The road to Adrian's villa felt longer than Elena remembered.
The city lights blurred past the windshield as she drove through the quiet streets, her hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly that her knuckles had turned pale.
Her mind replayed the same images again and again.
Rachel standing at the altar.
Adrian placing the ring on her finger.
The applause of the guests.
And the empty wedding hall she had woken up in.
The memory made her chest tighten painfully.
Her wedding dress rustled softly every time she shifted in the seat. The once, perfect white fabric was now wrinkled and stained with dust.
Just hours ago, she had worn it with hope.
Now it felt like something mocking her.
When the tall iron gates of Adrian's villa finally appeared ahead, Elena slowed the car and stopped abruptly.
For a moment she simply sat there.
The house stood behind the gate, quiet and bright under the security lights.
Warm yellow light glowed through the large windows.
That house had once felt like a promise.
Now it felt like the place where everything had been taken from her.
Elena stepped out of the car slowly.
The cool night air brushed against her skin, but she barely felt it.
Her dress dragged along the pavement as she walked toward the gate.
Two security guards immediately stepped forward.
"Miss Elena," one of them said carefully. "Please stop there."
Elena pointed toward the house.
Her hands moved quickly.
I need to see Adrian.
The guards exchanged uneasy looks.
"I'm sorry," the second guard said quietly.
"Mr. Adrian gave instructions earlier. No one should be allowed in tonight."
The words struck her harder than she expected.
No one.
Not even her.
Elena shook her head.
Her hands moved again.
Please.
But the guards didn't move.
They remained standing in front of the gate.
Something inside her finally snapped.
She bent down suddenly and grabbed a small stone from the ground.
Before anyone could stop her…
She threw it at the gate.
CLANG!
The sound echoed loudly through the quiet night.
"Miss, please stop!" one of the guards said urgently.
But Elena had already grabbed another stone.
And another.
Each one slammed against the metal gate with a loud crash.
Her movements became frantic.
Desperate.
Like someone trying to break through the barrier separating her from the truth.
Then suddenly,
The front door of the villa opened.
Two figures stepped outside.
Adrian.
And Rachel.
Rachel froze the moment she saw Elena standing there.
"Elena…" she whispered.
Her voice carried across the quiet driveway.
Rachel quickly walked forward.
Adrian followed behind her.
Rachel reached the gate first, gripping the bars tightly.
Her eyes were already filled with tears.
"I'm so sorry," she said immediately.
Her voice trembled as the words left her lips.
"I know what I did was wrong."
Elena stood completely still.
Rachel wiped at her tears with trembling fingers.
"I shouldn't have drugged you," she admitted.
"I panicked."
"I couldn't watch Adrian marry you."
Adrian stepped closer now.
His expression was heavy.
Serious.
"I knew," he said quietly.
Elena slowly turned her gaze toward him.
Adrian nodded once.
"Rachel told me everything."
Rachel lowered her head.
"I confessed right after," she said softly.
"I couldn't lie about it."
Elena's hands trembled slightly at her sides.
Rachel took a shaky breath before continuing.
"Elena… I really love him."
Her voice cracked.
"When you told me you had feelings for Adrian… we were already secretly dating."
The words sank into Elena's chest like a stone.
Rachel continued speaking, her voice weak and unsteady.
"I didn't know how to tell you."
"You looked so happy whenever you talked about him."
"So I tried to make you feel better."
Her next words felt even heavier.
"I begged him to date you."
Elena felt something inside her break.
Rachel wiped at her tears again.
"I thought if you spent time with him… maybe your feelings would fade."
"But everything just became more complicated."
Her shoulders trembled.
"When our families started talking about marriage… I panicked."
Rachel lifted her eyes to meet Elena's.
"I couldn't watch him marry you."
"So I took your place."
Her voice softened.
"I'm very sorry, Elena."
"You can hate me."
"You can hit me if you want."
Rachel reached her hands through the gate toward her sister.
"Please… just cry."
Her voice shook with emotion.
"You know you're sick."
"Keeping everything inside will only hurt you."
Those words echoed painfully inside Elena's mind.
You know you're sick.
Her chest tightened.
Her breathing became shallow.
Her hands began to shake.
The world around her suddenly felt distant.
Blurry.
Then slowly…
Her strength left her.
Her hands fell weakly to her sides.
And she sank down onto the ground.
"Elena!" Rachel cried.
Rachel immediately crouched down beside the gate, reaching through the bars to grab her arm.
"Elena, please look at me."
"I'm sorry… I'm really sorry."
Behind her, Adrian stepped closer as well.
For the first time that night, guilt was clearly visible in his eyes.
"Elena," he said quietly.
He reached toward her, trying to help her stand.
But the moment his hand touched her arm…
Elena jerked away sharply.
She pushed herself to her feet quickly.
Rachel tried to steady her.
"Elena, please "
But Elena dodged her.
She stepped back, breathing unevenly.
Her eyes were red.
But no tears fell.
Slowly her hands lifted.
Then she began to sign.
You all betrayed me.
Rachel froze.
Adrian's expression tightened.
Elena's hands moved again.
My sister.
The man I loved.
My own family.
All of you.
The silence that followed felt heavy.
Rachel's tears fell harder.
"Elena… please…"
But Elena had already turned away.
She walked quickly back toward the car.
"Elena!" Rachel cried, running after her.
But the engine started before she could reach it.
The car sped down the road.
Rachel ran a few steps after it.
"Elena! Wait!"
But the car disappeared into the darkness.
Rachel stopped in the middle of the driveway, crying helplessly.
"She hates me now…" she whispered.
Adrian quickly caught up to her.
He gently pulled her into his arms.
"It's okay," he said softly.
"She just needs time."
Rachel wiped her tears, still shaking.
"I never wanted to hurt her like this."
Adrian looked down the empty road where Elena had disappeared.
For a brief moment, guilt crossed his face.
Then he held Rachel closer.
"It will be okay," he murmured.
But far down the road,
Inside the speeding car,
Elena gripped the steering wheel tightly.
The tears she had been holding back finally fell.
And in that moment, something inside her quietly broke.
Something that would never be the same again.