The Billionaire's forgotten Bride

Amelia POV

The woman in the mirror looked nothing like the person I once dreamed of becoming. Dream? Did I just say dream? It was something I couldn't afford. I hardly recognized the woman before me, her-eyes swollen and rimmed red, hair tangled from restless nights, and a face that held no joy. I had become a shadow of myself, and today was no different. Today, I would take one more step down a path I never chose. I stared at the simple, ivory wedding gown that hung on my slender frame. It wasn't the gown of a bride anticipating her happiest day, but a cold symbol of my captivity. My hands trembled as I adjusted the veil. This wasn't how I imagined my wedding day-no laughter, no love, no one to hold my hand and tell me it would be okay. Just the suffocating silence and the crushing weight of duty. "Amelia!" My mother's sharp voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "Stop dawdling and get out here. You don't want to embarrass yourself more than you already do." I flinched at her words, as I always did, and hurried to the door. Margaret Hayes never missed an opportunity to remind me how little she thought of me. I opened the door to find her standing there, her critical eyes scanning me from head to toe. "You'll do," she said dismissively, before turning on her heel. "And don't you dare embarrass me in front of Maxwell's family?" I bit my tongue, swallowing the sharp words I longed to say. What would be the point? My mother had decided my fate, and there was no escaping it now. Lisa's voice echoed down the hall, sharp and full of mockery. "I still can't believe you're going through with this, Amelia. I mean, marrying him? What's the matter? No decent man could ever want you, so you settled for... well, that? It's understandable though!" Her friends erupted into laughter, their voices like nails scraping against my skin. I clenched my fists but said nothing. Lisa thrived on my silence. If I ignored her, maybe she would get bored and stop. But she didn't. "Just wait until you see him up close," Lisa sneered, her voice dripping with fake sympathy. "You'll understand why they call him the 'Beast of Cole Industries.'" I forced myself to keep walking, head held high. Or at least as high as I could manage. If I let her see me falter, it would only fuel her cruelty. The church was packed. Rows of strangers turned to watch me as I entered, their eyes a mix of curiosity and maybe....pity. My legs felt like lead as I walked down the aisle, Margaret clutching my arm like a vise. And then I saw him. Maxwell Cole stood at the altar, his towering frame clad in a sharp black suit that seemed to emphasize his intimidating presence. His face was hard, the scar running down his left cheek only adding to