Aidan stood looking in the mirror feeling his heart pound in his chest. One year ago, if somebody would have told him he would have ended up in marriage, he would have probably strangled that person. But now as he stood in his tuxedo, he felt none of the nervousness he should be feeling when he was going to face his worst fear. His commitment phobia.

Trying to stifle his impatience, he checked his reflection one last time and looked up at his best man for support.

“Ryce? Is she ready yet?” he asked for the tenth time. He was supposed to already waiting for her in the church but was being delayed because the bride was not ready yet.

“No, Jennifer just texted me. Kate is not ready yet,” Ryce repeated and Aidan felt he was trying his patience.

But he could not help it. He was impatient to go to the church and make her his wife and she was not ready yet. Hell, why was she taking so much time to get ready. The Kate he knew would have been more eager than him and pressing him. He frowned. Was there something wrong?

“Put me through with Jennifer please,” he said roughly feeling nervous now that something might not be happening like planned.

“Aidan! Relax. You wait here. I’m going to see what is wrong,” Ryce almost ordered him but he was not fooling Aidan. He could pick up the worry in his best friend’s tone even as he was trying not to show any of it. Damn!

Silently, he watched Ryce fled from the room to head in the direction of the north wing where Kate was getting ready. They had decided to get married in Manhattan itself where the castle was being used for their reception after the wedding ceremony. They were supposed to head for the nearby church where the minister must already be waiting for the groom.

But Jennifer had called asking Ryce to wait before they went to the church as Kate was not ready yet. And it was already one hour since her first call and in spite of all his phobia gone, Aidan could not help feeling a bit apprehensive. What the hell was going on?

Sighing, he sat on the nearby sofa. He had waited six months to be re-united with the love of his life so he could make it for another few minutes. Trying to keep busy, he got lost in a business magazine reading the latest stock figures which would help him later.

Ten minutes later, he flipped the magazine shut as he could hardly concentrate checking his watch for the hundredth time. There was still no news of Ryce now and he was starting to get worried. What the hell was going on? He knew he should go and find out but his mother must be guarding the door like a watchdog since he was not supposed to see his bride yet.

Another ten minutes later, he marched out of the door and headed to the north determinedly. As soon as he caught sight of his mother, the latter signaled him.

“Aidan? What are you doing here?” she whispered in a horrified tone pulling him towards the end of a corridor. “You are supposed to wait until we ask you to go to the church.”

“I know but it’s been more than one hour. I think the guests are waiting and I should go but my best man has disappeared and my bride is not ready yet,” he said frowning at his mother when she blocked his way towards the door where Kate was getting ready.

“You can’t go in there!” she cried outrageously. “You must not see the bride before the ceremony. It’s bad omen.”

“Mom, I have to see her. I’m sure there’s something wrong!” he said setting his mother aside gently before barging into the room without giving his mother time to react this time.

As soon as he opened the door, everybody froze and he searched desperately for his bride in the room. Kate was nowhere to be seen and he felt panic starting to grab hold of his body.

“Aidan! What are you doing here?” asked Jennifer with Ryce right behind him.

“Where’s Kate?” he rasped impatiently. “I need to see her now!” he said trying hard not to give in to the feeling of dread which was threatening to swallow him.

“She’s in the washroom. She’ll be here soon enough. Ryce, why don’t you take Aidan to the church for the time being?” Jennifer addressed her husband but Aidan caught the look of alarm on his best friend’s face and confirmed that something terribly wrong was happening.

Without waiting for anyone another attempt of convincing him otherwise, he dashed to the washroom and found the room empty as he had suspected. Kate was nowhere to be found.

“Where is she?” he barked furious that they were lying to him.

“Aidan, son. Please try to keep your calm.” Alex got closer to him and placed his hand on his shoulder as guise of support. But he was beyond comforting at this stage.

“Just tell me where she is damn it!”

“We don’t know. We have searched for her everywhere in the house but she cannot be found. She’s gone,” Alex announced in a dull voice.

“Gone?” he repeated like a parrot. “Gone?” he tried again but nothing came out except for the very same word.

“Aidan!” somebody cried in the background but he could no longer focus as his limp body fell down on the floor in shock. Kate was gone. And for the first time in his life, he felt his heart break into millions of pieces. There were so many questions in his mind right now that he thought he would just go crazy.

When was she gone? Where was she gone? Why was she gone? Hell!