9. Arriving at The Church

A flutter at my bedroom door gets my attention, and I see Mirabelle saunter in with a beaming smile on her face. This makes me want to break down, and I felt light at the same time; everyone is expecting me to be okay with this, but I am not. I know this needed to be done, but yet again I am everyone’s second choice.

“Elena, darling!” she exclaims, taking in my wedding attire with her eyes filling up with unshed tears. “You look beautiful, my dear. This dress altogether compliments your body well.”

I genuinely smile at her compliment. Ever since I found out she preferred me to my sister, I have been seeing a different side to her. She certainly wanted me to be with Sebastian, but cared about my happiness as well and felt it lay with her son.

In the weeks leading up to the wedding, Mirabelle and I spent a great deal of time together. She explained what they would demand of me as a Dumont wife and how the public would look upon me as Mr