But just as she reached the midpoint of the aisle, the ambiance of tranquility was shattered. The heavy oak doors at the back of the chapel creaked open, an unexpected intrusion that drew every eye toward the disturbance.

A hush fell across the room, a collective intake of breath as a woman in white strode down the aisle. She was not the bride, but she carried herself with an air of determination that seemed to command attention. Her dress, though less elaborate, was strikingly similar to that of the bride, creating a surreal tableau that seemed better suited to fiction than reality.