The weight of the diamond on my finger felt like a shackle, binding me to a fate I never chose. My lips were raw from nervous biting, a silent testament to the storm raging within. This was it. The grand ballroom of the Johnstone estate buzzed with the whispers of high society, a symphony of judgment and disdain. I, Alkira, the girl from nothing, was now Mrs. Zane Johnstone, a trophy bride for a man who despised me.

Across the room, Zane took another sip of wine, his jaw tight, his light brown eyes devoid of warmth. Our wedding kiss, a perfunctory peck, replayed in my mind, a stark contrast to the fairytale I once dreamt of. My mother and her boyfriend watched, smug smiles plastered on their faces, their victory achieved. My brother, Schuyler, however, bore a look of furious despair, a silent plea for me to run.

"How could he marry that gold digger?" The whispers were relentless, sharp as shards of glass. "Eww... look at her." I clenched my fists, the opulent jewelry on my arm feeling like a cruel joke. This was my life now, a public spectacle, a pawn in a game I barely understood. Zane leaned in, his lips brushing my ear, a chilling promise in his low voice, "This is just the beginning, Anna."