The Next Day,

Hawke Manor,

Lily awoke with a start, the early morning sunlight filtering through the thick curtains of her room. Her chest felt tight, her mind a whirlwind of confusion and dread. Today was her wedding day. The reality of it settled heavily over her like a cold, suffocating blanket. She had no choice. 

Her eyes scanned the opulent room, but the comfort it once provided felt distant now. It was as if she was trapped in someone else’s life, someone else’s story.

With a deep breath, she rose from the bed, trying to shake off the anxiety that gripped her. It was a wedding day, but it wasn’t hers - not really.

The ceremony was nothing more than a formality in this twisted game that Damien had trapped her in.

A soft knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.

“Lily?” The voice was soft yet firm.

It was Cassandra, Mr. Hawke’s sister.

Lily quickly brushed her hands through her damp hair and stood to open the door. Cassandra stepped inside, her presence as calm and composed as always. 

Her uniform - though not as extravagant as some of the others — still caught Lily’s attention. The crimson red of the jacket, trimmed with black and gold accents, was striking. The short pleated skirt matched the red, with black knee-high socks and polished black shoes completing the ensemble. Gold buttons adorned her jacket, each one gleaming with a quiet elegance. 

It was the kind of uniform that demanded attention without needing to shout for it. It was sleek, efficient, yet carried a certain regality.

Lily couldn’t help but notice how the uniform looked familiar. She swallowed hard.

“That uniform…” she said, her voice hesitant. “It looks familiar...”

Cassandra’s brow furrowed for a moment, then softened. 

“Yes, It's for ACE Academy.” She gave a small, nonchalant shrug. “We all wear it.”

Lily’s heart thudded painfully in her chest. ACE Academy - the school Emma attended. 

Emma. 

Her little sister. 

Alone. 

Abandoned. 

Lily’s throat tightened.

“Do you know Emma, Emma Carrington?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly despite her efforts to remain calm.

Cassandra paused, her expression unreadable. 

“I know of her,” she said carefully. “But not too well.”

Lily swallowed, her pulse quickening.

“Please,” she said, her voice catching in her throat. “Can you look out for her? They announced my death. She’s all alone now, and I—I can’t bear to think of her suffering because of me.”

Cassandra studied her for a moment, as if considering the request. Then, she nodded. 

“I’ll keep an eye on her,” she said, her tone cool but not unkind. “I’ll make sure she’s okay.”

Lily let out a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding. A small spark of relief flickered within her, but it was fleeting. She still had no idea what her own future held.

Before Lily could say anything more, Cassandra gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. 

“I should let you get ready. It’s a big day, after all.”

Lily nodded silently, watching as Cassandra stepped back toward the door, her uniform swishing gently as she moved. The sound of her footsteps echoed in the hallway, leaving Lily alone with her thoughts once more.

Downstairs, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Lily could feel it in the way the house seemed too quiet, too still. She entered the kitchen, her heart still heavy as she began to make breakfast for everyone. She wasn’t sure if it was the wedding, the lies, or the growing sense of unease that clung to her, but it made everything feel out of place.

Xander was sitting at the table, looking sharp in his uniform, his gaze as cold as ever as slid a cup of coffee to him, while Selene stood by the counter, organizing something in silence. There was an air of distance between them, an invisible wall that made Lily feel like an outsider.

“Morning,” Lily greeted softly, trying to sound more confident than she felt as she placed a plate of buttered toast in front of Selene, who accepted it with a silent nod.

Xander didn’t even look up from his coffee. His voice, when it came, was low and dangerous.

"Morning. But you should know - this family isn’t full of saints.” He paused, letting the words settle. “Not everyone here is your ally, Lily.”

Lily froze, her breath catching in her throat. The harshness in his tone was sharp, the threat implied in his words obvious. She forced herself to swallow the growing knot in her stomach.

“I’m not expecting anyone to be my ally,” she replied, trying to keep her voice steady. “I’m just trying to make it through today.”

Xander’s eyes flicked up to meet hers, his lips curling into something almost like a smirk. 

“Good luck with that,” he said, before turning his attention back to his coffee.

The tension in the room was suffocating, and Lily couldn’t shake the feeling that she was in the middle of a storm she couldn’t control.

Selene, ever the silent observer, spoke up. 

“Let’s not start today with any more drama,” she said softly, her eyes meeting Lily’s with an unreadable expression. “It’s bad enough that we’re all here under these circumstances.”

Before Lily could respond, Aunt Delilah breezed into the kitchen, her entrance as loud and bright as ever.

“Come on, darling! Time to get you ready!” Her voice was a mixture of excitement and impatience.

Lily had no time to brace herself. Before she could even think about the implications of the wedding, Aunt Delilah took her by the arm and practically pulled her out of the kitchen.

“But I’m not ready,” Lily protested weakly, her voice laced with reluctance.

“You’re as ready as you’ll ever be,” Aunt Delilah replied breezily, not even giving Lily a chance to object. “Besides, Damien has other plans for you.”

Lily’s pulse quickened at the mention of Mr. Hawke's name, but she didn’t have the chance to ask what he had planned before she was whisked away.

Upstairs, in Lily's room, Lily found herself facing an entirely new kind of reality. This wasn’t the bridal gown she had expected. There was no delicate lace or flowing satin. Instead, Lily was ushered into a small, impersonal room, where Damien’s orders seemed to hang in the air.

“You’re not going to the wedding looking like… well, that,” Damien’s voice echoed in her mind. “I can’t be seen marrying a dead woman. Aunt Delilah will escort you to my personal stylist to change your identity... in time for our wedding.”

Lily stiffened at the coldness of his words, but there was no room for protest. Aunt Delilah wasted no time in booking the stylist to work on her transformation.

“You’re to wear this,” Aunt Delilah said bluntly, thrusting a plain, featureless face mask into Lily’s hands, along with a large, dramatic hat.

“What… what is this?” Lily’s voice trembled with disbelief.

Damien’s cold, emotionless tone rang in her ears once again: 

I can’t be seen with a dead woman.

“Put it on,” Aunt Delilah instructed, her voice firm and unwavering. “You need to blend in. And remember, Damien’s orders are not to be questioned.”

Lily stood there in shock for a moment, the mask in her hands feeling like a symbol of her imprisonment. The woman she had been was slipping away, and she wasn’t sure if she could stop it.

“Time to go,” Aunt Delilah said as she pulled Lily along, her grip tight and commanding. 

Lily’s heart hammered in her chest, the weight of the mask pressing into her skin, her breath shallow beneath the fabric. Her face, her identity - everything was going to be erased.

She barely registered the grand staircase she descended, her thoughts clouded by a rising panic. The door to Damien’s waiting car was ahead, and Lily could feel the heavy weight of the life she had signed up for, the life she could never escape.

As they reached the car, Aunt Delilah’s final words echoed in her ears.

“Your new life starts now.”

Lily’s chest tightened as she gloomily entered the car. The finality of it all hit her, the crushing weight of her new reality. 

She wasn’t ready for this. She didn’t know what awaited her. But there was no turning back.