Chapter. 10

{Third person's pov}

The wedding day, Everett stood at the stage, in his black coat and pants. He kept on glancing at his clock, if we say he wasn't awkward that would be a lie, he was everything but calm and composed.

And the door opened, There stood Arizona in her beautiful white mermaid tale gown and a white veil covering her face, she had a bouquet in her hands.

For the first time Everett's heart skipped, the reality of the situation was finally sinking in.

Arizona slowly walked down the aisle and Everett forwarded his hand as she approached him, She slowly held his hand and stood in front of him.

They were now facing each other and the priest started chanting the vows, "Mr. Everett do you take Miss. Arizona as your law fully wedded wife?" The priest asked.

Everett's grip on Arizona's hands tightened a little as he said, "I do..."

"Miss. Arizona do you take Mr. Everett as your law fully wedded husband?" The priest asked and Everett could feel her hands shivering.

His thumb caressed her hands and she finally said, "I do..."

"You may kiss the bride," The priest said and Everett sucked a deep breath, He slowly lifted her veil and damn she was looking so ethereal.

Their eyes met and it was like the time has stopped, He leaned in, his one hand rested on her waist to pull her closer while the other made its way towards her face.

He placed his hand on her cheeks and his thumb on her lips, and then slowly he pecked his own thumb, Arizona immediately smiled, he was respecting her personal space.

Everett didn’t move away immediately. His thumb lingered for a second longer against her lips, not pressing, just there, like a quiet promise that he wouldn’t rush what wasn’t his to take.

A faint murmur spread through the hall, confused, curious, maybe even judgmental, but Everett didn’t care. His gaze stayed on her.

“Smile like that again,” he murmured under his breath, low enough that only she could hear, “or they’ll think I’ve married you under pressure.”

There was the slightest hint of dry humor, unexpected, almost invisible. He stepped back then, properly this time, but his hand didn’t fully leave her. Instead, his fingers slid down to lace briefly with hers before letting go, controlled as ever.

“Careful,” he added, voice returning to that composed authority, “this family notices everything… including happiness.”

The ceremony moved forward, applause rising around them, but Everett leaned slightly closer one last time.

“Stay close to me,” he said quietly, not as an order, but it still sounded like one. “They won’t dare cross a line if you’re beside me.”

Then, without waiting for a response, he straightened, offering his arm to her in a formal gesture, but his eyes… they were softer now, just a fraction.

“Mrs. Everett,” he said, almost testing how it sounded.

A beat. “Shall we?”

She stared at him, her face was laced with confusion but she immediately held his hand and nodded.

Everett noticed it, the confusion. Of course he did. He noticed everything. But he didn’t question it. Not here. Not in front of dozens of eyes waiting to dissect every reaction.

Instead, his fingers closed more firmly around hers—steady, grounding. “Don’t overthink right now,” he murmured, guiding her down from the stage. “Just walk.”

His pace was slow enough to match hers, deliberate… protective without making a show of it. As they stepped into the sea of relatives, the atmosphere shifted instantly, smiles that didn’t reach eyes, whispers barely hidden behind polite laughter.

His jaw tightened just slightly. An older aunt leaned in, her voice dripping with curiosity, “Such a quiet girl… where is her family from?”

Everett didn’t even let Arizona answer. “My wife doesn’t owe introductions to anyone,” he said smoothly, tone calm, but sharp enough to cut.

“If there’s anything you need to know, you can ask me.”

Silence. Immediate. He didn’t look at the aunt again, already dismissing her existence.

Then, subtly, his hand shifted to Arizona’s back, resting there, not possessive, but unmistakably protective.

“Breathe,” he said under his breath, leaning just enough so only she could hear. “This is the worst part.”

A pause.

“It gets easier… once they realize you’re not alone.”

For a fleeting second, his thumb pressed lightly against her back, reassurance, not control.

Then he straightened again, expression returning to that unreadable CEO calm. But his hand didn’t leave her.

........

They were in his room, Arizona sat on the edge of the bed in her heavy wedding dress, she was nervous. She sat there and suddenly she started feeling lack of air.

There were a lot of candles in the room, ofcourse it was decorated, But the smell and smoke from the candles were making it hard for her to breath.

The door shut behind Everett with a soft click. He loosened his tie as he walked in, already pulling off the suffocating layers of the day, but then he stopped.

Arizona wasn’t just sitting, she was tense, shoulders tight, her breathing uneven… shallow.

Everett’s expression changed instantly. Not panic. He moved quickly, crossing the room in long strides.

He glanced around once and immediately understood.

Candles. Too many. Without another word, he stood up, grabbed the nearest ones and started blowing them out, one after another, quick and efficient.

Then he walked to the windows, pulling them open wide to let fresh air in. Cool air rushed inside. Only then did he come back to her.

This time, he didn’t hesitate. He gently held her wrists, not tight, just enough to ground her.

She stared at him, "Thankyou."

Everett held her gaze for a second longer than necessary. Like he was confirming she was actually okay… not just saying it.

Then he exhaled quietly, releasing her wrists, but not stepping away completely. “Don’t thank me for basic sense,” he said, tone returning to its usual composed edge. “Anyone with eyes could see you were struggling.”