Start Of The Nightmare
Wedding Day.
Emery drove through the wrought-iron gates of the sprawling Bramwell estate on the outskirts of the city, her old sedan looking painfully out of place among the luxury vehicles already lined up for the wedding.
The grand mansion rose ahead, manicured lawns rolling out like emerald carpets under the late spring sun.
This place had once been her home. After the car accident that killed her parents while her mother, Helena, was still carrying her, miraculously, the doctors had saved the tiny unborn Emery.
From that day on, her mother’s brother, Harold Bramwell, had become her guardian, raising her with a firm but steady hand until she turned eighteen and chose independence, moving out to build her own quiet life.
Harold and his wife Judith had been kind enough in their own way. Judith especially had always tried to soften the edges. But her cousin Camilla… Camilla had never hidden her resentment.
Emery had grown up wearing Camilla’s hand-me-down clothes, slightly too big or too small, never quite right, and she had never once complained, grateful simply to have a roof and food.
Today, though, she was here for Camilla’s wedding.
She didn’t know much about the groom. Only that he was wealthy, powerful, and apparently liked Camilla a great deal. Camilla, for her part, had seemed anything but excited about the match.
Emery parked and walked up the wide stone steps, her slender frame still carrying the exhaustion from the argument with Jesse a few days ago.
Judith Bramwell greeted her at the grand double doors with a warm, slightly harried smile, pulling her into a quick hug. “Emery, darling, you made it. Come in, come in. Everything’s been chaos since morning.”
Inside the opulent foyer, Judith led her toward one of the guest suites. “I picked out the bridesmaid dress for you. I hope you like it.”
She held up a beautiful peachy-pink long maxi dress, sparkling with delicate sequins that caught the light like scattered rose petals.
The fabric looked soft and flowing, and when Emery held it against herself, she saw it was exactly her size... slender cut, modest neckline, elegant without being overwhelming.
“It’s lovely,” Emery said softly, offering a genuine but tired smile. “Thank you, Aunt Judith. You didn’t have to go to so much trouble.”
Judith waved a hand, her eyes kind. “Nonsense. You’re family. Camilla may be the bride, but you’re still part of this day.” She paused, studying Emery’s face a moment too long. “You look a little pale, dear. Everything alright at work?”
Emery’s heart stuttered, but she kept her expression steady, fingers gently tracing the sparkling fabric of the dress. “Just a long week. I’ll be fine once I change.”
Judith nodded, though her gaze lingered with quiet concern. “The ceremony starts in a couple of hours. Harold wants everyone ready soon. The groom’s family is… influential. Best to make a good impression.”
Emery simply nodded, clutching the dress to her chest like a shield. She still didn’t know the groom’s name. Only that he was rich, that Camilla didn’t seem happy, and that this wedding was clearly more about alliances and expectations than love.
As Judith left her to change, Emery stood alone in the elegant guest room, staring at her reflection in the full-length mirror.
The peachy-pink dress shimmered softly against her fair skin.
Whatever this wedding brought, she would face it with the quiet strength she had always carried. The same strength that had let her walk away from Jesse in the rain, even as her heart broke.
Little did she know, the man waiting at the altar was about to change everything.
×××××××
The morning of the wedding, sunlight streamed through the tall windows of the Prescott family estate.
Alexander Prescott stood before the full-length mirror, meticulously adjusting the cuffs of his impeccably tailored charcoal suit.
At thirty-two, he carried himself with the composed, controlled elegance that defined him... neatly styled dark hair, clean-shaven face, calm and observant eyes.
Today, however, a rare spark of quiet excitement lit his expression as he straightened his tie one final time.
This was supposed to be the day he married Camilla Bramwell, the woman he had loved quietly and one-sidedly for years. Despite her obvious reluctance, he still hoped this union could grow into something real.
The door opened and Jesse Prescott walked in, already fully dressed for the role of best man.
He looked striking in a soft pink button-down shirt that contrasted beautifully with his navy suit jacket and matching trousers, a crisp bowtie perfectly knotted at his collar.
Tall and lean with an athletic build, dark brown hair neatly styled and light stubble shadowing his sharp jaw, he would have turned heads anywhere.
Yet his intense dark brown eyes lacked their usual fire; instead, they carried a heavy, unsettled sadness.
He hadn’t spoken to Emery in days. The silence after their fight unsettled him more than he cared to admit.
Jesse forced a teasing grin as he leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. “Look at you, big brother. Standing there like a man who just won the lottery. Adjusting that suit for the hundredth time... anyone would think you’re nervous.”
Alexander turned, his calm features softening into a small, genuine smile. “I suppose I am. A little. Camilla… she’s the one I’ve wanted for a long time. Today I finally get to marry the woman I love.”
Jesse chuckled, though the sound didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Lucky bastard. Most men spend their lives chasing what you’re about to have handed to you at the altar. Try not to look too smug when you say ‘I do.’”
Alexander gave a low laugh, checking his reflection once more. “I’ll do my best. You clean up well yourself, by the way. That pink shirt suits you. Makes you look almost civilized.”
“Yeah, well, someone has to balance out your serious older-brother energy.” Jesse pushed off the doorframe and clapped his brother on the shoulder, the gesture warm despite the ache in his chest. He hadn’t seen her since she walked out into the rain. No calls. No messages. Just silence.
“Come on,” Jesse said, keeping his voice light. “Everyone’s waiting downstairs. The cars are ready, and if we don’t leave soon, our dearest sisters will start hunting us down. Wouldn’t want to keep your blushing bride waiting.”
Alexander nodded, taking one last look in the mirror before turning toward the door. “You’re right. Let’s go.”
As the two brothers stepped out together, Jesse’s mind lingered on the woman he had pushed away. He had no idea that in just a few hours, the carefully hidden world they had built for three years would shatter in the most unexpected way.
×××××××
Emery stepped quietly into Camilla’s lavish dressing room on the second floor of the Bramwell estate, the peachy-pink sparkling maxi dress Judith had chosen for her swishing softly around her slender legs.
Her long chestnut-brown hair fell in soft waves past her shoulders, the wispy curtain bangs framing her fair, rosy-toned face. She paused at the threshold, taking in the sight before her.
Camilla Bramwell stood in front of the tall mirror, dressed in an exquisite ivory wedding gown that hugged her figure before flowing into a dramatic train.
The delicate lace and shimmering details made her look every bit the radiant bride, except for the tight, unhappy line of her mouth and the way her shoulders remained rigid.
“You look beautiful, Camilla,” Emery said softly, meaning it. “Truly. The dress suits you perfectly.”
For the first time in years, Camilla didn’t snap back with sarcasm or dismiss her. Instead, she turned slowly, her eyes meeting Emery’s in the mirror with something almost vulnerable. She let out a shaky breath.
“Thanks,” Camilla murmured. Then, after a beat of silence, she added quietly, “I don’t want to marry him, Emery. I can’t do this.”
Emery’s stormy eyes widened slightly. She stepped closer, her voice gentle. “Camilla… he seems like a good man. He’s clearly devoted to you. Everyone says he’s loved you for a long time. Maybe once you’re married, things could grow—”
Camilla shook her head, cutting her off.
“I’m not ready for this. Not with him. Not like this.
It’s all pressure and expectations and ‘what’s best for the family.
’ I feel trapped.” Her voice cracked on the last word.
“I just… I need more time. I’m not ready to be someone’s wife, especially not in a marriage that feels like a business deal. ”
Emery reached out instinctively, placing a comforting hand on her cousin’s arm. “I know it’s scary. Marriage is huge. But running from it without talking to him might make everything worse. He cares about you. Maybe if you told him how you’re feeling—”
Before she could finish, the door opened and Judith Bramwell swept in, already dressed in an elegant champagne-colored mother-of-the-bride ensemble, her hair perfectly styled and pearls gleaming at her throat.
“Girls, we’re leaving for the venue in ten minutes,” Judith said briskly, though her tone carried warmth as she looked between them.
“Camilla, darling, you look stunning. Come downstairs now, your father is already waiting, and we can’t keep the groom's family waiting. Everything is timed perfectly.”
Camilla’s face paled, but she gave a small, stiff nod. Judith smiled at Emery. “You look lovely in that dress too, dear. Thank you for being here today.”
Emery offered a quiet “Of course,” but her heart felt heavy as she watched Camilla’s rigid posture. The tension in the room was thick, unspoken fears hanging between them like storm clouds.
As Judith turned to leave, urging them to follow, Emery glanced back at her cousin one last time, a quiet sense of unease settling in her chest.
She had no idea how dramatically this wedding was about to unravel or how it would entangle her own already-fractured heart with the Prescott brothers.
×××××××
Jesse sat in the driver’s seat of the sleek black SUV outside the Prescott family home.
In his lap was six-month-old Kitty Ryde, his elder sister Harper’s daughter, the chubby, adorable little girl who had the entire family wrapped around her tiny fingers. Kitty’s round cheeks dimpled as she giggled, her bright eyes crinkling while Jesse gently tickled her belly with his long fingers.
“Who’s the cutest girl in the world? Hmm? Is it you?” Jesse cooed, his intense dark brown eyes softening completely as the baby let out another peal of laughter, her little fists waving happily.
For a moment, the heavy weight in his chest lifted. Kitty was pure sunshine... chubby cheeks, soft tufts of dark hair, and the kind of infectious laugh that made even the most guarded heart melt.
The passenger door opened and Alexander slid in, already perfectly composed in his charcoal suit. “Let’s go,” he said calmly, buckling his seatbelt.
From the back, Harper Ryde climbed in, still arguing playfully with her youngest sister, Ivy. “Let’s go, bitches!” Harper announced dramatically as she settled herself.
“Stop calling us that, Harper,” Ivy groaned, sliding in beside her.
Jesse chuckled under his breath, pressing one last kiss to Kitty’s soft head before carefully handing the baby over the seat to Ivy. “Mom and Grandpa already got in?” he asked.
“Yeah, they’re riding with Percy in his car,” Harper replied. “I wanted to sit here with my bitches today!”
They were four siblings, Alexander, Harper then Jesse and Ivy. Twins.
Ivy was one minute younger than Jesse.
“Jesse, drive. We’re getting late,” Alexander said from the front, though a small, rare smile tugged at his lips.
“Look at you,” Ivy teased, bouncing Kitty gently on her lap. “Dying to get married.”
Jesse glanced in the rearview mirror at his siblings, Harper’s bold energy, Ivy’s quiet sass, Alexander’s steady calm, and felt a familiar ache twist deeper in his chest.
He hadn’t spoken to Emery in days. The silence after their fight gnawed at him.
He shifted the car into drive. “Let’s go.”
The SUV pulled smoothly out of the driveway, carrying the four Prescott siblings toward the venue.
In the back, Harper continued her playful banter while Kitty cooed happily. Jesse kept his eyes on the road, jaw tight beneath the light stubble, his mind replaying Emery’s tear-streaked face in the rain and the words he wished he could take back.
Today was supposed to be Alexander’s day.
He had no idea it was about to become his worst nightmare.
×××××××