Chapter 10
Our wedding was held the following June.
In the backyard, under the same oak tree, surrounded by the flowers my father had planted.
It was small.
Just close friends and family.
The kids from the foundation came, too, dressed in their best clothes, grinning like it was their own wedding.
I didn’t wear the Versace dress.
I wore a simple white dress, soft and flowing, with a small blue ribbon sewn into the hem.
Something blue.
For my father.
For the dress that had seen me through so much.
Aunt Helen walked me down the aisle.
She held my arm, her head held high, a proud smile on her face.
Daniel stood at the altar, waiting for me, his eyes shining.
When he saw me, he smiled, and my heart felt so full I thought it might burst.
The ceremony was short.
We wrote our own vows.
Daniel promised to love me, to support me, to laugh with me, to hold my hand through every hard day and every happy one.
I promised to love him, to build a life with him, to teach him how to garden even if he killed every plant he touched.
Everyone laughed.
Even Aunt Helen wiped a tear.
When the priest said “you may kiss the bride,” Daniel pulled me close and kissed me.
The crowd cheered.
The kids threw flower petals.
Somewhere, I swear I heard my father’s laugh, loud and warm, right there with us.
The reception was held under the fairy lights, just like the gala.
We ate cake.
We danced.
Aunt Helen gave a speech.
She talked about my father, about how he’d always known I’d find my way, about how proud he would be.
She talked about Daniel, about how he was the man I’d always deserved.
“Welcome to the family,” she said, raising her glass to him.
“We’re a little loud, a little crazy, but we love hard.”
Later that night, after the dancing had died down, I slipped away for a minute.
I walked into the house, up the stairs to my bedroom.
I opened the closet door.
The Versace dress hung there, right where I’d left it, the crystals catching the light from the hallway.
I reached out and touched the fabric.
Soft.
Familiar.
“Thank you,” I whispered, to the dress, to my father, to everything that had brought me here.
“Thank you for keeping me safe. For helping me be strong.”
A soft knock on the door.
Daniel stood in the doorway, smiling.
“Everything okay?” he said.
I nodded.
I walked over to him, took his hand.
“Everything is perfect.”
We walked back outside together.
The stars were bright.
The air was warm.
Aunt Helen was dancing with one of the foundation’s volunteers, laughing so hard she could barely stand.
The kids were chasing each other around the garden, their faces lit up by the fairy lights.
Everything was exactly as it should be.
I thought about the woman I’d been a year and a half before.
Standing in that cathedral, broken, humiliated, thinking my life was over.
I thought about the missing dress, about the will, about the letter that had revealed Grant’s plan.
I thought about the grief, the anger, the fear.
And I thought about the journey.
About learning to stand on my own.
About finding my voice.
About loving myself enough to walk away from what was hurting me.
About opening my heart again.
Justice had been served.
Grant was in prison, paying for what he’d done.
My father’s company was stronger than ever.
The foundation was helping more kids than ever before.
I was safe.
I was loved.
I was confident.
I was home.
Daniel squeezed my hand.
I looked up at him, and smiled.
This was the happy ending I’d always deserved.
May you like
The one my father had always wanted for me.
And it was even better than I’d ever imagined.
