When Lena woke, she was nestled against Vernon’s chest.
He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “It’s all taken care of.”
The weight on her chest finally lifted.
She snuggled closer, letting out a soft hum.
Her pregnancy wasn’t showing yet, so she and Vernon didn’t waste time. The wedding was set, and every detail had to be perfect.
First, they returned to Altesia for their marriage certificate. Then came the wedding photos. The thought of her baby being part of
them filled Lena with quiet wonder.
Before they knew it, the big day had arrived.
The ceremony was simple yet elegant, held at Lena’s favorite church, with roses and jasmines filling the air.
Her dress had been custom–made long ago–Vernon’s commission, just for her.
Even the wedding favors had their personal touch, each gift box packed by their own hands.
To keep Lena from getting too exhausted, only their closest friends and family were invited.
From vows to rings, they were lost in the moment, eyes locked, hearts steady.
When the priest finally pronounced them husband and wife, their kiss lingered–deep, unhurried, like they never wanted to let
- go.
In that moment, nothing else existed.
The wedding was private, intimate.
It wasn’t until the next day that Andrew, back in Altesia, heard the news.
The fire to take her back still burned, but he knew–this time, it was impossible.
Every time he closed his eyes, her voice from that old recording echoed in his mind.
2/4
Chapter 20
“No more contact, no more meetings. That’s the only ending that made sense.‘
But he couldn’t do it.
So, all he could do was watch from afar.
+20 Bonus
The gifts he meant for her kept piling up. Some foolish part of him thought that if he could just hand them to her, she might turn
back.
But none of them ever reached her.
Not the gifts. Not the messages. Not the calls.
Every attempt–blocked before it even had a chance.
Andrew knew why.
Still, he refused to accept it.
She was once the girl who loved him more than anyone.
She was once the person he cherished the most.
How had she suddenly become someone else’s wife, someone else’s family?
No amount of regret could rewrite reality.
***
Several months later, Lena gave birth to a baby girl.
Vernon, already the perfect husband, leveled up to full–on girl dad mode.
Before their daughter even hit a month old, he’d dropped over ten million dollars on gifts. Not stopping there, he and Lena even
launched a charity in her name.
At her full–month celebration, the banquet was packed, and the gift pile on stage could’ve passed for a small mountain.
Meanwhile, in Altesia, Andrew had picked out a gift too. Not that it mattered–Lena and Vernon kept their daughter out of the public eye. No photos, no leaks, nothing. The only thing Andrew ever heard? She looked just like Lena.
His vision blurred.
If things had been different…
If Nicole had never existed…
Would they have had a chance?
Would their child have looked just like her?
