The morning of the wedding hit, and it was like, whoa.
I was actually getting married.
Not in some far-off, "someday, maybe" way.
Not even in that romantic, giddy way you see in movies.
Nope. Today was the day. Seriously.
My chest got a little tight.
Before I could even really think about that, there was a knock.
Then another.
Suddenly the room was buzzing.
The hair person.
The makeup artist.
Jewelry cases.
Dress bags.
Shoes all lined up.
It was all for me.
I just stood there for a sec, staring.
Honestly, there was no "choosing." Everything was, like, fancy.
The jewelry alone probably cost more than my entire life.
It felt… weird. Like I'd accidentally wandered onto a movie set, not my own life.
The hair lady smiled kindly.
"Which style, miss?"
I blinked, and just pointed at one of the pictures.
"That one, I guess?"
She started working on my hair.
Her fingers were quick, doing all that twisting and pinning. I sat there, watching myself change.
Piece by piece, I stopped looking like… me.
When she was done, I almost didn't recognize the girl in the mirror.
I looked like a princess.
Or maybe… Cinderella before the clock strikes twelve.
A little, nervous smile crept out.
"…Beautiful," I whispered.
Behind me, Angel gasped so loud, it made me jump.
"OMG, Lily! You look incredible!"
I ducked my head, a little, hands flying up to my face
.
"Cut it out, you're embarrassing me."
When it was time for the makeup, I paused.
"I'll do it," I mumbled.
It was probably just habit. Or maybe it was the only thing that felt like anything close to normal today.
The makeup artist didn't say anything, just stood there, handing me brushes and palettes when I reached for them.
I kept it light. Soft foundation, a touch of blush.
A simple eyeshadow blend I'd only just learned.
My hands were surprisingly steady, even though my brain was a mess.
When I was done, I leaned back and looked in the mirror.
Angel's eyes went wide.
"Oh my god, Lily! Your makeup is amazing! The colors are perfect. Your skin looks incredible!"
I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.
"Thank god... I thought I'd messed it up.
Guess I actually learned something from that YouTube tutorial."
Then it was time for the dress.
I carefully stepped into the wedding gown.
The fabric felt…expensive.
Heavy, but soft.
When it finally settled, I slowly lifted my head and looked in the mirror again.
Silence.
Then I turned to Angel.
Her mouth was already hanging open.
I gave a shaky laugh.
"...Guess I don't need to ask what you think."
She put both hands on her chest, dramatic as always.
"Oh, honey, you look absolutely stunning."
I quickly picked out a pair of shoes—elegant, but not too tall. Didn't want to trip in front of everyone.
One last look in the mirror, and I let out a breath.
"...This is it, I guess."
Angel nodded without a second thought.
"Perfect."
Eventually, the hair and makeup people, the assistants, they all left. The room got quiet.
Too quiet.
Just Angel and me now.
And my thoughts, which were racing.
I reached for her hand without thinking and held on tight.
"I'm so nervous," I admitted, voice softer now.
"I just hope I don't trip or something."
Angel squeezed my hand.
"It's okay. Just breathe. Take your time. Stay calm."
I swallowed.
My heart was pounding.
"I can't believe I'm actually marrying a stranger... because of money." I stared at our hands.
"Everything's happening so fast.
It felt like a dream before... but now..."
I looked up, voice wavering.
"...I'm wide awake. So it's not a dream anymore."
A beat.
"Angel," I whispered, tightening my grip, "what if I messed up?"
Angel didn't answer right away.
She just looked at me—really looked, like she was trying to see everything I wasn't saying.
Then she sighed and squeezed my hand again.
"Lily," she said softly, "if this was about love, I'd have pulled you out of here already."
I gave a weak laugh, but it died quickly.
She kept going, voice calmer now.
"But it's not just about love, is it? It's about your debt.
Your stress. All those nights you couldn't sleep because of bills and calls and the pressure."
My fingers were trembling.
"...Yeah."
She tilted her head.
"And he didn't force you."
I hesitated.
"No... he didn't."
"He offered a contract. You agreed.
You set the condition about your debt, and he accepted without hesitation," she added.
"That means you still had a choice, Lily."
I looked down at the layers of my dress, fingers tracing the fabric.,
"A gamble, that's what it feels like," I mumbled, mostly to myself.
Angel made a little noise, like a hmm.
"Maybe. But not every gamble is a bad thing."
We were quiet for a bit.
Then she leaned in, dropping her voice.
"Be honest with me... Are you scared of him?"
The question took me by surprise.
I blinked.
"...No."
"Do you feel unsafe around him?"
I thought back – his calm voice, how he paid off my debt without making a big deal, the space he always kept.
"...No," I admitted quietly.
"Then what are you actually afraid of?" she asked.
My mouth opened, but nothing came out at first.
"...The reality of it," I finally whispered.
"Signing papers. Standing up there.
Being called his wife. Living in his world."
I took a shaky breath.
"It's like I skipped ten chapters of my life and landed right on the wedding scene."
Angel blinked – then suddenly laughed.
"That is actually the most accurate description ever."
Even though everything was crazy, a small smile touched my lips.
She sat up and gently fixed a loose piece of hair.
"Listen," she said softly, her voice getting serious again.
"You're not marrying him because you're head over heels. You're entering a contract. Clear terms. Clear boundaries."
"One year..." I repeated under my breath.
"And from what I've seen," she added, "that mysterious billionaire of yours is oddly respectful. Cold, yes. Intimidating, definitely. But not reckless."
My cheeks warmed a little.
"He's not my billionaire."
Angel smirked.
"Legally, he will be in a few hours."
"Angel!" I whispered, embarrassed.
She giggled, then squeezed my shoulders reassuringly.
"Look at me, Lily."
I slowly looked up.
"You're not a fool," she said firmly. "You thought about this. You weighed the good and bad. You didn't just jump into this."
My throat tightened.
"And if," she continued gently, "at any point this marriage stops feeling right, it's a contract.
Contracts can end. You're not stuck forever."
That... made my chest feel a little lighter.
I hesitated, my voice barely a whisper.
"What if I wake up tomorrow and wish I could rewind?"
Angel's face softened, all the harsh lines gone.
"Then you handle it," she said, matter-of-factly. "One. Single. Day. You're not signing up for forever right now.
Right now, all you gotta do is walk, not trip, and sign a piece of paper."
A nervous laugh bubbled out of me.
"...You make it sound so easy."
She grinned.
"Because it is.
Don't get caught up in the 'marriage' part.
Think of it as a really fancy business deal, with a dress."
I shook my head, but this time, a real smile tugged at my lips.
Still, I squeezed her hand tighter.
"My whole life is about to flip, isn't it?"
Angel looked at me, her eyes searching mine for a long moment.
"Yep," she finally said, honest as hell. "It is."
Then, she leaned in and flicked my forehead.
"But you're not disappearing, Lily-pad.
You're just starting a new thing. And you picked it."
I took a shaky breath.
Then another.
My heart was still doing a drum solo, but it wasn't a total disaster anymore.
"...Okay," I whispered.
Just then, a knock.
We both jumped.
Angel's eyes widened, and then she looked at me, a small, knowing smile playing on her lips.
"...I think," she murmured, "the groom's here."
The knock came again.
Louder this time.
Angel squeezed my hand one last time before heading for the door.
I just stood there, frozen, my heart hammering so hard I was sure everyone in the whole damn building could hear it.
The door opened.
I didn't turn right away.
I don't know why — maybe I needed one more second of just being me, Lily, not someone's wife.
"Mr. Alex is here," Angel said softly.
My breath hitched.
Slowly, I turned.
And there he was.
Perfect suit, sharp lines, the whole deal.
He filled the room before he even walked in. Cool. Collected. Scary calm.
For a second, his eyes landed on me — and stayed there.
He didn't say anything.
He didn't move.
He just looked.
And something shifted. Not a big thing. Not a show.
But the usual coldness in his eyes softened… just a little.
His gaze traveled over me — not in a creepy way, but like he was really seeing me — the dress, the hair, the makeup.
Then he stepped closer.
Angel quietly slipped past him, giving us space.
"You look..." he started, then paused, like he was trying to find the right words.
"...stunning."
It wasn't a big, romantic speech.
It was just…him.
My fingers tightened around the flowers.
"Thank you," I said quietly.
There was a beat of silence between us — not uncomfortable, but heavy with all the things that were about to happen.
He held out his hand.
"Ready?"