It was the perfect wedding. The sun had shone just at the right proportion. The storybook garden where they shared their vows was dreamy. Everything was as it should be. Sublime.

Yet Cecilia felt some restlessness in her spirit. Helmut is a perfect match. Mother loved him very much and approved of him. Even her picky friends liked him well enough. They considered him the dashing, wealthy European.

Their marital vows felt like a constriction to her vocal chords. She shook off the inner voice and focused on the sizzle. She loves Helmut, he’s a passionate lover and even as every cell in her body screamed ‘don’t‘ she said I do.

It didn’t take a long time for her to realize that the marriage was a huge mistake.

Helmut’s perceived candour turned to blunt cruelty. His passion became an obsession. He smothered her to death.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Image credit..pixabay