Chapter 7. Guilt

Adeline’s POV

I left Theodore’s office breathless.

At some point, I couldn’t even feel my body. My legs, my arms—nothing felt real. My whole body had turned cold, and I didn’t know if it was nerves or if guilt was slowly eating away at me.

Maybe it was both. Maybe it was something else entirely.

I had no idea what to call the feeling.

But one thing was certain—I couldn’t stop thinking about what people would say.

Everyone was out searching for Iris. My father was calling everyone he knew, asking if they had heard from her, if they had any idea where she could be.

And here I was, standing in the middle of it all, about to marry the man who had been meant for her.

I pressed my sweaty palms together and took a deep breath, trying to calm myself.

I had always loved Theodore. I didn’t know if what I was doing was right, but if I looked at it another way, it could save us.

Save my family from the shame that Iris had alread