Chapter 0304
‘Regina! How can you ask something like that?” Valerie replied, blushing furiously. “I’m not telling you anything. You’re incorrigible!”
“Incorrigible or not, that’s just who I am–and I’m your best friend!” Regina shot back, laughing, “Mary, it hurts me that I wasn’t there for you, that you had to go through so much alone. But look at you now. Tomorrow–well, in just a few hours–you’re getting married! It’s going to be a fairy–tale wedding!”
Regina wasn’t wrong. The wedding was nothing short of magical. While Marcus and Valerie initially planned for a small, private ceremony, it had grown to include over a hundred guests, mostly Marcus’s acquaintances. Word had spread quickly that the formidable businessman was tying the knot, and many had invited themselves.
Serenity, playing the role of flower girl, looked enchanting For Valerie, the wedding was a dream come true. For Serenity, it was the culmination of every birthday wish she’d ever made. She wanted her dad to be with her mom, for the three of them to live together like a family. To her, Marcus wasn’t just her stepfather–he was her real father in every way that mattered. She knew about Peter and that he was in heaven, but Marcus had always been the one to–care for her.
When Serenity was nearly two, Valerie often brought her to Marcus’s office while she studied to finish her degree. Marcus had set up a playpen and changing table after realizing how inconvenient it was to change diapers on his office sofa. The playpen was necessary because Serenity was always on the move, and Marcus worried she might -hurt herself.
Now, as Serenity carried the train of her mother’s wedding dress, she felt like she was accompanying a queen from the movies.
The ceremony took place in a luxurious garden in the city. On Valerie’s side, there was only Camille, her daughters, Regina, and little Serenity. The rest of the guests were people Marcus knew. Valerie walked down the aisle on Camille’s arm, who proudly escorted the girl she had once met in a cemetery and now considered her eldest daughter.
Marcus, standing nervously beside Frederick, couldn’t take his eyes off Valerie as she emerged from the sea of flowers. She wore a stunning beige mermaid–cut dress with lace and delicate pearl buttons down the back. Several women had helped button her into the gown earlier, each offering their best wishes. Valerie silently hoped those wishes would come true.
“Something new–your dress, my girl. Something, borrowed–the silver cameo from your grandfather. And something blue–this,” Camille said, handing her a tiny ribbon.
The ribbon was one Camille had once used for Serenity when she was a baby. Though Serenity had outgrown it, Camille cherished it as a keepsake.
When Marcus and Valerie said their vows, a single tear escaped Valerie’s eye. This was the wedding she had. dreamed of as a child–the feeling she had always wanted to experience. She was happy, though a pang of sadness lingered that her grandfather wasn’t there to see it.
Valerie couldn’t help but compare it to her first marriage- rushed, secret ceremony with a judge in a hotel suite. This time, Marcus proudly announced to the world that he was marrying the love of his life.
As the evening wound down, Valerie finally tossed the bouquet. Regina dodged it with lightning speed, unwilling to even entertain the thought of marriage. Instead, a young woman caught it, and months later, it was revealed that she, indeed, married the love of her life.
Initially, the honeymoon had been planned for three–Marcus, Valerie, and Serenity. But Camille stepped in firmly, insisting that honeymoons were for couples. She offered to care for Serenity, allowing Marcus and Valerie the time to focus on each other.
Chapter 0304
+25 BONUS
The reception continued without the bride and groom, who left for a beach where Marcus had once promised to take Valerie when she became his wife.
[Present Day, Westhaven]
“My dear Valerie, I hope you’ll tell me what’s bothering you. I hope you’ll tell me what you discussed with Maximus. I know there’s something strange there, but I won’t push you,” Marcus said softly, watching as Valerie leaned into him and inhaled deeply.
Over the years, Marcus had learned that Valerie had a habit of smelling him–partly because she loved his unchanging cologne and partly because it reassured her that he was there, always present to protect her.
“I love you, Mrs. Bartz. I’ll love you forever,” Marcus said, pulling her close, their bodies entwined as he reclined on the bed.
Valerie, nestled in his arms, felt the warmth and safety she always found in Marcus. For now, she let herself relax, burying her worries in the embrace of the man who had always been her haven.
