Chapter Two: A Wedding Without a Bride

Mira reopened the door. “Whose wedding?” “Mine and Celeste Lu’s.” Rumors of the Gu-Lu alliance had circulated for six months. The Gus controlled ports, finance, and pharmaceuticals; the Lus held media and renewable energy. Their union could redraw the city’s balance of power, yet neither family had announced an engagement. Adrian entered and placed a tablet on her desk. The budget was unlimited. The venue was Cloudshore, the Gu family’s private island. The date was sixty days away. The first page of guests could have kept an ordinary wedding firm awake for weeks. “What does the bride want?” Mira asked. “She’ll tell you.” “And you?” “The ceremony begins on time. It is streamed live. No one leaves the island early.”