My Wedding Fell Apart, But My Heart Found Home

As I drove back to Jayden's villa, I could feel the cold stares of the nannies and housekeepers piercing through me. Their expressions were devoid of warmth, their judgment palpable. I glanced up at the large TV in the living room, where a reporter replayed the wedding scene that had just unfolded. Jayden and Nicole appeared on the screen, their joyful faces starkly contrasting my own despair. It seemed everyone believed I had ruined the wedding.

I closed my eyes, trying to block out the judgment as I made my way to the second floor and retreated into my room. Standing before the full-length mirror, I was met with a reflection of exhaustion and defeat, my wedding dress torn and tattered.

Nicole had left Jayden and gone abroad, while I had become his next girlfriend—an unexpected turn of fate. He had brought me into his life, but it was clear he didn’t care for me deeply; he had simply handed me a few black cards and left me to entertain myself. The housekeeper and nanny had mirrored his indifference, barely acknowledging my presence.

It was only when I found Jayden drunk one night that a flicker of hope ignited within me—the idea of marrying him. I longed to be honest with him, to be the good wife he deserved. Three years I begged for this, three long years filled with yearning and unfulfilled dreams.

Now that I finally grasped the truth, I refused to deceive myself any longer. I recognized this wedding dress all too well; it had languished in Jayden's collection for three long years, the very one Nicole once declared her favorite. A bitter laugh escaped me, mocking my own delusions.

With a heavy heart, I reached for the zipper on the back of the wedding dress. As I pulled it down, it suddenly snagged halfway, leaving me feeling trapped and defeated. I took a deep breath, frowning as I tightened my grip, but still, there was no progress.

Just when I felt completely helpless, I felt a pair of strong hands encircle my waist. Startled, I looked up into the mirror, and my breath caught in my throat. The man behind me had striking features, and his presence exuded a reserved intensity that both intimidated and intrigued me.

“Cohen…” I gasped, my legs going weak as fear coursed through me, the word escaping my lips before I could stop it.

Cohen responded with a calm “Hmm,” his deep voice sending a shiver down my spine.

My gaze was drawn to the large hands he had resting on my waist. I knew it was inappropriate, and instinctively, I began to shrink away, feeling a flush of embarrassment.

“Don’t move.” His deep voice was smooth, but there was an unmistakable command woven into the tone.

We fell into an awkward silence. The sharp contours of his face held an air of detachment and indifference, while his black-and-white eyes exuded a calmness that was both unsettling and alluring.

Cohen raised his hand, fingers gently pinching the zipper of the wedding dress. He pulled it down to my waist, and before I could fully comprehend what was happening, he lowered his head and pressed a kiss against my skin.

The suddenness of it shocked me; my legs turned to jelly, and the kiss—neither too soft nor too forceful—sent shivers racing down my spine.

“Cohen... what are you doing?” I stammered, taking a step forward and glancing back at him, but he remained bent over, focused on the task at hand.

Cohen was Jayden's brother. He was a man of few words. I could count the times he had spoken to me on one hand. His current actions left me utterly bewildered.

Cohen’s lips curled into a smile, softening his previously aloof demeanor. “Hannah, why did you run away from your marriage?” he asked, his voice laced with genuine curiosity.

I bristled at the question, thinking of how this felt like another plea on Jayden's behalf. “This wedding isn’t grand, and frankly, I don’t like it,” I replied with a confidence I didn’t fully feel.

I strode to the door and opened it, gesturing for him to leave. “Nothing’s happening here. You should just go, Mr. Murphy.”

Cohen raised an eyebrow, unfazed, and stepped toward me, the distance between us charged with unspoken tension. “When you’re free, I’ll give you a grander wedding,” he said quietly, his tone sincere yet enigmatic.

I couldn’t help but sneer at his words, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. The men in the Murphy family were all lunatics.