Her father stepped forward, his voice low but resolute. “And when you do, we’ll be behind you. Whatever this is, Clara, you won’t face it alone.” For the first time since the ceremony, she felt something other than despair. It was fragile, but it was there—a spark of resolve burning through the haze of betrayal.
Minutes later, she was in the car, the road a blur beneath her headlights. Every mile tightened the knot in her chest, her mind swinging between fury and dread. She had once imagined arriving at this hotel hand in hand with Liam, radiant with love. Now she was storming toward it with a broken heart, desperate for the truth.