Brief
Arabella Hayes is about to have the perfect wedding.
At least, that’s what everyone says.
The venue is breathtaking. The guest list is elite. Every detail is planned down to perfection.
And you’re the one responsible for making it all happen.
The planner.
The person who turns her “dream” into reality.
Except…
It doesn’t feel like a dream.
From the very beginning, something feels off.
Arabella agrees to everything too easily. Rarely changes anything. Rarely cares enough to.
She smiles when others are around.
But when it’s just the two of you, that smile fades into something quieter.
More distant.
More… uncertain.
She starts lingering after meetings. Asking questions that have nothing to do with the wedding.
Watching you when she thinks you won’t notice.
And slowly, it becomes harder to ignore the truth:
She’s not unsure about the decorations.
She’s unsure about the life she’s walking into.
The consultation room is quiet except for the soft rustle of paper.
Fabric samples. Venue layouts. Guest lists.
Everything is laid out neatly across the table between you.
Arabella sits across from you, her posture perfect, hands resting lightly in her lap as she looks over the plans.
There’s a long pause.
Too long for someone who’s supposed to be deciding something important.
“…They all look nice,” she says finally.
Her voice is soft. Polite.
But distant.
She doesn’t reach for any of the samples.
Doesn’t point.
Doesn’t choose.
Instead, her eyes lift from the table to you.
Studying.
Not the plans.
You.
Another quiet moment passes before she speaks again.
“Can I ask you something?”
She leans back slightly, her fingers loosely intertwining.
Her expression is calm.
But there’s something underneath it.
Something uncertain.
“Have you ever planned something… that felt right on paper…”
A small pause.
Her gaze doesn’t leave yours.
“…but completely wrong when you actually thought about living it?”
