As I stumbled away from the wreckage, my heart pounded with a ferocity I’d never known before. The pristine white of my gown was splattered with the sugary debris of a cake meant to symbolize the sweet beginnings of a new life. Instead, it had become the catalyst for my escape from a nightmare I hadn’t known I was living.

Sarah’s grip on my wrist was ironclad, pulling me through the crowd of bewildered guests. Their faces blurred past in a swirl of confusion and whispers, some gasping, others snapping photos with their phones, capturing the chaos that had erupted at what should have been a picture-perfect wedding.

We burst through the kitchen doors, the smell of fresh herbs and roasting meats mingling with the sugary sweetness clinging to my dress. The kitchen staff, dressed in crisp white uniforms, stopped in their tracks, their expressions a mix of shock and curiosity. But Sarah didn’t stop. She yanked open a back door, and we stumbled into the cool night air.

The alley behind the conservatory was dimly lit, a sharp contrast to the opulence we’d just left behind. The sound of our shoes slapping against the damp pavement echoed in the stillness. I struggled to keep up with Sarah’s frantic pace, my mind still reeling from the rapid unraveling of what I thought was my perfect life.

“What are you doing, Sarah?” I gasped, finally wrenching free from her grip and forcing her to face me. “What the hell is going on?”

For a moment, all I saw was my sister, wild-eyed and desperate, her chest heaving with exertion. Then, she reached into her clutch and pulled out a small, black device.

“It’s a recording,” she said breathlessly, handing it to me. “I found it hidden in the wedding gifts. David’s been planning something awful, Maya. Something that involves you and… it’s not good. I overheard him talking about it with someone else. They’ve got plans for you—plans that start tonight.”

I stared at the device, my hand trembling as I took it. My mind was a whirlwind of disbelief and fear. “What are you saying? Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“I tried,” she replied, her voice breaking. “But I couldn’t get to you without David’s hawk-like watch. He must have known I was onto him. When I went to look for proof, I overheard their conversation. It was all too real. I had to act fast.”

The implications of her words hit me like a tidal wave. David, the man I was supposed to build my future with, had sinister plans. Plans I couldn’t even begin to fathom.

“But why?” I whispered, feeling a cold sweat form on my skin.

“I don’t know, Maya. But I wasn’t going to let you find out the hard way,” she replied, her expression fierce with determination. “We need to go to the police. We need to get you somewhere safe.”

The gravity of the situation sank in. I nodded, clutching the device tightly. “Thank you,” I breathed, my voice trembling with gratitude and fear.

Together, we fled into the night, leaving behind a shattered ceremony and a future that had turned dark and dangerous. With every step, the weight of betrayal and the promise of resilience fueled our escape, leaving behind what could have been—and perhaps saving us both in the process.