Chapter 208
Claire’s POV
11
55 vouchers
The day of our wedding, I couldn’t stop looking at myself in the mirror. I was wearing a flowing white dress that Leo and Nova had helped me pick out. My hair was done up in a bun. I barely recognized myself, so put together and done up.
“You look like a princess,” Nova said from nearby. Her dress was like mine, but pink. Beside her Leo had a black suit like his father’s but with a pink tie to match Nova.
“No,” Leo said. “She looks like a Queen.”
I smiled at them both as I went to them, leaned down and kissed them each on the cheek.
“You are my princess, Nova. And my little prince, Leo.”
The both beamed, so precious, my true loves. But then I noticed I had left pink lipstick on their cheeks and quickly tried to rub it off with my thumb.
“Mom!” Leo said, pushing me away.
Nova giggled.
There was a knock on the door behind us.
“Are you decent?” George called through it.
“I am,” I told him. He opened the door, then grinned at me.
“Gods, you are beautiful,” he said. “I swear it was almost like your mother was here in this room.”
“She is, don’t you know?” I said, with tears in my eyes. I blinked them back, not wanting to ruin my makeup. “She’s always with us.”
George wasn’t so lucky at hiding his emotions. A few tears escaped his eyelashes. Seeing his, I cried too. Then so did the children. Too quickly, we were all a blubbering mess.
“This won’t do at all!” said the servants. “You are ruining your makeup, Miss!”
I didn’t care in that moment. Instead, I hugged my dad. “Thank you for being here.”
“I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”
George had had a rough few months. After divorcing Victoria, he worked hard to bring Lena’s memory back into the
present.
His daughter Susanne, he was hoping would heal from her hurt enough to want to be his daughter again someday. And his son was fortunately unaware of everything that had been going on at home, as he had been away. This meant George hadn’t
been alone.
Though I had made sure of that myself, often checking in. I was slowly rebuilding a relationship with my father, and through him, learning things about my mother that I hadn’t known before.
The grief was heavy, but through it, we became dear to each other. And we kept Lena’s memory alive.
I couldn’t ask for more than that.
“Are you ready?” George asked.
10:28 Sat, Feb 21
Chapter 208
Beside me, the servant was aggressively touching up my makeup.
“Yes,” I said, once she sighed and pulled away.
55 vouchers
I looped my arm through my fathers and, with the kids leading the way, we walked down to the outside courtyard, where at the end of a long aisle, the love of my life waited to make me his wife once and for all.
As I stood at the end of the aisle, the music started and the rows of guests all stood and looked at me. Our friends and family were all in attendance, people we had grown dear to over the years.
Yet, in this moment, despite my father at my arm, the only other person I could see anywhere on earth was Gideon.
He was handsome in his three–piece suit, staring at me with love bright in his eyes.
Once I looked at him, I couldn’t look away. As my dad started forward, I followed, feeling like I was caught in some kind of tractor beam, moving directly toward the man I loved.
When I reached him, George kissed my cheek, then gave my hand to Gideon’s.
“Take care of her,” George said.
“Forever,” Gideon promised.
Then, as my father left, I stood there next to the man I loved, ready to take our forever vows.
They came easily, as did the kiss that followed.
Gideon with his arms around me, swiveled me into a dip.
The crowd cheered, but none were louder than our excited children.
Ivan’s POV
It was good of Claire to invite me to her wedding. I’d thought for a while that I might avoid the whole thing, but now that I was here, that I could be surrounded by the obvious love between the pair, I was glad that I had decided to come.
I stood near the back, mostly out of sight, though I had already approached the couple to give them my blessing. Now they were dancing with their children on the make–shift dance floor, in a different part of the royal courtyard that was meant for the reception.
I watched for a little while, before turning, ready to leave.
“Sneaking out without a goodbye?” George said from behind me.
I must have been getting old, to allow that old man to sneak up on me.
I stopped and turned, considering him. He had an apologetic look on his face. That was a first for as long as I knew him.
“I didn’t believe you, when you told me your suspicions about Lena,” he said.
“You were going through a lot.”
“Yes, but… so were you. I accused you of being jealous. I said harsh things.”
“I was jealous,” I said. “I would have given anything to take your place.”
“That’s not true,” George said. “You wouldn’t have hurt me. Or Lena. Your love for her was real. I’m sorry I couldn’t see that then. I’m sorry I doubted you when you tried to tell me about the poisoning, about Darius, and about Victoria.”
Chapter 208
“These are all very old grudges,” I said. “There’s no use bringing them up.”
55 vouchers
“There is if it means I can get my adopted brother back,” George said. “We’ve been at odds too long, Ivan. And I’m sorry for that.”
115
Maybe I should have walked away. I didn’t have hard feelings for George, but we’d been apart more than we’d ever been together as brothers.
But, even so…
We’d had good times back then. And he was the only family I had, even if it wasn’t by blood.
“Stay for a drink,” George said. “Let’s get drunk and talk about old times.”
It was hard to say no to that offer. “Alright,” I said.
George smiled and turned.
I moved to walk beside him.
Claire’s POV
“I’m thinking… two more kids,” Gideon said. We’d sneaked away from the rest of the party now, stealing kisses on one of the wooden swings hanging from a tree–limb.
“Not enough,” I told him. “I want at least three more.”
“Three?”
“At least,” I said.
He grinned. “Well, who am I to deny my Luna anything she wants? I’d give you a hundred kids if that would make you happy.”
I laughed. “Let’s not go overboard.”
“It will be fun to try for that many anyway,” he said, grinning. He looked mischievous like this, young and handsome. It was difficult not to kiss him so I didn’t hold myself back. I leaned in and tasted that mischief for myself.
He hummed against my lips. Then curling one hand around the back of my heck, kissed me deeper.
“I’ll give you whatever you want, Claire. Children. Fortune. Sex every night and every morning.”
“And sometimes in the afternoon,” I said playfully.
“Gods, I love you. I’m going to love you for the rest of my life.”
“And I’ll love you for the rest of mine.”
We kissed until our lips were red, then we laughed and kissed some more.
We only stopped when we could hear Leo and Nova looking for us.
“Mommy, Daddy, where did you go?”
“Sounds like our family is waiting,” Gideon said.
Gideon held out his hand for me and I took it. Together, we rushed to find our children, and our future.
10:28 Sat, Feb 21 /// ·
Chapter 208
Together.
The End.
E
