Chapter 82. Fractured Vows

Lily’s POV

I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the veil for what felt like the hundredth time. The dress, though beautiful and painstakingly chosen, didn’t feel as grand as it should. Everything about today felt off, rushed, incomplete, and thoroughly unimpressive. This wasn’t the wedding I had envisioned, not by a long shot.

“Ms. Thornton, are you ready?” the wedding planner called from the doorway, her voice laced with forced cheer.

I turned to her with a tight smile. “It’s Sterling now, remember?”

She nodded hastily, but I could see the pity in her eyes. It made my stomach twist. I wasn’t supposed to feel this way, like some second-rate bride settling for scraps. This was supposed to be my moment.

The ceremony was being held in Ethan’s family estate garden, a beautiful but modest setup. Only a handful of guests were invited—close family, a few friends, and a couple of his father’s business associates.

Ethan had insisted on keeping