The bachelorette party was nothing like Elara expected.
Lila's friends welcomed her instantly.
No awkward glances.
No silent judgment.
Just laughter.
Conversation.
Ease.
"You're Elara, right?" one of them said, eyes lighting up.
Elara hesitated. "Yes…?"
"Oh my God, I've seen you online," the woman said. "You looked stunning at that gala. I'm actually a fan."
Elara blinked.
A fan?
She wasn't sure how to respond.
"Thank you," she said softly.
And for once—
She meant it without doubt.
The night escalated.
Music.
Drinks.
And then—
The male strip club.
Elara had never been to one before.
Not in her wildest imagination.
But the energy was infectious.
Laughter echoed, women cheering, the atmosphere light and unfiltered.
And for once—
Elara didn't feel out of place.
She laughed.
She clapped.
She even allowed herself to look and indulged without guilt.
To exist without shrinking.
On the other side of the island—
The bachelor party was anything but calm.
Music blasted.
Drinks flowed.
Men laughed loudly.
Aaron sat with Derek, half-listening to the chaos around him.
Until—
"Did you see that woman earlier?" one of the men said, clearly tipsy. "The one at the beach?"
Another nodded. "Yeah. She was—damn. Beautiful. And hot. Like… unexpectedly hot."
Aaron went still.
"She had this confidence, too," the man continued. "The kind that makes you look twice."
Aaron's jaw tightened.
"Wouldn't mind seeing her again tonight," the man added with a smirk.
That was it.
Aaron stood abruptly.
The chair scraped loudly against the floor.
"What did you just say?" his voice was low.
Dangerously low.
The man blinked, confused. "Relax, man, I was just—"
Aaron stepped forward.
Fast.
Too fast.
Before it could escalate—
Derek grabbed him.
"Hey—hey!" he said sharply, holding him back. "What are you doing?"
Aaron's chest rose and fell, tension radiating off him.
"That's my wife," he snapped.
Silence.
Immediate.
The man's expression shifted to shock. "Wait—I didn't know—"
"Clearly," Aaron cut in coldly.
Derek tightened his grip. "Not worth it," he muttered.
But Aaron's eyes were still dark.
Still locked.
Still burning.
When Aaron got back to their hotel room, he was visibly fuming, clenching and unclenching his fists. He quickly went to take a shower to cool down his nerves.
Elara got back to the hotel room and didn't see anyone, but the shower was running, so she assumed Aaron was back. But before she could move to the balcony, Aaron emerged from the shower, a towel hanging low at his waist, water dripping from his body. She froze, drinking him in for a second, and abruptly turned around. "I'm so sorry."
Aaron smirked, "It's okay, you're my wife, and you are allowed to look". Without replying to him, Elara quickly found her way to the balcony to cool herself down, and Aaron stood there with a small smile playing on his face.
The wedding day arrived.
And it was…
Beautiful.
Soft music filled the air, the ocean stretching endlessly behind the ceremony setup. White flowers lined the aisle, the breeze gentle, the atmosphere filled with quiet love.
Elara stood in front of the mirror.
Her dress was breathtaking.
Elegant.
Form-fitting.
Designed to celebrate her body, not hide it.
When she stepped out—
Time paused.
Aaron looked up.
And for the second time on this trip—
He forgot how to breathe.
She was…
Stunning.
No.
More than that.
She was impossible to ignore.
His eyes lingered.
Just a second too long.
But Elara?
She didn't look at him.
Not once.
She walked past him like his reaction didn't matter.
And somehow—
That affected him more.
⸻
The ceremony began.
Lila walked down the aisle, glowing, her eyes locked on Derek.
Derek looked at her like she was his entire world.
No hesitation.
No confusion.
No delay.
Just… love.
Elara felt it.
Deeply.
Quietly.
Her chest tightened as she watched them exchange vows—real vows, filled with emotion, promises, certainty.
Her mind drifted.
To her own wedding.
The coldness.
The distance.
The humiliation.
The silence where love should have been.
And for a moment—
She wondered.
If things had been different…
If it had looked like this…
If she had walked down an aisle where someone actually wanted her…
Would it have been beautiful?
Her throat tightened.
But she didn't cry.
Not here.
Not now.
She watched.
And understood something quietly:
She deserved more than what she had been given.
⸻
Aaron, seated beside her, glanced at her briefly.
He didn't know what she was thinking.
But he saw the shift.
The softness.
The distance.
And for the first time—
It unsettled him.