On Her Wedding Night, The Bride Screamed, and Her Mother-in-Law Burst Into the Room. She Found Her Shaking on the Floor While Her Son Whispered, “She Had to Pay."

"I was wrong! I know I was wrong!" Damien pleaded, tears streaming down his face. "I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you. We can start over. We can go away, just the two of us."

Elise slowly shook her head, standing up from the chair. She let the blanket fall to the floor. She was still wearing the torn remnants of her silk wedding gown. It felt like a cruel joke now.

"There is no starting over," Elise said firmly. "You looked me in the eyes on our wedding night and told me you wanted to destroy me. You can't un-say that, Damien. You can't undo the fear I felt when you locked that door."

Arthur and Martha stood in the doorway, listening in heartbroken silence. Martha wept silently, mourning not only the truth about her daughter’s death but the destruction of her son’s marriage.

"Please," Damien begged, grabbing the hem of her dress. "Don't leave me."

"I have to," Elise said, stepping back. "I spent my whole life cleaning up the messes my sister made. I thought by changing my life, by loving you, I had finally escaped her shadow. But I didn't. Her shadow almost got me killed tonight."

She walked past Damien, stopping briefly by Martha and Arthur.