight."

I give my sister a weak smile. "That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me." My appetite disappeared the moment I left Cade.

"Thirty seconds. Get yourself together, Maya. We're walking down that aisle." Father growls through the door.

"Here. Take this." Sabrina holds out a piece of candy.

"What's that?"

"A ginger drop. It will help your nausea."

I pop the candy in my mouth, and Sabrina helps me get to my feet. "This must be what a death row inmate feels like as they walk towards Old Sparky."

I take the bouquet from my sister.

She kisses my cheek, then settles the veil back over my face. "If you want to run, I'll open the door."

I think about her offer, but quickly decide against it. If I run and don't do what Father wants me to do, he'll go after Cade. And I can't let that happen.

"Just promise if I end up killing Richard, you'll be my alibi."

"I give you my word." Sabrina tucks her arm through mine. "Come on, let's get this over with."

My heart aches with every step.

The doors to the church open, and I can see Richard standing at the altar. He's more than twenty years older than I am, bald, short, and with a big, round paunch. Father chose him for my husband because the man is filthy rich. It's not like we need any more money. We're all millionaires— every single one of us. However, Father is greedy to the core.

Mother walks down the aisle, followed by Sabrina.

Father takes my arm. "You will be happy, Maya. You'll see."

I take a deep breath through my nose, put one foot in front of the other, and walk to my death.

"If anyone can show just cause why Richard and Maya should not be lawfully wed, speak now or forever hold your peace." The words ring out in the sanctuary like a gunshot.

When there is no reply, the priest nods at Richard. "Take her hand and repeat after me."

Sabrina pulls back my veil, and Richard's sweaty hand touches mine. He gives me a smile that has my stomach clenching.

"I, Richard, take you Maya…"

"Stop!"

I swing my head around to see Cade charging down the aisle.

"I object!" He shouts. "I object! I object! I object!"

The roar of my beating heart rushes past my eardrums. Is this real? Or am I dreaming? I look over at the priest. He's turned an awful shade of crimson red. I glance at Richard, who is now sweating profusely. Then, I pivot to see Father. His brows are knit down tight. His mouth a tiny thin line.

Oh. My. God.

This is real.

"I won't let you marry him, duchess."

"Duchess?" My father is on his feet. "She has a name. It's Maya. And you, sir, are not welcome here."

"I'm not leaving without her." He locks eyes with my father. "I'm in love with your daughter."

"Cade…" I whisper.

Cade extends his hand to me. "Let's go, duchess."

"I can't… you don't understand…" I sob.

"See? She doesn't want to go with you." My father points to the door. "Leave. Now. Or I'm calling the police. As a matter of fact…" He turns to my mother. "Deliah, call the police."

"No." My mother slowly rises.

"What did you just say?" My father snarls.

"I said no." Mother turns to me. "I'm sorry, dear. I should have done this years ago." She grabs Sabrina's hand. "For both of you."

"Fine." My father takes out his cell. "I'll make the call."

"You will do no such thing." Mother snatches the phone from father's hand.

The guests are whispering, watching the drama with wide eyes, and the priest is sweating while tugging at his collar. I don't know what to do.

"It's going to be alright." Cade steps onto the altar puts his arm around me and helps hold me up.

Richard mutters something to the priest. Then he starts walking out of the church.

"Where are you going?" Father snaps.

"Home. I suggest you do the same. I've suffered enough humiliation for one day." Richard turns to me. "That man loves you." He points to Cade. "For what it's worth, Maya, take my advice and don't let him go."

I look over at Father, his gaze darting back and forth between Cade and my mother. He's torn as to whom he should punish first.

"Father?" My voice trembles. I push the swell of panic down.

"What?"

"I am leaving with Cade." I take a deep breath and thrust out my chin. "Because I love him."

Cade squeezes me tight. "Finally." He sighs. "She says she loves me."

"I do." I look into his eyes.

"If you leave with him, you will not be welcome home, Maya." Father barks. "Choose wisely."

"Cade is the wise choice." I smile up at Cade. "The best choice I've ever made."

"Let's go home, duchess." Cade scoops me into his arms. "Let's go home."

I toss my arms around his neck, rest my head against his chest, and breathe a sigh of relief. Some guests wave as we pass, while those in my father's camp feign horror.

"How did you know where to find me?" I kiss his jaw.

"Your mother." He kicks open the church door with his foot.

"My mother?" I glance over his shoulder to see my mother wiping tears from her eyes, along with my sister. "She told you?"

"She did, duchess. She told me everything."

"Everything?"

"Yes." He nodded as he carted me down the sidewalk. "She told me about how you feared your father, how worried she was about you, and how you were going to marry a man you couldn't stand just to protect me."

"But… I never told her those things."

"Are they untrue?"

"No." I don't know what to say. After all these years, I didn't think my mother knew me. Evidently, I was wrong.

Cade opened the door to his Rover, set me down, and started stuffing the tulle inside.

"Not for nothing, duchess…" He snapped my seatbelt in place. "But this dress doesn't suit you."

"I know. I picked the ugliest one I could find."

"Make sure you burn it." He kissed the tip of my nose. "When you marry me, duchess, I don't want to see you walking down the aisle in a dress that looks like Tinkerbell sneezed glitter all over it."

He closed the door, and my heart soared.

My man had come to claim me.

And one day, I am going to be his bride.