Tristan’s pov The sun hadn’t even climbed fully into the sky when I woke up. My room was quiet. Too quiet.I sat on the edge of the bed, ran my hands through my hair, and reached for my phone. The first thing I did was call the florist to confirm the bouquet had been sent out to Louise.“Yes, Mr. Pierre,” the woman on the other end said. “It was delivered early this morning, just as requested.”I nodded and ended the call.Good.I showered, dressed in a crisp white shirt and navy pants, and headed downstairs for breakfast. The smell of fresh croissants, butter, and eggs filled the air. Clara had instructed the staff to prepare a full spread, but I wasn’t in the mood for all that.Henri was already at the table, sipping coffee and scrolling through his phone.“Morning,” he said, eyes still on his screen.“Morning.”I poured myself some coffee and joined him at the table. The silence was comfortable until he looked up.“Don’t forget,” Henri said, “your suit testing is at noon.”“I reme
Louise’s POVI was still in bed when my phone buzzed beside me.Lea: Hey, love. Today’s the day! Ready to find your dream dress? ❤️💍I blinked twice before I smiled. I sat up slowly, rubbing my eyes. Elodie burst into my room without even knocking.“You’re going dress shopping today!” she squealed. “Please tell me I can come.”“You already dressed up?” I laughed.She did a little spin. “Obviously. I’ve been waiting for this day since I came. Come on, let’s get ready!”She dragged my blanket off and handed me a light-blue top and jeans. Nothing fancy. Simple and easy, just how I liked it. I got up and quickly changed, brushing my hair into a low bun. I wasn’t trying to impress anyone today. I just wanted to get through it.Still, the butterflies were there.Not the happy kind.The kind that came from the way people had been talking since the news broke.The rumors.About me. About Tristan.About everything.I was quiet as we got into the car. Elodie kept chatting, playing music on her
Tristan’s POV I rolled over and reached for my phone. It was barely 7:30 a.m., but I wanted to make sure everything had gone smoothly. I called the florist. “Good morning, Raphael’s Private Florist. How may I help you?” “This is Tristan Pierre. I just want to confirm if the delivery I ordered for Louise Gael was sent this morning.” “Oh yes, Mr. Pierre. The bouquet went out exactly as scheduled. A large set of fresh white lilies and soft pink roses, with the card message you left. It should be arriving right about now.” “Good. Thank you.” I hung up and sat at the edge of my bed, running my hands through my hair. I hoped the flowers made her smile. Louise had a quiet sadness to her, the kind that lingered even when she wasn’t saying anything. And after everything, the meeting, the stares, the way Clara looked at her, I wanted her to know she wasn’t alone in all this. By the time I stepped into the dining room, Henri and Lea were already seated. “Morning,” I said. “Look who’s f
Louise’s POVI didn’t know what time it was. The curtains were still drawn and my room was quiet, peaceful. For a second, I thought maybe I had imagined everything, that the meeting, the wedding plans, even Tristan, all of it had just been a long, strange dream.But then the door creaked open, and Elodie’s voice broke the silence.“Wake up, sleepyhead,” she said gently.I turned over and saw her walk in holding a bouquet of fresh white lilies and soft pink roses. The smell hit me before I even sat up.“Elodie,” I muttered, groggy, “what are you doing?”She dropped the flowers on my lap with a small grin. “They’re from your future husband.”I blinked.“What?”She laughed. “Check the note.”I pulled the small card out from between the petals.‘Good morning, Lou. I hope these make you smile. I’m thinking of you. – T.’My heart did a small flip.I placed the bouquet gently beside me, pressing the card to my chest. It wasn’t anything big or dramatic. It was simple. Thoughtful. And it was e
Tristan’s POV After the meeting, I walked Louise to the car. We didn’t say much. Just held hands for a moment. She smiled at me, a real one, not forced. I opened the door for her, and she slid in quietly. Her father gave me a nod before driving off. I stood there for a while, watching the car disappear down the road. Then I sighed and got into mine. The drive home was quiet. The streets were mostly empty, lights from the stores glowing like soft stars. I turned the music down low and let my thoughts run wild. The meeting had gone better than I expected, but it was still heavy. My mother. Olivia. The things they said. The way Louise held herself. The way she spoke. She was strong. I saw it in the way she didn’t flinch. In the way she replied to my mother with respect but didn’t let her words go unchallenged. The way she reminded all of us that she didn’t come to be accepted. She came because she knew her worth. By the time I got home, I was tired. Not just in my body, but in my mi
Louise’s POV After the meeting ended, people started getting up from their seats, stretching and fixing their clothes like they had all survived a long exam. Lea came up to me with a soft smile. “I really enjoyed today,” she said, holding out her phone. “Can we exchange numbers? I’d love to talk more. We can plan parts of the wedding together. And maybe just hang out, if you want.” I smiled, a little surprised. “Sure. I’d like that.” We exchanged contacts. She saved mine as “Louise (Bride)” and laughed. “You’re officially in now,” she said. Henri came over and gave me a quick nod. “You did well today.” I nodded. “Thanks.” Lea gave me a small hug before they left. It felt warm. Like something new was starting, something soft. I left with my father. Tristan had offered to drop me home again, but I told him it was okay. We had spent enough time together for one day. I needed a little space to breathe. In the car, my father was quiet. He drove slowly, carefully, like his though