My eyes scanned her rumpled dress, the slit by the side looking unnaturally long, almost like it had been ripped higher with force. She shrugged and grabbed her bouquet from the planner, coming to stand beside me.

"Have you been waiting for long?" she drawled, a smile etched on her features. "There was so much traffic on the way here. You would have died in it."

"Traffic?" I whispered, looking back at Zane. "But there wasn't any on my way here, and ..."

"Of course, this happened much later," Sophie continued, cutting me short. "We had to make a quick stop at a breakfast spot to get something to eat. You know how Zane can get if he doesn't have breakfast before starting his day."

And then, my cousin paused dramatically before adding, "You should have thought about that before opting for a morning wedding."

I tried to understand what was going on, but it only left me with a bitter taste in my mouth and a building headache.

It made no sense.

Nothing made sense.

"Sophie," I breathed, my voice coming out shaky, far from what I intended. "What were you doing with Zane? Why were you both together on the morning of our wedding?"

"Don't push it, Lily," Zane muttered under his breath. His hand reached for his tie, tugging gently. There was a faint smear of red on the white shirt, under the tie. It looked like lipstick.

And I didn't own a red lipstick.

"Zane... I was...."

The guests had begun to return, the hall gradually filling up again.

"You were the one who wanted a morning wedding, Lily," Zane muttered, shaking his head. "I told you my friends were throwing me a bachelorette and that I was bound to be hungover, but you didn't listen to me. Even Sophia..."

I shook my head slowly, careful not to make the curls unravel. I couldn't let Zane see me imperfect, not even for a second. "It was the planner, not me, remember? She wanted us to be done with this on time because you told her you had something else to do at night. Zane..."

"Oh!" His lips moved, and something shifted in his eyes. "Then, you should have reminded me that I'm not a morning person. Sophie was kind enough to help me today while you ran around trying to be perfect for your big day."

I felt something sharp hit my chest, so hard that I almost doubled over from the pain. Instead, I looked between them, a crease settling between my brows. "Sophie .... was with you throughout the night?"

He shrugged. "Unlike you, who had to have her beauty sleep, Sophie decided to go for the bachelorette with me. Now, don't go blaming her because she was actually doing you a favour. Would you rather I'd attended with some whore?"

"My cousin..."

Sophie rolled her eyes beside me, blowing out a stream of breath, like I was the one doing too much right now.

"Don't be so dramatic, Lily," she sighed. "Nothing happened, okay? I was just there for your fiancé to keep him out of trouble."

"You were supposed to be with me throughout the night, Sophie. That was the arrangement we had. This morning, random strangers had to get me ready for my wedding because the one person assigned to the task decided to go for a bachelorette that would have happened without your presence."

Sophie looked at Zane, and in that split second, something seemed to pass between them before she brought her attention back to me. "Of course, blame me for everything. It's what you always do."

"Sophie..."

"Stop it, Lily," Zane snapped harshly, just as the minister walked in through a side door. "Your cousin was only looking out for you. You should be thankful, rather than lashing out at her."

My lips parted, but before my thoughts could form anything coherent, the minister beat me to it.

"You have arrived," he muttered, not looking at either of us. "Shall we begin?"

The orchestra started with the song that should have been used to walk me down the aisle. There was tension in the room, and I couldn't shake off the feeling that I had done something terribly wrong.

I waited impatiently for the exchange of vows, and I guessed Zane did too, because he slipped the ring onto my fingers so fast, like he had somewhere else to be. I noticed he didn't allow his hands to linger on my body, almost like I revolted him.

Was this because of what I said earlier?

"You have now become man and wife," the minister announced after a couple of minutes. "You can now kiss your bride."

I raised my face eagerly, wanting this to be the moment that melted all the tension between us. But my lips landed in thin air as he planted a chaste kiss on my cheeks before turning around to face the crowd, leaving me no choice but to do the same.

I plastered a smile on my face, even though I was hurting deep down. Still, I had to make this day perfect for him. It was the least I could do after choosing not to follow him to his bachelorette.

We walked out to the entrance of the chapel, with the rest of the guests behind us. I barely knew any of them, but that was fine because my husband had a large army of friends and family.

My husband. It sounded so good and surreal.

At the entrance, while we posed for pictures, I tried to talk to Zane and Sophie, who had managed to push me to the edge of the pictures, with Sophie standing in the middle.

I didn't mind. They had every right to be upset.

"Thank you for looking out for my husband," I whispered when I had the chance.

She didn't look at me. "I thought you were still blaming me for all the misfortune in your life."

"You know if you had just told me..."

"Can we end this session?" Zane muttered suddenly, pushing away from the rest of the crowd, eager to take pictures with us. He turned around to look at me.

"I'm sorry, honey, but I am going to have to run along right now." It was hard to read the sincerity in his eyes. It felt like a robot talking. Like every bit of emotion had been tossed away.

"But...but the reception..."

"Yeah, about that," he breathed, shaking his head slowly. "We both know parties like that aren't really my thing. The ceremony is what is important, and we have gotten that out of the way. I have a meeting to attend."

"So what should I do?" I called out loud as he walked down the cobbled steps. "And where are you going to, Sophie?"

"The meeting is for both of us," she replied, waving her dainty little fingers in the air. "And you can go to the reception alone. I'm sure you can represent your husband well. It is the least you could do, after making him have a horrible bachelorette."

I didn't go to the reception. Instead, I returned to Zane's apartment, deciding to wait for him there. And while I waited, I got down to work, changing into the red lingerie I had purchased for the night.

I stood in the kitchen, clad in nothing but red lace, while I worked, making him his favorite dish of casserole and ensuring the refrigerator was stacked with the right drinks.

The heat from the kitchen made me sweat so bad, but I didn't care because I was doing it with so much love for Zane and the need to make him know I was really sorry for choosing my own rest over his enjoyment.

And on the side, I baked a little cake for Sophie, my cousin. It didn't matter that she wasn't present for half the day. She was still my maid of honor and deserved all the gratitude I could afford. She didn't have to go with Zane to that party, yet she went out of her busy schedule, so it didn't affect mine.

A smile splayed on my face as I set the table, adding candles to the mix. It was going to be just us tonight, and after having Sophie stay with us for the past month, I was excited to finally get some quiet time with my husband.

When the doorbell rang hours later, I sat cross-legged on the high-backed chair, revealing supple skin all the way to my thighs. I flicked on the candles and practiced a lazy stare.

The one I always saw in seduction movies.

I had a glass of wine in one hand when he strolled in, wearing the same outfit from earlier. I heaved a sigh of relief when I didn't see my cousin walking in after him, and at once, I felt guilty.

He stopped by the door and angled his head, drinking every bit of me. "Hey, wife," he greeted with a smile on his face – a smile that lit up the whole room.

In that moment, I decided that the hours spent in the kitchen were definitely worth it.

"Hey, husband," I whispered, motioning him over with my fingers. "Care to join me for dinner?"

Zane tugged at his crooked tie as he covered the space between us. His eyes shone with a mischievous glint as he brought his gaze to my things, beautifully covered in a glow oil I purchased online only about one hour ago.

I was glad I made that decision.

Bring the wine glass to my lips, I regarded Zane from the rim.

"You look hot," he whispered, bringing his hands down to mine. Zane took the glass from my fingers and slid it onto the table, lifting me to my feet.

His hands snaked around my bare waist, and I relished the feeling, happy to have him back. I knew this morning was just a one-time thing, and maybe the whole of last night. And the night after that.

The point was, he missed me and was glad to be married to me.

"I look hot for you," I replied, allowing him to lead me into a dance even without music. That was the thing about Zane and me. Our love was like the greatest orchestra that we didn't need an accompaniment to dance to. We were our own music.

"And this looks great," he added, nodding to the table. "But we might have to return to the house before we can dive into that."

I stopped, a smile growing on my face. "Are you taking me somewhere?"

Zane nodded excitedly. "It's a surprise."

"Yayy!" I chirped, hitting my palms together. "I'll just go change and meet you right here."

He reached out again, wrapping his hands around my waist and pulling me flush against his chest. His eyes dipped to the rise of my cleavage as she shook his head slowly.

"You don't have to change into anything else. This is perfect."

"Zane," I drawled, hitting him playfully. "You are so nasty. This is for your eyes only. I should cover up."

"And they'll be for my eyes only," he said, winking. "I'll be the only one there. The surprise is just for both of us."

I found it odd stepping out in just sheer lace, but Zane said it was okay. He helped me into the passenger's seat of his car and handed a coat over to me for the cold. As he pulled out into the road, I noticed a pair of heels discarded on the floor.

Peering at them, I remembered seeing them a few weeks back.

"Don't these belong to Sophie?" I questioned, tilting my head. "Did she forget them here or something?"

My cousin never wore the same pair of heels twice, so that meant the heels had been in his car for a couple of weeks. That was possible since Zane stopped letting me drive with him, or go anywhere with him for that matter.

"Yeah," he answered casually. "Her feet hurt and she needed something more level, so I asked her to leave them there."

"And?"

"And I gave her a piggyback." Zane turned to look at me. "Really, Lily? Don't tell me you are jealous of your own cousin. Her feet hurt, and she needed to move. Should I have left her wallow in ankle pain while I walked about with a perfectly working back?"

I couldn't remember the last time Zane gave me a piggyback, but I doubted that was what he wanted to hear.

"I never said I was." I just found it really uncomfortable that they were getting so close, but I mean, that was the prayer of every bride, that her family would accept her husband. And Sophie was my only family.

I shook my head. "You are right, Zane. I am just in over my head with the wedding preparation and all. Glad it is over."

"Yeah," he purred, covering my hands with his. "I am glad it's done, too."

And for the first time that night, I had the strangest feeling that we were not talking about the same thing.

When we arrived at the location, the first thing I noticed was the other line of cars parked in the lot. My husband gave me an encouraging smile and I alighted the car, bringing his coat with me.

Waiting on the other side while he grabbed his keys, I shrugged into the coat, belting it up, just in case we bumped into someone. He chuckled when he saw me.

"I already told you that you don't need this," he murmured, walking over to me. His fingers hooked on the belt, and it came undone under his soft tugging.

"Your skin is beautiful," he said as he got the car open and threw the coat into the back seat. "And you, my wife, are very beautiful. There is nothing to cover up."

Red patches appeared on both sides of my face, and he chuckled again, pulling me to his side. Zane took my hands in his and we strolled into the building, stopping at the front desk for Zane to make an inquiry before we continued inside.

I noticed no one as we walked through, and even the lady at the desk didn't give me more than a cursory glance. Soon, I began to feel myself relax in my skin, even joking about the things that happened during the wedding.

But that came to an abrupt halt when we walked into a more private room. A hearth cackled as it burned away in one corner, bathing the room in a soft orange glow. And inside, a few more laughed and joked about something with their deep-set voices bouncing around the walls.

I froze by the door, bringing my hands up to cover my cleavage, but it didn't make any difference because every other thing was out on display.

"I thought you said there was going to be no one else apart from us?" I whispered, holding on to his arms.

"Relax, wifey," Zane said in a loud voice, getting the attention of everyone in the room. "These are my friends, and they are just here to celebrate with you. There is nothing wrong with them taking a peek at what I got married to."

Nothing about Zane's response sat right with me, but I allowed him to bring me with him further into the room. His friends said nothing, but they had abandoned their conversation and now had their attention on me.

Fully.

I sat beside Zane in one of the black leather couches, glued to him so tight that there was so much room between me and the person on my other hand.

"Relax," Zane whispered to me. "They don't bite."

But the problem was that they looked like they did. Their eyes drank me in weirdly, and one of their gazes even lingered on my nipples. I saw the thoughts in his eyes, the desire in how flushed his skin became.

I found myself tugging Zane again. We needed to leave. But before I could get the words out, my cousin, Sophia, sauntered in, carrying a large tray. She was in a pair of shorts that left the bottom of her ass out on display and a tight-fitted crop top with her nipples erect.

I would have judged, but I was here with her in something worse. It didn't matter that I was married.

"Hey, cousin," Sophia called. She waltzed over to me first, dropping the tray on the table before pulling me into her arms. "How have the last few hours been as a married woman?"

My real answer should have been that there was no difference other than the fact that I was now sitting with his friends practically naked, their eyes roaming my body like they had married me as well.

Instead, I smiled sweetly at her. "Great, Sophie. I haven't felt so much love from Zane in a while." I gazed up at him and looked into his eyes. He did the same thing, too, but his gaze faltered as he looked at Sophia. They smiled at each other, and my worry increased a notch.

"I baked a little something for you," I muttered, bringing her attention back to me. "It's in the house."

"Aww! That's so sweet of you. Thanks, Cuz." She retrieved a drink from the tray and handed it to me. "Congratulations again on your wedding."

The rest of the drinks went round and I brought mine to my lips, taking a little sip. It tasted sweet, like a mixture of orange and pineapple. So, I kept drinking until my glass was empty, and there was a funny feeling in my stomach.

Zane's friends had gone back to talking, but this time, Sophie and Zane were in the heart of the conversation. She sat in front of him, on the floor in between his legs, her hands on his thighs. And when he laughed, he pulled her close to him, like something they'd been doing for a while now.

I felt totally abandoned and cut out of the conversation, so I got on my feet.

But suddenly, it felt like I was suspended in mid-air. My head felt so big that it was hard to move without feeling its weight, and my legs were wobbly like I'd had too much to drink.

I turned to look at Zane, but my vision had blurred. I didn't take alcohol. That was a glass of fruit juice.

"Zane?" I called out, my hands reaching for him. But he moved out of my way immediately, and Sophie's laughter rang in the air.

"Can you see me, Lily?" she teased, waving her fingers in my face. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

"Sophie..."

She laughed again as I almost tripped, but this time, the rest of the room joined in. One of Zane's friends suddenly stood in front of me, his cold fingers tracing a thin line on my neck while I struggled to stay awake.

"You were right, Zane," he drawled. I could hear the lust in his voice. "She is such a beauty. Don't you think this is a waste?"

"Sophie is more beautiful," Zane countered. "She is the one I can't share. But as for Lily...you can have your fun. Just make sure to leave some for me, too."

"And me?" Someone else in the room asked. I felt so much irritation wash through me.

Zane laughed. "If she can handle all of you, why not? But honestly, don't hold your hopes up. She is a prude."

"Zane!" I gasped, but his laughter only got louder.

"What? My friends want to have a go. There is nothing wrong with sharing my wife with my friends, is there?"

The one in front of me pinched my nipples with a devious look in his eyes. He licked his lips and winked at me. I wished I could kick him in the balls.

Instead, I did the first thing that came to my mind, even though I wasn't sure any good could come out of it.

I ran.

"What are you doing?" I heard someone call behind me. "Get her back here."