The wedding guests had left hours ago.
I stood in front of the bathroom mirror in Adrian's our bedroom, staring at my reflection. The wedding dress was still on, though I'd removed the veil and most of the pins from my hair. My hands shook slightly as I reached for the zipper.
This was real. I was married. To Adrian Blackwood. For real this time, not just a contract on paper.
"Need help?" Adrian's voice came from the doorway.
I met his eyes in the mirror. He'd removed his jacket and tie, unbuttoned the top of his shirt. Even disheveled, he looked devastating.
"The zipper's stuck," I admitted.
He crossed to me, and I felt his presence like heat against my back. His fingers found the zipper, worked it loose with surprising gentleness.
"There." But he didn't step away. His hands settled on my shoulders, thumbs brushing the bare skin of my upper back. "Sophia, we don't have to I mean, if you're not ready"
"I'm ready." I turned to face him. "Are you?"
Something flashed in his eyes. "I've been ready since the moment you walked down that aisle."
"That was three hours ago."
"Try three weeks. Or two years, if we're being honest." His hand cupped my cheek. "But Sophia, I need you to be sure. This isn't part of the contract. This is real. And once we cross this line.."
"I want to cross it." I placed my hand over his. "Adrian, I love you. I married you because I love you. Not because of protection or revenge or business. Just... you."
He kissed me then, and it was different from every kiss before. Deeper. More urgent. Full of promise.
When we broke apart, both breathing hard, Adrian rested his forehead against mine.
"I love you too. So much it terrifies me sometimes."
"Be scared with me," I whispered, echoing his words from weeks ago.
"Always."
He helped me out of the dress with careful hands, hanging it up like it was made of glass. I stood in just my slip, suddenly self-conscious despite everything.
"You're beautiful," Adrian said quietly. "The most beautiful thing I've ever seen."
"You're not so bad yourself."
That earned me a smile that rare, genuine smile that transformed his whole face. "Not so bad? I'll take it."
I laughed, and some of the tension eased. This was Adrian. My husband. The man who'd protected me, supported me, loved me through everything.
Nothing to be nervous about.
He picked me up an easy sweep that made me gasp and carried me to the bed.
"Romantic," I teased.
"I have my moments." He laid me down gently, followed me onto the mattress. "Tell me if you want to stop. Any time. I mean it, Sophia."
"I won't want to stop."
"But if you do.."
"I won't." I pulled him down for another kiss. "I trust you, Adrian. Completely."
Something shifted in his expression wonder, maybe, or disbelief that he could be trusted like that.
"I'll make it good for you," he promised against my lips. "I swear."
And he did.
Later, much later, I lay wrapped in Adrian's arms, my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat slow.
"That was..." I started.
"Yeah," he agreed, fingers tracing lazy patterns on my shoulder. "It was."
I smiled against his skin. "Very articulate, Mr. Blackwood."
"You've rendered me speechless. Occupational first."
I tilted my head up to look at him. His eyes were soft, unguarded in a way I'd rarely seen.
"No regrets?" I asked quietly.
"Not a single one. You?"
"No." I snuggled closer. "This is exactly where I'm supposed to be."
"With me."
"With you. Always with you."
His arms tightened around me. "I keep thinking I'm going to wake up and find this was all a dream. That you'll be gone, or you'll have changed your mind, or.."
"I'm real. This is real. And I'm not going anywhere." I pressed a kiss to his chest. "You're stuck with me now. Forever."
"Forever," he repeated, like he was testing the word. "I like the sound of that."
"Good. Because that's the deal."
"Best deal I ever made."
I smiled. "Best decision I ever made."
We lay there in comfortable silence for a while, the city lights filtering through the windows, casting soft shadows across the room.
"Adrian?" I said eventually.
"Mm?"
"What happens now? With Ethan's trial coming up, and everything with the investigation.."
"Now?" He shifted so he could see my face properly. "Now we live. We build our life together. We face whatever comes, but we do it together. As partners. As husband and wife."
"That simple?"
"That simple." He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "Everything else Ethan, the trial, the business we'll handle it. But this, us, our marriage? That's the priority. You're the priority."
My throat tightened. "I'm not used to being anyone's priority."
"Get used to it. Because you're mine. And I take care of what's mine."
"Possessive."
"Always. Do you mind?"
"No." I kissed him softly. "I don't mind at all."
His phone buzzed on the nightstand. He glanced at it, frowned.
"It's Lucas. Says there's something I need to see." He looked torn. "I can ignore it.."
"Check it. It might be important."
Adrian grabbed his phone, pulled up whatever Lucas had sent. His expression darkened.
"What is it?" I asked, sitting up.
"Ethan gave an interview from prison. Posted an hour ago." He turned the phone so I could see.
Ethan's face filled the screen, looking haggard but defiant. The headline read: "Wrongly Accused? Ethan Cole Speaks Out."
I felt sick. "On our wedding day. Of course he did."
"Do you want to watch it?"
Part of me wanted to say no. To ignore Ethan completely, to not let him ruin this perfect night.
But I needed to know what he was saying. What lies he was spreading.
"Play it."
Adrian hesitated, then hit play.
"..wrongly convicted," Ethan was saying, looking earnestly at the camera. "I made mistakes, yes. I had an affair. I took money I shouldn't have. But murder? Conspiracy? Those charges were fabricated by Adrian Blackwood to steal Sophia from me."
"Oh, please," I muttered.
"The evidence was manipulated," Ethan continued. "Documents forged. Witnesses paid off. And now Sophia the woman I loved, the woman I was going to marry she's married to the man who destroyed my life. Don't you think that's suspicious?"
"He's trying to paint himself as the victim," Adrian said, voice tight with anger.
"Today was supposed to be our wedding day," Ethan said, voice breaking convincingly. "Instead, I'm here, and she's with him. I just hope someday, Sophia realizes the truth. That Blackwood manipulated her, used her to get revenge on me. And when she does realize it, I hope it's not too late."
The video ended.
I felt Adrian's tension radiating through the bed. "He's desperate. Trying to create doubt, to make people question the conviction."
"It won't work. The evidence is solid."
"I know. But Sophia.." He turned to me, took my hands. "I need you to know. Everything he said is a lie. I never manipulated you. I never"
"I know." I cut him off. "Adrian, I know. I was there, remember? I saw the evidence. I know what Ethan did. And I chose you not because you manipulated me, but because you're the only person who's ever treated me like an equal. Who's ever truly seen me."
Some of the tension left his shoulders. "He's trying to get in your head."
"He can try all he wants. It won't work." I kissed him firmly. "I meant my vows, Adrian. For better or worse. And if 'worse' includes Ethan's pathetic attempts to cause trouble, then so be it. We'll handle it together."
A slow smile spread across his face. "Together."
"Always together."
He set the phone aside, pulled me back into his arms. "I'm going to have Lucas issue a statement tomorrow. Refuting Ethan's claims."
"Good. But tonight.." I traced my fingers along his jaw. "Tonight, let's not think about Ethan. Or trials. Or anything outside this room."
"What should we think about instead?"
I smiled. "How much I love my husband. And how we have at least a few more hours before dawn."
Heat flared in his eyes. "I like how you think, Mrs. Blackwood."
Mrs. Blackwood. The name still felt new, but it fit. Like it had always been meant to be mine.
"Then stop talking," I murmured against his lips, "and show me."
He did.
I woke to sunlight streaming through the windows and Adrian's arms still around me.
For a moment, I just lay there, soaking in the feeling. Safe. Loved. Home.
In my past life, I'd woken up alone on the morning after my wedding to Ethan. He'd had an "early meeting" that I later realized was probably with Vivian.
But Adrian was here. Still holding me, even in sleep. Like he was afraid I'd disappear if he let go.
I traced my fingers lightly over his chest, and his eyes opened.
"Morning," he said, voice rough with sleep.
"Morning. Sleep well?"
"Best sleep of my life." He pressed a kiss to my forehead. "What time is it?"
I glanced at the clock. "Almost nine."
"We should get up. Lucas will be waiting for.." He stopped, seemed to reconsider. "Actually, Lucas can wait. Everything can wait."
"Adrian Blackwood, putting work second? Who are you and what have you done with my husband?"
"Your husband," he repeated, like he was testing the words. "I'm still getting used to that."
"Me too. But I like it."
"Yeah." He pulled me closer. "Me too."
My stomach chose that moment to growl loudly. We both laughed.
"Okay, maybe breakfast can't wait," Adrian conceded. "Margaret probably has something ready."
"Probably an entire feast, knowing her."
We got up, dressed in comfortable clothes me in one of Adrian's shirts that hung to my thighs, him in sweatpants and nothing else and headed downstairs.
Margaret was indeed waiting with breakfast laid out on the patio: fresh fruit, pastries, eggs, coffee.
"Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Blackwood," she said with a knowing smile. "I trust you slept well?"
"Very well, thank you," Adrian said, not even blushing.
I, however, felt my cheeks heat. Margaret just laughed.
"Enjoy your breakfast. And congratulations again. You two are perfect together."
She left us alone, and I picked up a strawberry, bit into it.
"This is nice," I said. "Peaceful."
"The calm before the storm," Adrian agreed. "Once we deal with Ethan's interview, once the trial date gets closer.."
"I don't want to think about that yet." I reached across the table, took his hand. "Can we just have today? Just us, no drama, no stress. One day."
Adrian squeezed my hand. "One day. I can do that."
"Good. Because I have plans."
His eyebrows rose. "Plans?"
"Mmhmm. First, we finish this amazing breakfast. Then, maybe a swim in the pool. Then.." I smiled wickedly. "Then I thought we could spend some quality time breaking in other rooms of this house."
Adrian's eyes darkened with heat. "I really like how your mind works, Mrs. Blackwood."
"Just wait until you see the rest of my plans, Mr. Blackwood."
We spent the day exactly as I'd planned swimming, laughing, making love, and generally acting like newlyweds who didn't have a care in the world.
Because for one day, we didn't.
Tomorrow would bring challenges. Ethan's interview would need addressing. The trial preparation would resume. Reality would intrude.
But today was ours.
And as the sun set over the city and I sat wrapped in Adrian's arms on the patio, I realized something profound.
In my past life, I'd died never knowing what real love felt like. I'd thought Ethan's manipulation was affection, his control was care.
Now I knew better.
Real love felt like this: Safe. Equal. Chosen. Every single day.
"What are you thinking about?" Adrian asked, chin resting on top of my head.
"How lucky I am. How grateful."
"I'm the lucky one."
"We can both be lucky."
"Deal." He pressed a kiss to my temple. "Sophia?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For taking a chance on me. For walking into my office that day. For seeing past the Devil CEO reputation to the person underneath. For loving me."
I turned in his arms so I could see his face. "Adrian, you don't have to thank me for loving you. It's the easiest thing I've ever done."
His eyes went suspiciously shiny. "Even easier than loving Ethan?"
"That wasn't love. I know that now. That was... settling. Accepting less than I deserved because I didn't know better." I cupped his face. "You showed me what I deserved. What real partnership looks like. What love actually is."
"Sophia.."
"So no, you don't have to thank me. Because loving you isn't a favor. It's not something I'm doing for you. It's something I'm doing for me. Because you make me happy. You make me better. You make me feel like I can do anything."
A single tear rolled down his cheek. I'd never seen Adrian cry before.
"I love you," he whispered. "So goddamn much."
"I love you too. Forever."
"Forever," he agreed.
We sat there as the stars came out, wrapped in each other, and I sent a silent thank you to whatever force had given me this second chance.
I'd died once, believing love was a lie.
Now I lived, knowing it was the truest thing in the world.
And that made every moment of pain, every battle fought, every tear shed
Worth it.
All of it worth it.
For this. For him. For us.
Forever.