Nathan cupped Ella's hand in his and gently stroked it with his thumb, his touch slow and grounding, as though he was trying to anchor her to the moment.
"Take a deep breath, Ella. No one is looking at you." He mumbled sweetly.
"Yes they are," Ella responded almost immediately, her voice low but firm.
Those hundreds of eyes glancing at her from all directions were enough to make her head ache. It felt suffocating, like the entire hall had closed in on her, their gazes pressing into her skin.
That morning, Ella had tried, more than once, to convince the prince that she did not want to attend the ceremony anymore. Especially after one of the butlers had casually mentioned that Nathan would be seated right at the front, with his lady beside him.
His lady. That meant her.
The thought alone had made her stomach twist.
