Saturday, 6 PM. Two hours until I had to face him.I sat at my vanity, hands steadier than they should be. The makeup went on like war paint. Dramatic smoky eyes. Red lips the color of fresh wounds. My hair was swept up and pinned elegantly with two loose tendrils framing my face.

I stepped into the white dress I got. A structured satin that caught the light, featuring a high square neckline that covered everything while somehow being provocative. The back was completely open, a square of bare ...