Chapter 436

The officiant's voice jolted Nicole back to reality. Her heart sank as she forced out a quiet, "I do." As she uttered those words, Nicole felt a storm of emotions threatening to overwhelm her. She suppressed all the discomfort in her heart and said her vows. She had no choice but to push through with the rest of the ceremony despite each minute feeling like an eternity. The reception that followed was a blur of toasts and small talk with strangers. Even though she knew no one, she had to go through the motions. Yet, despite her best efforts to appear engaged, her mind was elsewhere. As night fell, Nicole found herself in the bridal suite. Luckily, they skipped a few formalities for the wedding, and she could finally relax a little. All she had to do was wait for Griffin to return. In the meantime, she removed her elaborate jewelry and even considered removing her makeup. The waiting was endless and tortuous. To pass the time, Nicole scrolled through her phone and saw that news of t