d entrance shattered the carefully constructed illusion of their wedding, and the shocked silence that engulfed the room fe

he look in her eyes was a mixture of hurt and disbelief, and he

lanced at Maxim, then back at Clara, as if trying to gauge the severity of the situ

o marry her?" Her gaze bore into him, and for a moment, Maxim was transported back to all the moments they

lightly in front of Maxim. "Clara, th

u think I'm going to believe that? You think I'm just going

chaos. Maxim felt a surge of panic rising within him. This was not ho

his isn't what you think. We didn't plan for this to

evaporate. "You didn't mean for me to find out? You think I'd just be okay with you m

aught in the middle of something that had spiraled beyond her control. Maxim turned

empted to regain control of the ceremony. "Lad

moment too. You don't just get to erase me, Max

ld feel the ground beneath him shift. He had to act fast; he had to find a wa

felt. "I need you to understand. Things have changed

gain. "That I would just sit around and wait for you? Tha

to his heart. He had loved her; he still did, in some twisted way. But the though

ra, you deserve to hear the truth. Maxim and I were thrown into t

her tone incredulous. "By getting mar

past he had with Clara and the strange new reality he was building with Kaluna. Both w

iling over. "You have to understand that I didn't p

anding. But it was quickly replaced by anger and hurt. "You're telling me that you didn't plan this, but

How could he explain the whirlwind of emotions he felt?

ying to maintain some semblance of order. "Perhaps we shou

n't let you just walk away from this. You owe

mid the chaos. "Clara, I'm sorry for how this looks. But we are trying to make the best of

aught between fury and disbelief. "And what about you

ng heavily upon him. "I loved you, Clara. I still do. But things are different now. I t

ink I'll let you? You think this is what I wanted?" Cl

ed over at Kaluna, who watched him intently, her expression a mix of concern and determi

" Kaluna urged quietly. "Do you

eart raced as he weighed his answer. It felt like standing on a p

ords feeling like a betrayal as they slipped fr

f vulnerability and resignation. "You don't know? So, you're j

," Maxim said, his voice low. "Maybe I'm

Clara's presence dictate his actions, but the truth was, every moment sh

ossed her arms, her jaw set tightly. "If you think I'm just going to walk awa

that-" Maxim started

y!" Clara's voice was laced with heartbreak,

n control once more. "Perhaps we should allow some time f

ice sharp. "What we need is honesty. I deserve to

elt as if he was teetering on the edge of a cliff, ready to fall. He had to choose, and his heart was torn b

agging this out. I need to know what you want. Do you want me t

fted, and for the first time, he saw doubt flicker across her face. "I want you

could articulate his thoughts, Kaluna squeezed

This could be the moment that defined the rest of his life. He