Ellie walked with her father toward the altar.
Her fingers were sweaty and cold, her heart was pounding, and suddenly she felt a headache.
From behind her white veil, she could see the Emperor, Empress, and Empress Dowager sitting on the throne.
She saw the mocking eyes of the nobles and their sneering grins.
She also saw Countess Bianca, Count Desmond, Magda, Ethan, and Rosalind, all smiling brightly at her.
Their smiles gave her a little strength as her legs felt like they might give way.
She saw Lucas with a satisfied smile, seemingly carefree, and Ava with an unreadable expression.
But among all those faces, the one that came to her mind was Cassius's.
In an instant, she looked toward the altar.
There, Cassius wore the widest smile Ellie had ever seen, carved onto his red lips.
It was as if he was genuinely happy. Ellie couldn't tell if that smile was fake, just for show, or if it was truly sincere.