I turned to my maid of honor and calmly took the small wireless microphone from her trembling hands.

My palms were completely dry. My hands did not shake. The terror that had lived in my chest for the better part of a year had completely evaporated, replaced by a cold, searing clarity.

“Adrian once told me that the absolute foundation of a successful marriage is trust,” I began, my voice echoing off the vaulted ceilings.

Adrian visibly relaxed.

His shoulders dropped.

The room softened.

The photographers leaned closer, eager to capture the blushing bride’s devotion.

“He told me,” I continued, my tone shifting ever so slightly, turning sharper, colder, “that a good, loyal wife should never question her husband’s authority.