Chapter 1: Runaway Bride.

Celine's smile reflected at her in the mirror, radiating pure joy. Today was the day, her long-awaited wedding day. After six years of waiting, she was finally about to become Mrs. Walker. Her whole being buzzed with anticipation, filling the room with her infectious energy.

Leaving the mirror behind, Celine headed towards her walk-in closet, eager to select the perfect outfit for her pre-wedding hair and makeup session. Before she could reach the closet, a faint voice caught her attention from the next room.

As curiosity piqued, Celine sneaked out from her walk-in closet to investigate. The sight that greeted her stopped her heart cold. Her world shattered into a thousand shards of betrayal as she beheld the scene unfolding before her.

Leo, her soon-to-be husband, intimately engaged with her own aunt, Penelope.

Her breath hitched, a stifled sob catching in her throat as her heart shuddered into a million pieces. She blinked back tears, unable to tear her gaze away as she watched them discard their clothes, lust coursing through their bodies like wildfire.

“This can't be real,” Celine mumbled in disbelief, her mind still struggling to process the scene before her. 

Penelope was more than an aunt, she was a mother figure who had filled the void left by her late mother. The thought of this betrayal pierced her heart with jagged daggers.

From the shadows, she heard Penelope's voice laced with concern. “What if Celine comes in? We shouldn't do this here,” she whispered. Leo, his eyes burning with passion, responded with a scoff.

“She won't come in.”

“She’s too busy preparing for the wedding, her little brainless head is so focused on becoming Mrs. Walker,” he smirked, dismissing her concerns.

Celine stifled a sob, each word cutting deeper than the last. “Too dumb to even notice anything,” Penelope taunted. The hateful words only sharpened the blade of betrayal piercing Celine's heart.

“Let’s see who is dumb then,” Celine muttered under her breath, a fierce determination taking hold. With phone in hand, she recorded every gasp and moan, tears blurring her vision as the evidence mounted.

When their betrayal finally came to an end, Celine softly closed the door behind her, her lips set in a thin, fierce line.

“You think I’m dumb? I’ll show you just how dumb I can be.” She whispered, her tears now fueled by a fierce, vengeful fire.

Hours passed in the blink of an eye, the cold, empty feeling in Celine's chest a stark contrast to the beauty of her wedding gown. 

She gazed at her reflection, tears blurring the image of the bride she once dreamt of becoming.

The voice of Penelope broke through the silence, a forced smile plastered on her face. 

“You look beautiful,” she purred, her saccharine words grating against Celine's ears.

“Thank you,” Celine replied, her tone tight and controlled.

“Now, now, don’t look so glum,” Penelope chided. “Are you okay?”

Celine swallowed back a sob, her gaze cast downward. “I'm okay,” she whispered, “it's just… I’ve always wanted Fiona to be here for my wedding day, but her final year exams and our wedding being in Italy prevented that.” Her best friend Fiona had been by her side for eight years, and the fact that she couldn’t be here today was a dagger through Celine’s heart.

Penelope brushed a strand of hair from Celine's cheek, her smile almost predatory as she pulled Celine towards the mirror.

“Don't worry about Fiona. She’s probably celebrating your special day in her own way,” Penelope soothed, her voice a sickly sweet balm.

“Now, look at you!” She twirled Celine, allowing her to take in her bridal reflection. “You're about to marry the man of your dreams. Who needs Fiona when you have Leo?” Her words dripped with a mocking edge.

“I know your mother would be so proud of you,” she cooed, her eyes glittering with malice. “Even though she isn’t here with us today, she would want you to be happy.”

Celine’s smile was forced, bitter, and brittle as glass. “You’re the best,” she muttered through clenched teeth, shaking off Penelope’s attempts at consolation.

“Everyone is waiting for the bride,” Penelope urged, her smile nothing short of predatory. “It’s time to blind them with your beauty, my darling.”

Celine nodded, her eyes hard and cold as she turned away from Penelope, completing the first step in her vengeful plan.

As Celine made her way into the breathtaking seaside wedding venue, the enchanting ambiance seemed almost at odds with the poisonous bitterness in her heart.

Her eyes flitted about the crowd, her gaze landing on the wedding videographer. With a flash drive in hand, she approached him with a steady, confident step. “Hi, this is the wedding video,” she said, her voice carrying a note of finality.

As she walked down the aisle, Celine's steps were weighted by the suffocating ache in her heart.

Her footsteps echoed through the room, every beat a reminder of the lies and betrayal that had led her here. Leo stood at the altar, a smile playing across his features. Celine forced a smile in return, refusing to let her true emotions show.

“You look beautiful,” he whispered as she stopped before him, their eyes locking. Celine's mind spun, her heart heavy with the knowledge of his deception. But she kept her composure, ignoring the cold dread creeping into her bones.

The strains of a love song filtered through the air, a prelude to the chaos that was about to unfold. The MC's voice cut through the music, “Now let's take a look at the wonderful memories Leo and Celine have made during their six years together!”

The audience looked up expectantly as the screen came to life, showcasing a montage of pictures—a sweet remembrance of the life Celine had built with Leo. But then, a moan pierced the room, its vulgarity cutting through the sweetness like a jagged blade.

All eyes widened in horror as the scene on the screen shifted to a startling, intimate view of Penelope and Leo, their naked bodies intertwined in sinful delight. 

The crowd's gasps morphed into a chorus of horrified whispers, as Celine’s heart clenched in her chest, her face frozen in a mask of icy fury.

Penelope’s head snapped towards Celine, their eyes meeting across the room. Her expression contorted into a grotesque blend of shock and anger, but it was too late. Celine had the crowd's rapt attention, and she knew exactly how to play her hand.

“Celine, what the hell are you doing?” Leo’s voice was hoarse with rage, his face a mask of frustration and incredulity.

Celine’s expression remained impassive, her voice cool and calm as she spoke, “Oh, I’m sorry, Leo. Did I embarrass you? I was just trying to share a beautiful memory of our relationship.” The bitterness in her tone was unmistakable.

Leo took a threatening step towards her, his voice low and dangerous, “You had no right to do that.”

“I have every right,” Celine retorted, her voice dripping with venom. “After all, you and Penelope made this little video for all of us to enjoy. How could I deprive our guests of such a delightful wedding gift?”

Leo lunged forward, seizing her by the arm. “You’re insane. This is my wedding.” The muscles in his jaw twitched, his words dangerous and low.

Celine’s smile turned sharp, a wolfish grin that promised blood. “Your wedding?”

The crack of flesh against flesh echoed through the stunned silence like a gunshot, a startling echo of Celine’s rage. Leo’s cheek bloomed with the angry red mark of her hand, his eyes widening in shock and disbelief.

The audience gasped, some gasps turning into murmurs as they began to process what they had just witnessed.

Celine’s tears flowed freely, rivers of raw anguish and betrayal. “Six years, Leo. Six goddamn years, I’ve stood by your side!” she cried out, her voice breaking with pain.

Mira scoffed, a cruel smirk playing on her lips as she gestured to Celine with an exaggerated wave of her hand. “My mother’s better suited for him than you could ever be.”

“This wedding must be held, with or without you” Penelope said.

“She is old enough to be your mother!”

“Yet he chose me over you” 

“I took you as a mother to me!” Her words were a desperate plea, but Penelope had already delivered her cruel retort, a vicious slap that stung both Celine’s cheek and her heart.

“Shut your mouth, you spoiled brat!” Penelope hissed, her eyes flashing with malice. “Your mother is six feet under, rotting in the ground like the piece of filth she was.”

“Get out.” Leo roared, his voice thunderous and final.

Celine’s vision blurred through a veil of tears, her heart shattering into a thousand pieces. 

Without a word, Celine tore through the hall, her feet barely touching the ground as she fled the ruined wedding like a runaway bride. Her tears and the long, billowing train of her dress streamed behind her, a waterfall of heartache. She had become a living cliché, a scene from a tragic fairy tale.