Chapter 15 - Emma Chooses A Different Ceremony
Two years after the interrupted wedding, Victor asked Emma to marry him.
Not in a ballroom.
Not at a gala.
Not with cameras.
They were standing in her kitchen while she argued with a contractor on speakerphone.
Victor waited until the call ended.
Then said:
“I have a question.”
Emma looked suspicious.
“Why do you look like you’re about to negotiate a merger?”
“Occupational damage.”
He took out a ring.
Emma stared.
Victor immediately added:
“You can say no.”
“That’s romantic.”
“I practiced.”
“That makes it worse.”
He laughed.
Then became serious.
“I don’t want an answer because of what happened. I don’t want the story to make the decision for us.”
Emma’s eyes filled.
That was exactly why she said yes.
Not because Victor had stormed into her first wedding.
Not because Daniel betrayed her.
Not because Henry secretly hoped they would end up together.
Because two years of ordinary life had followed.
Arguments.
Dinners.
Work trips.
Separate plans.
Shared plans.
Apologies.
Bored Sundays.
Trust built without crisis.
They married six months later.
Emma refused red roses.
“Trauma?”
Victor asked.
“No. I just never liked them.”
He stared.
“You carried fifty of them at the first wedding.”
“Daniel chose them.”
Victor laughed so hard the florist looked offended.
Emma chose white wildflowers.
The ceremony was small.
Rebecca attended.
Eleanor attended.
Julian gave a terrible speech.
Clara came out of retirement long enough to complain about the seating chart.
Daniel did not attend.
Nobody expected him to.
Emma did not want the second ceremony defined by the first.
Before walking down the aisle, she stood alone for a moment.
No tears.
No threats.
No forged documents waiting in a folder.
No one believed anyone was dead.
Then Victor appeared at the opposite end.
This time he was exactly where he was supposed to be.
Emma smiled.
“Don’t interrupt.”
Victor raised both hands.
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
May you like
The guests laughed.
Then Emma walked toward him by choice.
