The Secret on the Wedding Night

I felt confident.

I was happy.

After the ceremony, we went to his house—now ours. I went to the bathroom to remove my makeup, take off my dress, and savor the moment.

When I returned to the bedroom…

I was breathless.

Steve was sitting on the edge of the bed, his head bowed and his hands trembling.

Nothing about the scene felt romantic.

Nothing resembled the night I had imagined.

“Steve?” I asked, confused.

He lifted his face. He was pale.