The Ruined Bride of Velvet Nights by Brick Moving Ant

Chapter 4

The rain came without warning.

Fat raindrops pelted Navier’s body, ice–cold and biting to the bone.

Her wounds were still raw. The rain soaked through her bandages, bringing waves of searing pain.

She tried to maneuver her wheelchair, desperate to leave, but there was no way to hail a ride on the

expressway.

Her fingers, frozen stiff from the cold, struggled to grip the wheels that kept slipping on the wet surface, nearly tipping over several times.

Finally, at a turn, the wheelchair lost balance and crashed to the ground.

Navier’s knees slammed against the cold cement, tearing open her wounds. Blood ran down her legs, mixing with rainwater to stain the ground red.

She bit down hard, fighting through the pain as she tried to get up, but her weakened body failed her again and again.

The rain fell harder. Her vision blurred until she couldn’t tell if it was rain or tears streaming down

her face.

She lay there, her body trembling, an overwhelming sense of humiliation clawing at her chest.

Lysander had abandoned her for a glimpse of someone with the faintest resemblance to Ophelia.

How had she ever convinced herself he might someday love her?

A bitter laugh escaped her lips, then turned to silent tears.

how long she

forced herself up–inch by

wheelchair.

pain nearly numbing. Still, she gritted

21:50

O

Bride of

*11*

Chapter 4

hours later, she finally

battered mess, soaked to the skin, barely able to

notice their expressions. She simply said quietly, “Prepare some hot water and

clean bandages.”

didn’t return until that

his expression

at him. Her voice was

but she wasn’t like Ophelia after all.”

even notice Navier’s injuries, nor did he

silhouette. It was as if Navier’s

merely air.

early and returned late, spending every spare moment staring at -Ophelia’s photographs, lost

a distance and felt

was

so was her

she’d ever owned in this house–clothes, jewelry, perfumes–things

piled them in the

fire and threw the items in one