I used everything I had learned from my years as a dispatcher—tracking movements, memorizing schedules, studying security patterns.
But Bryant was always one step ahead.
Every time I made it close to the gates, someone stopped me.
Every time I tried contacting the outside world, the phone line was cut.
Every time I thought I was free, I was dragged back.
Weeks passed. My belly started to show. The weight of my reality became heavier. I was trapped.
Then, one morning—I woke up to something different.
A large box sat beside my bed.
Frowning, I reached for it, my fingers trembling as I lifted the lid.
Inside was a wedding gown.
Beautiful. Elegant. White lace and silk, delicately folded.
I sucked in a breath. My pulse pounded in my ears.
There was a note.
I unfolded it, my hands shaking.
"Ready for the wedding?"
I was trapped.
Not just inside Bryant’s mansion but inside a life I never wanted. Days blurred into weeks, my world reduced to the four walls of my gilded prison. Guards surrounded me at all times, their eyes cold and emotionless. No one spoke unless necessary, and I was never allowed to be alone.