Evelyn Matthews found herself standing alone at the altar, her heart racing in her chest. The magnificent stained-glass windows of St. Augustine’s Cathedral filled the space with rich colors, creating beautiful patterns on the shiny wooden pews. Her father, Harold Thompson, stood next to her, his serious eyes locked on the elaborate entrance, waiting for James Whitaker to show up at any moment.

Five years ago, Evelyn had envisioned this day—the peak of her love story with James. They met in college, and right away, there was a strong and profound connection between them. James was everything she had ever dreamed of: caring, loyal, and deeply in love with her. Evelyn’s engagement had come about quickly, and now, with family and friends all around her, she was filled with a deep sense of joy and excitement.

As the minutes passed and James still didn’t show up, a sense of unease began to creep in. Having her father around only made her anxiety worse. Harold had always disapproved of James, seeing him as an unpredictable artist who couldn’t offer the stable future that Evelyn deserved. Evelyn had always felt the weight of his disapproval looming over their relationship, yet she firmly believed that James could conquer any challenge that came their way.