Chapter 10 - THE TRUE FAIRY TALE
The wedding didn't happen at Ashwood Manor. It didn't cost millions of dollars, and there were no politicians or Wall Street elites in attendance.
They got married on a quiet beach in Malibu, at sunset. There were only twenty guests—close friends, trusted colleagues, and Marcus the security chief, who cried openly during the vows.
Isabel wore a simple, flowing white dress, her hair blowing freely in the ocean breeze. She looked like an angel. Adrian wore a linen suit, barefoot in the sand.
There was no string quartet. There was just the sound of the ocean waves.
When it came time for the rings, Adrian didn't reach into his pocket. He looked down at Mia, who was standing between them, holding a small wooden box. She was five now, wearing a miniature version of her mother's dress.
She opened the box, presenting the two simple gold bands. No massive diamonds. Just solid, unbreakable gold.
"Thank you, Mia," Adrian smiled, taking the ring.
As he slid the band onto Isabel's finger, he didn't feel a shred of doubt. He looked into the eyes of the woman who had loved him in the shadows, the woman who had brought light into his darkest moments.
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"I love you," he whispered.
"I love you more," Isabel replied, tears of joy streaming down her face.
