Edited 29-04-2023

The world shattered around me as I stood there, clutching the paper in my hand. It was as if my entire reality had been flipped upside down, leaving me reeling in its aftermath. At that moment, I couldn't help but reflect on the fragile nature of human existence. We go about our lives, taking for granted the people and things we hold dear, never truly knowing when it could all come crashing down.

In a moment of rage, I signed the paper and hurled it at Zachary's face. Then I had rushed over to Emmett, lying lifeless on the ground. "Emmett, please wake up," I cried out, hoping against hope that he would respond. But there was no answer, just the sound of my own voice echoing through the venue.

Suddenly, a strong grip seized my arm and pulled me back. I fought against it, struggling to break free. But it was no use. Zachary had hold of me, and he was dragging me away from the scene of the tragedy. I looked back at my parents who were screaming for me. 

"Let me go!" I screamed, but he wouldn't listen. 

My heart raced as I stumbled behind him, still in shock at what had just transpired. How could things have gone so wrong? The wedding was supposed to be a happy occasion, a celebration of love and commitment. But now, everything had gone terribly awry.

As we made our way out of the venue, I could feel Zachary's grip tightening around my arm. His face was twisted in a look of fury as if he blamed me for what had happened. 

I couldn't help but feel a sense of despair as we stepped out into the bright sunshine. How could I face the world after this? How could I go on knowing that my actions had led to such tragedy?

But Zachary didn't seem to care about any of that. He was focused solely on getting me out of there, away from the scene of the crime. And I was powerless to stop him.

As we reached his black car, he threw me inside and slammed the door shut. I was trapped, both physically and emotionally, unable to escape the weight of what had just transpired.

"Listen here, woman," Zachary spat, his grip on my arm tightening. "You do as I say, or your family pays the price."

I recoiled at the venom in Zachary's voice, his grip on my arm tightening. My heart raced as I realized that he wasn't bluffing. His men were still inside the venue, armed and dangerous. They could easily carry out his threats.

"What do you want from me?" I asked, my voice trembling with fear.

"I want you to play your part, just like we rehearsed a few minutes ago," he sneered. "And don't even think about trying anything funny, or your family will regret it."

My mind raced as I tried to think of a way out of this nightmare. How had things gone so wrong? How had I ended up in this situation?

But there was no time to dwell on those questions. I had to focus on the task at hand, no matter how impossible it seemed.

I did my best to comply with Zachary's demands, keeping my mouth shut and my movements controlled. But as he reached out to touch me, I felt a surge of fear that I couldn't suppress. I flinched back instinctively, trying to put some distance between us.

Unfortunately, I was already pressed up against the inside of the car, and my sudden movement caused me to lose my balance. I stumbled backward, my head colliding with something hard and unyielding.

Pain exploded in my skull, and I cried out in agony. I could feel warm blood trickling down my scalp, and I knew that I had done some serious damage.

Zachary didn't seem to care. He simply snarled at me to get up and keep moving, as if my injury was nothing more than an inconvenience. I gritted my teeth and tried to push through the pain, but it was becoming harder and harder to stay conscious.

Everything went black, and I crumpled to the seat, the world spinning around me.

As I gradually regained consciousness, I was struck by a sense of disorientation and confusion. The world around me was dark and silent, and it took me a moment to remember where I was. Slowly, the memories started flooding back. The wedding, my Emmett, my family, the man in a mask, the car, the struggle, the blow to my head. 

I opened my eyes to the luxurious interior of the cabin, with plush leather seats and polished wood paneling. The room was bathed in a soft amber light, casting a warm glow on everything around me. The sound of the engines was a low, steady hum, barely audible over the gentle hum of the air conditioning.

As I struggled to my feet, my legs felt weak and unsteady. The enormity of the situation hit me like a ton of bricks. I was on a private plane, thousands of feet in the air, with no idea where I was headed or what would happen to me.

Tears streamed down my face as I stumbled toward the bathroom, clutching at the rich upholstery of the seats for support. I was overcome with a sense of despair and hopelessness as if I was trapped in a nightmare from which I would never wake.

But even as the darkness threatened to swallow me whole, a small spark of determination flickered to life deep within my soul. I knew that I had to find a way to survive this ordeal, no matter how impossible it seemed.

I looked around the small room from the washroom, disoriented and confused. It was dimly lit, and I could feel the hum of the engines vibrating through the metal walls.

As I stumbled toward the bathroom, my legs felt weak and unsteady. Tears streamed down my face, and I could still feel the weight of the terror and trauma that I had experienced.

In the bathroom, I looked at myself in the mirror, and the image that stared back at me was unrecognizable. My makeup was smudged, and my face was streaked with tears. My eyes were red and puffy, and my hair was a tangled mess.

I didn't know where I was going or what was going to happen to me. All I knew was that I had to find a way to survive this nightmare.

Emmett, my beloved fiancé, lay lifeless on the ground, taken from me in an instant by the machinations of cruel men. Everything we had planned together, all of our hopes and dreams, had been shattered in an instant.

My heart was heavy with grief and anger, but amidst the pain, a glimmer of hope flickered to life. I knew that I had to find a way out of this situation, for myself and for my family.

But then I looked down at my once-pristine wedding gown, and the sight brought me crashing back down to earth. The dress, which I had so lovingly customised and bought for my special day, was now marred with stains of blood.

Tears streamed down my face as I realised that the most important day of my life had turned into a living nightmare. The dress, once a symbol of hope and joy, was now a stark reminder of the horrors that I had endured. And with that realisation, my heart grew heavier still, weighed down by the burden of grief and loss.

But then I looked down at my white wedding gown. It was marred with stains of blood. The dress which I had so lovingly customised and bought for my wedding, has turned into a nightmare.

As I took a deep breath, I couldn't help but notice the smell of blood emanating from my body. The metallic scent was overpowering, making me feel nauseous. All I could think about was Emmet, my beloved husband-to-be, lying in a pool of his own blood.

The memory of his lifeless body flashed before my eyes, and I couldn't hold back my tears. The grief was too much to bear, and I began to wail uncontrollably. The sound echoed through the empty room, but it was no match for the pain that I felt in my heart.

I stumbled towards the sink, desperately trying to get rid of the blood smell. I turned on the faucet and splashed water onto my face, I felt angry and frustrated. I couldn't save Emmet.

 I was hoping that the water would wash away the memories along with the blood. But no matter how hard I tried, the scent remained, taunting me with the memories of what had transpired.

As I stood there, trembling with grief and anger, I realized that nothing could erase the pain and memories that were now etched into my mind.

I took a deep breath and squared my shoulders. I knew that the road ahead would be difficult, but I was determined to face it head-on. With a newfound sense of strength, I walked back to my seat, ready to do whatever it took to escape from the situation and find justice for Emmett. 

Every cloud has a silver lining.

But even as the darkness threatened to swallow me whole, a small spark of determination flickered to life deep within my soul. I knew that I had to find a way to survive this ordeal, no matter how impossible it seemed. I had to find a way out.