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CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

I stood in front of the golden arch mirror, staring at myself. My hair was shiny black and long—Marisha had put in extensions and had clipped in black feathers on the sides of my hair. My eyes were lined in thick black eyeliner, with my lips painted a deep red.

“You look gorgeous. I can see why he chose you to be…” She sighed and clasped her hands together.

“Chose me to be, what?” I brushed my hands against the black tulle dress. It reminded me of a ballerina’s outfit.

It felt strange wearing anything but the all-white I had been trained to survive in.

“The favorite girl, of course. Tonight is the ceremony.”

My heart dropped as I flung around and grabbed Marisha’s arms. “No, what do you mean, Alister chose me to be the favorite girl? What does that mean here?”

Marisha looped her arms into mine. “It’s your wedding day, silly.” She shuddered as I fell back into the mirror.

“No…I can’t marry him. I…” I gasped for air as panic rose inside me.

“I must confess, Demi. I always thought he’d have chosen me. We’ve worked closely together for so long.” Marisha handed me a cup full of pills. “Here.”

“How is it feeling?” She looked down at my crotch.

Heat flooded my cheeks as I looked at her. “If I’m getting married in a few minutes, then doesn’t that mean tonight is my…wedding night?” I grimaced at the thought of having sex with Alister Ivory, especially considering my body was still in pain.

“Yes.” Marisha turned away. “The pills are painkillers. Just take them, and it’ll be okay.”

“He likes…well, you’ll see soon enough.” She paused. “I’ll need to go get dressed now, too. The ceremony is starting soon.”

I looked at myself in the mirror. This was such a peculiar outfit to wear for what was apparently my wedding day.

If I married him, I’d become his wife and have full access to everything. Maybe this is exactly what I needed. Sometimes I regretted how I acted out in a panic and wave of emotion after being forced to marry Conrad. Had I played the part of the obedient wife, then perhaps I would have exposed the Ivory family back in Charlotte. Perhaps I would have saved them…the caged girls. I didn’t even take the time to memorize their faces. They were all bald, green eyes, and thin. That was the extent of seeing them.

“It’s time, Demi.”

I looked at Marisha and brushed my hands against the tulle skirt. “Here.” I followed behind her and she handed me a bouquet of red roses, ivory peonies, and one single sunflower. I couldn’t help but smile at the flower. It was such a happy, beautiful color.

“It’s a tradition Mr. Ivory has always dreamed of starting. A single sunflower. The flower that closes for its fear when darkness pours in.” She shrugged as we made our way to the elevator.

Gripping the bouquet between my hands, I closed my eyes and prayed to a god I didn’t know existed.

I begged her to give me the strength to save the rest of the girls here and free me of the pain I’d been carrying my entire life. I pleaded with her to help me get back to my sister and find out that she didn’t betray me. I prayed to be set free from this gilded cage once and for all.

“What are you praying for?” Marisha whispered.

I opened my eyes and looked at her, feigning a smile. “I prayed that she would bless my marriage to Alister.”

Marisha tilted her head and slanted her eyes at me. “She?”

“If there is a god who will help me…well, it must be a woman. No man would answer these prayers.” I turned back and waited until the doors opened.

They opened directly into a peony garden.

“Shall we?” Marisha opened her hand to me. I looked at it, but shook my head and took a step forward.

It was breathtakingly beautiful. There was a light echo of music floating through the warm, salty sea air. A piano and perhaps a harp? I looked at all the gorgeous fairy lights that twinkled against the otherwise dark sky.

The scent of peonies was overwhelming but refreshing from the otherwise sterile, often bleach-scented environment of La Gabbia. There must have been some special way they were having peonies bloom in this makeshift garden on a private island.

“Stand here.” Marisha pointed. “You’ll know when to walk down the aisle when the music shifts. And look, perfect timing! The rest of your bridesmaids are here.” Marisha smiled.

I looked behind me, and my lips parted in shock. It was Mrs. Rothschild and a few of the other guests I had seen with the other girls. All of them had their blonde hair neatly pinned back, white ankle-length dresses, and small bouquets of peonies gripped between their palms.

“Why would they be my bridesmaids?” I whispered to Marisha. The women all had green eyes. How do the guests of La Gabbia all look like that?

“We treat our VIP guests extra well, Demi. Well, looks like it’s my turn. See you at the altar.” She winked at me.

The music shifted into the song Alister once recited lyrics to me from.

“All of Me” by John Legend.

I took a step forward until I curved around the tall palm trees and saw him. Alister Ivory was standing under a stunning canopy of peonies and lights, his skin permanently sun-kissed. His shiny black hair was combed neatly, and his dark eyes widened as he saw me.

There were guests seated and just a few bridesmaids lined on one side, and then one groomsman stood with Alister.

Bradley.

My jaw ticked and my eyes filled with tears as I pictured him kissing my sister. He knew she was alive this entire time; he watched me live every day in agonizing pain and carrying the guilt of her death. He made me fall in love with him, even though he was in love with her.

Was he impregnating her so they could sell their babies? Was this their first time, or had she done this before? Sage and Declan Rothschild would take the baby of my sister and the man I thought I loved.

Bradley’s eyes stayed on mine as I walked down the aisle, but I looked away and back at Alister, who was staring at me in awe.

Once I got to the altar, I handed my bouquet to Sage and placed my hands into Alister’s without a second thought. My hands shook in his and I kept my eyes lowered as I whispered, “This is quite a surprise.” I lifted my gaze to his. “I didn’t know we were getting married.”

Something was different in Alister. The way his face had softened when he saw me. The way his lips were slightly parted as he watched me carefully.

“Alister?” I said quietly, my heart racing. Jamie was punished for saying his first name and here I was, announcing it in front of others.

Alister blinked and looked at the older man who appeared in religious garb and an all-white cloak. “Father John, welcome.”

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join Mr. Alister Ivory and Demi in holy matrimony. Marriage is a sacred bond between not only two humans, but two souls. Demi, you may repeat the vows after me, and Mr. Ivory, you will do the same after your bride.” Father John nodded to me.

“I, Demi, take you, Alister Ivory, to be my husband to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer…and richer.” I paused, and Father John nodded as I repeated what he had said. I knew for sure Alister had edited the original vows.

“In sickness and in health, until death bring us even closer.” Marisha nudged me and handed me a black wedding band. My fingers shook as I looked up at Alister. His jaw clenched as he held his hand out for me. Sliding the wedding band on, I realized I wasn’t okay. I wasn’t as strong as I thought I’d be. This was the second time I was getting married against my will into this sick family. But this time, I knew I had to keep myself composed. The most powerful person aside from an Ivory man had to be an Ivory woman.

“I, Alister Ivory, take you, Demi, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer and richer, in sickness and in health, with death never parting us. Even in your after life, you will serve me, worship me, and pleasure me.” Alister’s words poured out smoothly as he slid a massive, radiant-cut diamond ring onto my finger, followed by a thin band.

I glanced at the guests and squinted. I’d been so nervous on my walk in that I didn’t focus on them. I took a step away from Alister, but he quickly gripped me.

“Are they…” I felt faint. There were a few rows of women that alternated between white and black dresses and hair.

But they weren’t alive…they were corpses, somehow sitting upright. I recognized one. Jamie.

Gasping, I turned back to Alister. “Alister, you killed her…”

“You may now kiss your bride!” Father John called out as Alister cupped my face and dipped me downward. His lips locked onto mine as my eyes stayed open in shock. Lifting me upright, I looked at Bradley, whose eyes glistened.

“They are dead. What… Why did you kill Jamie?”

“It’s to show you, my beloved, that even when you’re no longer here earthside, I’ll never let you go. And this is what happens if you dare disrespect me.” He smiled and lifted our hands into the air as the bridesmaids cheered and clapped. We walked down the black-and-white-checkered aisle.

Alister leaned in and kissed my neck. “You are mine forever, even in death.”