Have you ever wondered what it is like, to feel all of the joy sucked out of your life? In an instant, all you are left with is hopelessness and despair. Wondering what you did to deserve this. I am Maranda Cassandra Myers and this is my story.

There were numerous ups and downs leading to this moment, but we were finally here. Our wedding day and God knows how happy I was. I had waited for this moment for twenty-six years and it was twenty-six years well spent, because now I am looking into the eyes of my soul mate. His grey, blue eyes drawing me into its depths, God how I love this man. While I was reminiscing about the many twists and turns, I saw the priest looking at me expectantly. I blinked twice and looked at him. “Earth to Maranda,” he said, “do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?” I looked at my future hubby, Darius Denzel Lorenzo Smith, with a blinding smile and all the love that I could muster and I said, “Yes, of course I love him more than there are stars in the galaxy.” I looked at the sparkling twenty-four carat gold, pink, diamond ring and cried happy tears as my dream was slowly becoming reality. The priest then said, “if there is any reason why you think that these two should not be joined in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace.” You could’ve heard a pin drop, but the next few moments changed my dream into a nightmare. “You may now kiss the bride,” what I heard, but what happened next took my breath away.

Instead of feeling Darius' warm lips on mine, I felt warm tears cascading down my cheeks as Darius collapsed. The perpetrator stood there with malice on their face and a bloody knife in their hands. As if on cue and the crescendo of the evening thunder and lightening accompanied my shift in mood. The rain poured as the tears fell, a security guard took the culprit away and the ambulance rushed Darius to the emergency room. We were supposed to be heading to our reception for our dream wedding. The cake was so perfect, we were so perfect. Why, why, I was finally happy! Rather than my wedding reception, I was in the hospital reception and in my wedding dress of all things.

Author’s Note: Will Darius survive? Will Maranda have her happy ending? What about the perpetrator, will they feel remorse for their actions? Tune in next time on Perfidy’s Knife.