Chapter Eighty Three

One Month Later

The morning of the wedding arrived warm and clear.

No reporters.

No photographers.

No headlines.

No media coverage.

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Exactly as they wanted.

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The ceremony was being held in the gardens of a rented estate in Italy.

A place that felt like home.

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Rows of white flowers lined the stone pathway.

Soft music drifted through the air.

Family and close friends filled the small gathering.

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Only the people who mattered.

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Nothing else.

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Aaron stood beneath the flower-covered arch at the front of the garden.

Waiting.

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He looked calm.

At least from a distance.

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Up close—

he was anything but.

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His grandfather Edward stood beside him.

Trying and failing to hide his amusement.

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“You look nervous.”

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Aaron adjusted his cufflinks.

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“I’m not nervous.”

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Edward snorted.

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“You’ve checked your watch six times in three minutes.”

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Aaron frowned.

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“I like knowing the time.”

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“Of course.”

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Aaron ignored him.

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Mostly because Edward was right.

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His heart hadn’t stopped racing all morning.

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Because somehow—

after everything they had survived—

this felt bigger than any business deal.

Any investigation.

Any battle.

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Today was a choice.

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And Aaron had never wanted anything more.

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Guests slowly settled into their seats.

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Maya sat beside Zara.

Their hands intertwined.

Both smiling.

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Elara’s father Thomas stood near the front.

Looking unusually emotional already.

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Aaron’s executive assistant Daniel occupied a seat near the aisle.

Still somehow looking like he was attending a board meeting.

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Everything was perfect.

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Then the music changed.

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Aaron looked up.

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And forgot how to breathe.

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Elara appeared at the end of the pathway.

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For a moment—

the entire world seemed to disappear.

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The guests.

The flowers.

The music.

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Everything.

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Gone.

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Because all Aaron could see was her.

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Her dress moved softly in the breeze.

Sunlight illuminated her smile.

Tears already glistened in her eyes.

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Beautiful didn’t seem like a strong enough word.

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She looked radiant.

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Like every good thing that had ever happened in his life had somehow taken human form.

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Thomas stood beside her.

Proud.

Emotional.

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And suddenly Aaron understood why fathers cried at weddings.

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Because Thomas was already blinking suspiciously fast.

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The walk toward him seemed both impossibly short and impossibly long.

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Aaron never looked away.

Not once.

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Neither did Elara.

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By the time she reached him—

both of them were smiling through tears.

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Thomas placed her hand into Aaron’s.

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Then paused.

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Looking between them.

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His voice was rough when he finally spoke.

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“Take care of each other.”

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Aaron nodded immediately.

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“Always.”

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Thomas squeezed Elara’s hand one final time.

Then stepped back.

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The ceremony began.

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The officiant spoke.

The guests listened.

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But Aaron barely heard any of it.

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Because Elara was standing in front of him.

And after everything—

she was still here.

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Finally—

it was time for the vows.

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Aaron went first.

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He looked down briefly.

Gathering himself.

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Then looked directly into her eyes.

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The tears came immediately.

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Not just from Elara.

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From half the guests.

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Including Edward.

Though he would deny it later.

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Aaron smiled softly.

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“When I first married you…”

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Laughter rippled through the audience.

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Even Elara laughed.

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Aaron shook his head.

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“I was convinced it was the worst thing that had ever happened to me.”

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More laughter.

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“Looking back, I was an idiot.”

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Daniel actually laughed.

Which shocked everyone.

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Aaron continued.

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“I spent so much of my life protecting myself from loss that I forgot how to let someone in.”

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His voice grew quieter.

More emotional.

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“But you never stopped trying.”

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Elara’s eyes filled.

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“You saw parts of me I didn’t even want to see myself.”

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A tear escaped.

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Aaron smiled.

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“And somehow you loved me anyway.”

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His voice broke slightly.

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“For years I thought surviving was enough.”

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A pause.

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“Then I met you.”

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The garden was completely silent now.

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“You taught me that life is more than survival.”

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Aaron squeezed her hands gently.

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“It can be joy.”

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Another tear slid down his cheek.

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“It can be home.”

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His smile softened.

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“And if I had a thousand lifetimes…”

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His voice shook.

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“I would choose you in every one of them.”

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Elara completely lost the battle with her tears.

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So did Maya.

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And Zara.

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And definitely Thomas.

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The officiant discreetly handed Thomas a handkerchief.

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Then it was Elara’s turn.

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She laughed through her tears.

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“That was unfair.”

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Aaron smiled.

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“You’re welcome.”

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The guests laughed softly.

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Elara took a deep breath.

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Then looked at him.

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Really looked at him.

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The man she had loved for years.

The man who had broken her heart.

The man who had healed it too.

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“When I was younger…”

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Her voice trembled.

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“I thought loving someone would be easy.”

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Aaron immediately winced.

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The guests laughed.

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Elara smiled.

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“I was very wrong.”

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Even Aaron nodded.

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“Extremely wrong.”

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More laughter.

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But then her expression softened.

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“And yet…”

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Her eyes filled again.

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“I wouldn’t change any of it.”

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The garden fell silent.

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“Because every road led me here.”

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She squeezed his hands.

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“To this moment.”

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A tear rolled down her cheek.

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“To you.”

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Aaron’s eyes never left hers.

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“You challenged me.”

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Her voice grew stronger.

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“You frustrated me.”

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Aaron nodded.

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“Fair.”

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“You drove me absolutely insane.”

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“Also fair.”

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The guests laughed again.

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Then Elara smiled through her tears.

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“But you never stopped showing up.”

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The emotion returned instantly.

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“When things got difficult…”

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Her voice cracked.

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“When I was afraid…”

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A pause.

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“When the truth hurt…”

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Another tear escaped.

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“You stayed.”

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Aaron’s eyes glistened.

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And Elara smiled.

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“So today, I choose you too.”

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Silence.

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Beautiful.

Perfect silence.

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“I choose every version of you.”

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Her voice trembled.

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“The broken one.”

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Aaron swallowed hard.

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“The stubborn one.”

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Laughter.

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“The annoying one.”

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More laughter.

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“And the man who became my best friend.”

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She reached up gently.

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Brushing away a tear from his cheek.

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“I choose you.”

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Neither of them could stop crying now.

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Neither could most of the guests.

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The officiant wisely waited.

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Finally—

after several emotional moments—

the ceremony continued.

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The rings were exchanged.

The promises made.

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And at last—

the officiant smiled.

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“You may kiss your bride.”

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Aaron didn’t need to be told twice.

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The kiss was soft.

Tender.

Full of everything they had survived together.

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The guests erupted into applause.

Cheers.

Laughter.

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And as Aaron pulled back, resting his forehead against hers—

he smiled.

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“Mrs. Blackwood.”

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Elara laughed through her tears.

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“Again.”

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Aaron kissed her forehead.

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“Again.”

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And beneath the Italian sun, surrounded only by the people they loved most—

Aaron and Elara finally got the wedding they should have had from the beginning.

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Not one built on obligation.

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One built on choice.