“She’s just… protective,” Leo lied, though his voice lacked conviction.
The guests began to fill the room, and the visual divide was stark. The groom’s side was a sea of Eleanor’s business partners—stoic, haughty figures in Italian wool and couture silk. They spoke in hushed tones about mergers and acquisitions, barely acknowledging the event they were attending.
On the other side was Anna’s world. Her family and friends—simple, sincere people. Her aunts wore their Sunday best, floral prints that looked vibrant and alive against the sterile white of the room. Her cousins laughed too loud. They hugged too tight. They were real.
And standing tall among them was her father, Robert Peterson.
A sturdy man with kind, weary eyes that had seen a million miles of asphalt, Robert wore a suit that was clearly twenty years old. It was clean, pressed, and worn with dignity, but the cut was dated, and the fabric was rough. He looked uncomfortable in the opulent surroundings, keeping his hands clasped behind his back as if afraid he might break something expensive.
Anna caught his eye. Robert offered her a small, reassuring nod. It was a silent language they shared—‘I’m here. You’re safe.’
But as the waiters began pouring vintage champagne, Anna couldn’t shake the feeling that the safety was an illusion. The storm wasn’t coming; it was already here, sitting at the head table, waiting for the microphone.
The room fell into a hush. The emcee, a slick man with a practiced smile, had already delivered flowery, empty speeches about “eternal unions.” Guests had raised their glasses mechanically. But now, the Queen Mother was speaking.
Eleanor smoothed her dress—a gunmetal grey silk that shimmered like armor—and fixed her cold smile on Anna. It was a smile that didn’t reach her eyes; it was merely a baring of teeth.
“Dear guests, friends, and esteemed business associates,” she began, her commanding voice cutting through the chatter without the need for shouting. “Today, we are gathered to celebrate the wedding of my beloved son, Leo. I am so… pleased… that he has finally found a partner to settle down with.”
