Chapter 5 Princess Saturday | 200pm
Princess
The following weekend came sooner than I’d hoped.
The day my father had been waiting for. My wedding day.
The day he’d groomed me for since I was old enough to hold my hands in prayer and fake a smile in front of cameras.
The day I was supposed to smile pretty, walk a gold-lined aisle, and marry a man I couldn’t stomach.
The Montgomery estate looked like a luxury magazine spread. White roses lined the backyard in rows, stretching down an aisle so long it could’ve been a runway. An altar draped in gold-trimmed silk stood at the end, glowing in the sun. Guests packed in tight.
There were politicians, CEOs, the media, and old-money families from every corner of Havencrest. All of them were waiting to see Zeke Montgomery’s daughter tie herself to Councilman Don Lancaster like a pretty little ribbon on a box of corruption.
A wedding fit for royalty, they called it.
All I wanted to do was burn the whole thing to the ground and run. Never look back.
I stood in front of the massive mirror in my bathroom, staring at myself. I was the definition of flawless.
The dress clung to me, ivory lace molded to every curve before flaring into a dramatic train.
My makeup was perfect. My hair slicked into a low, elegant bun with a side bang.
The diamond earrings my mother gave me twinkled under the chandelier, catching the light.
My reflection looked like someone who had everything.
Inside, though, I felt like a lamb waiting to be sacrificed.
“You’re beautiful, honey,” my mother said from behind me, her voice low and tight. She sat perched on the chaise near the window, hands folded in her lap like always. Her eyes held a soft yet sad look.
I locked eyes with her in the mirror. “I look like I’m being sent to slaughter.”
Her lips tightened. “Your father…”
“Your husband,” I cut in. “He’s a control freak who’d sell my soul for an inch more power.”
“You’ve always been a fighter.”
I crossed my arms, bracelet flashing. “Maybe I’m done fighting him, Ma. This isn’t how families are supposed to work. I just want out.”
“Where would you go, Princess? What would you do for money?”
“I’ll figure it out. I just wanna be free, Ma.”
As the words left my mouth, there was a knock at the door before it swung open. “Evelyn,” my father said smoothly, already inside. “I’d like a moment alone with our daughter.”
My mother looked at me with concern, her whole face showing it. “Zeke…”
“Now.”
I didn’t even blink. “It’s fine, Ma. Go.”
She hesitated, as if she wanted to say something else, but she didn’t. She stood up, smoothing down her silk dress as she looked at him with narrowed eyes. Then, she walked out, leaving the door to close with a quiet click.
My father studied me like I was one of his sermons, head slightly tilted, eyes sharp behind the smile. “You look perfect, Princess.”
“Yeah,” I met his gaze. “I know you love appearances.”
The smile on his face barely twitched, but I caught the flicker of irritation in his eyes. “This is a good thing.”
“For you.”
“For us. For this family. For our future.”
I didn’t bother hiding the glare. “You don’t give a damn about our family or my future, Daddy. You care about control and your image. You care about lining up your power like trophies on a fucking shelf.”
The temperature dropped instantly as his smile faded.
Just like that, the pastor disappeared, and the man behind him stepped forward.
“Let me be clear,” he said, voice low and ice cold.
“You will walk down that aisle. You will say your vows. You will smile. And, more importantly, you will make your father proud.”
My spine stiffened, but I didn’t look away. “You mean be obedient.”
“I mean, be grateful.”
I laughed bitterly. “Grateful for what? A life that cages me? A husband I didn’t choose? A future I never asked for?”
He stepped closer, towering, trying to rattle my five-foot-six frame. “You will marry Don. You will do what’s best for this family.”
“Hmm.” I glanced up, matching his stare. “We shall see.” I could feel the heat of his fury as I turned my back on him and walked away. My heart was pounding but was it out of fear or exhilaration?
I kept my head high, determined. Every step felt like defiance, cracking the glass walls of the life he built for me. The hallway was long and silent, but my heels echoed like a war drum, each beat fueling my resolve.
My mother stood by the double doors of the sanctuary with two of the church women, adjusting my veil as if everything were fine. How could she act like I hadn’t just gone head-to-head with the man who thought he owned me?
The doors creaked open as the music began. That old “here comes the bride” from centuries ago. I could see rows of people turning to see the big reveal. My father now stood near the altar, face stretched into a practised grin, while Don stood beside him in a tux and a smirk I wanted to slap off.
I took a breath and a step. The air suddenly felt tight. My dress dragged behind me like dead weight. The eyes, the whispers, and all the expectation pressed down like bricks on my shoulders.
Then, out of nowhere, gunshots rang out and screams tore through the pews. My shock was immediate. Fear hit me as people ducked, panicked, and ran. I froze, uncertain whether to flee or hide, as more gunshots rang out and tires screeched in the distance.
Before I could move or even blink, I felt an arm wrap around my waist. My bouquet hit the ground as I gasped and tried to twist, but whoever had me was bigger, stronger, and had absolutely no interest in letting go.
A deep voice gritted against my ear. “Time to go, Princess.”
I screamed and a hand clamped over my mouth. Suddenly, I was moving. My heels scraped the ground with my legs tangled in lace as I kicked, clawed, and elbowed. None of it mattered. Whoever had me wasn’t fazed one bit.
They quickly dragged me across the lawn and past screaming guests, all while shooting back at the guards, until we rounded the corner of the estate. A black SUV skidded to a stop, tires throwing up gravel. The back door swung open before the vehicle even stopped moving.
“Hurry the fuck up, bro,” a deep voice barked.
I screamed as the man holding me lifted me and shoved me into the back seat.
I landed hard, dress bunched around me, heels scraping.
I turned, scrambling to fix myself, just in time to hear the doors slam shut and lock.
My chest heaved as it sped away, bullets ricocheting off the heavily tinted SUV.
Two men sat in the front, dressed in all black, with sheisty’s covering their faces.
“What the hell is this? Who… who are you?” My voice came out damn near breathless and shaky. Of course, they didn’t respond. I gripped the seat with my heart jackhammering in my chest. This wasn’t a random kidnapping. This was planned. “Where are you taking me?” I demanded. Still nothing.
Finally, the man in the passenger seat reached back and roughly slapped handcuffs on my wrists. His eyes were dark. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
I stared at him, jaw tight, chest still heaving. Confusion battled with a strange surge of resolve. Whoever they were, they hadn’t just ruined my father’s precious wedding for me. They’d just lit the first match in whatever war was coming next.