---- Chapter 10 Abby Talley POV: | woke on my wedding day to the soft gray light of dawn. Brannon entered my room as the sun was rising, holding a single, perfect white orchid. It was a tradition in his family, a symbol of pure and lasting partnership. Without a word, he scooped me into his arms and carried me from the room, down the long, silent corridors towards the private chapel on the estate grounds. His arms were strong, secure. He was nothing like Connor, whose touch had always felt like a claim of ownership. Brannon' s embrace felt like a promise of protection. | rested my head against his chest, the steady beat of his heart a soothing rhythm. The fear that had been my constant companion for so long was finally gone, replaced by a quiet, profound sense of peace. | was safe. As we neared the chapel doors, Brannon suddenly stopped. Blocking our path stood Connor. He was dressed in a white tuxedo, the traditional groom' s attire, a grotesque parody of the ceremony he was trying to destroy. His eyes were bloodshot, his face pale and drawn. He looked like a man who hadn't slept in weeks. ---- A gasp went through the small crowd of family and board members gathered to witness the ceremony. Brannon gently set me down, stepping in front of me as a human shield. "It's over, Connor." | reached out and grabbed his arm. "No," | said softly. "We face him together." Brannon looked down at me, and his dark, guarded eyes softened. He nodded, and his hand found mine, our fingers lacing together. The sight of our joined hands seemed to break something inside Connor. A low, animalistic growl escaped his lips. He drew a ceremonial dagger from his belt-a family heirloom meant to be used to cut the wedding bread-and plunged it into the stone ground at his feet. "Marry me, Abby," he pleaded, his voice ragged. "This is our day. It was always supposed to be our day." "Get out of the way, Connor," | said, my voice devoid of emotion. "Don't ruin the last bit of respect | might have for you.' "Respect?" he shrieked, laughing hysterically. "You promised! In another life, you promised you would be mine forever!" My heart stopped. He remembered. The chilling threat he' d made at the training facility wasn' t a coincidence. He remembered everything. ---- Before | could process the terrifying revelation, he lunged, not at Brannon, but at me. Brannon moved in a flash, shoving me behind him. He raised his hand to block the blow. The dagger sliced through his tuxedo sleeve, biting deep into his forearm. Blood, dark and crimson, welled up, dripping onto the pristine white stone floor. "Brannon!" | cried, rushing to his side. "Medic! We need a medic!" Connor stared at the blood on the dagger, then at Brannon' s wound, a look of horrified confusion on his face. "You... you bled for her," he whispered, as if he couldn' t comprehend the act. He looked at me, his eyes filling with tears. "You never cared when | bled, Abby." "The only person | care about is my husband," | said, tearing a strip of fabric from my dress to wrap around Brannon' s arm. Security guards finally swarmed in, tackling Connor to the ground. He fought them, thrashing like a wild animal. "You can't do this!" he screamed, his voice raw with despair. "The gods gave me a second chance! She' s mine!" Jana suddenly appeared, running from the crowd. She threw herself onto Connor' s back, sobbing. "Take me with you, Connor! Please! |' Il go with you!" He shoved her off him without a second glance. "She's mine!" ---- he continued to roar at the sky. | turned my back on his pathetic display, focusing only on Brannon. | ordered the guards to take Connor to the estate' s holding cells until Howard could decide his fate. Brannon took my hand, his grip firm despite his injury. He led me past the chaos, past his kneeling, screaming brother, and up the steps to the altar. As we stood before the officiant and exchanged our vows, | learned later that Howard Barrett had personally overseen his younger son' s punishment. Connor was stripped of his name, his inheritance, and his place in the company. He was exiled, banished from the city and the life he had known, never to return. It was finally over.