Laura purses her lips, tilts her head up and takes a long, deep breath. The sea of smiling familiar faces does nothing to calm her nerves. It seems like time stands still in that moment. Any minute now, James will walk through the door. She just has to hold on for a little while longer.

A loud creak starts from the back of the room as the heavy oak door is opened. Every head is eagerly turned to face the new occupant entering the church. Laura carefully shifts her weight from one foot to the other and delicately tucks a strand of honey hair from her face. With her body poised, she leans slightly forward, hands clasped tightly around her small, neat bouquet of hydrangeas.

Then she sees him, only it’s not the him she was expecting.

“She’s not who she says she is” he barks at the crowd.

Laura feels her world closing in around her. How is he here? How did he find her? Where was Chris?

Her chest tightens as her breaths become shallow and sharp. She blinks, trying to steady herself and force the dark spots from her vision. The faint ringing in her ears grows and she notices her hands trembling.

“Laura, do you know this man?”

These are the last words Laura hears before everything goes black.