Chapter 111. Wedding Bells

**106\. Wedding Bells**

***Sabrina's POV***

"Sab, wake up," someone said, licking my cheek.

Groggily, I stirred from my dream, briefly thinking it was Nio pulling one of his playful stunts.

But instead of him, I woke to the sound of laughter surrounding me. My family stood nearby, clearly amused at my disoriented state.

I touched my wet cheek and turned to see Nio, his lips pressed together in a mock-serious expression.

"Did you actually do that?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

"What are you talking about?" he replied, feigning innocence.

"Mama Iris, he did it!" Wynter exclaimed, pushing Ellies-our mischievous dog-forward as if presenting the culprit.

"Really?" I asked, bursting into laughter.

Nio smirked. "Who did you think it was?" he teased, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

I wiped my cheek and glanced at him. "Honestly? I thought it was you," I admitted with a smirk. "Though I know you'd trade places with Ellies in a heartbeat if you could."

"And who says I need your permission to do that?" he countered, his grin widening.

Before I could reply, Wynter tugged at my sleeve. "Mama Iris, are we still going for ice cream today?"

"Yes, baby, of course we are," I replied with a nod. "Let me freshen up first. And while we're at it, we'll shop for clothes for me and Daddy's wedding. Sound good?"

"Yay!" Wynter cheered, clapping her hands.

Nio leaned in closer, his expression soft. "What about the wedding dates, Sab?" he asked.

I tilted my head thoughtfully. "How about we finalize everything today?" I suggested.

"If it were up to me, I'd marry you right now," he said with a wink.

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Not a chance. We're going to do this the right way-no rushing."

Nio sighed but smiled. "Fine. We'll have the grand wedding you've always dreamed of. But honestly, Sab, I just want to get to the 'forever' part already."

I paused, looking into his eyes, and smiled. "How about this weekend? If we move quickly, we can still pull off something beautiful."

"I was hoping for something even sooner," he teased. "But as long as it makes you happy, I'm on board."

He leaned in, his lips hovering near mine, but I stopped him with a hand on his chest.

"Ahmm, no," I said firmly.

He frowned. "Why not?"

"Morning breath," I said, matter-of-factly.

He groaned. "Come on, I don't care about that," he muttered, but I lowered my head, and his lips landed on my forehead instead.

Wynter, who had been watching the entire exchange, suddenly chimed in. "Daddy, can you kiss me like that too?"

My eyes widened. "Wait-she saw that?" I asked, turning to Nio.

"She's been here the whole time," he admitted with a grin.

Without missing a beat, Nio walked over to Wynter and kissed her forehead, just as he had done with me.

Watching the two of them, I couldn't help but smile. "Wynter, what about me?" I asked, feigning hurt.

Wynter giggled and ran into my arms. "I love you, Mama Iris," she said, planting a kiss on my cheek.

"Now that," I said, laughing, "is what I call the perfect family morning."

As we basked in the moment, Wynter suddenly frowned. "Mama Iris, why is it so hot?"

I paused, feeling a bit lightheaded myself. "Would you like to go swimming, love?" I asked, brushing her hair back.

Her eyes lit up. "Yes! Can we?"

Nio swooped her up into his arms. "All right then, let's go!" he declared, heading for the door.

"Where are you two going?" I called after them, still sitting on the bed, shaking my head with a laugh.

"Towards the pool in the yard," Nio added in a hushed tone, clearly trying not to wake anyone else.

"You don't have to go there," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Huh?" he asked, tilting his head in confusion.

I got out of bed, walked over to the wall, and pushed open a hidden panel, revealing an indoor pool area.

Wynter and Nio's eyes widened as they took in the sight.

"Follow me," I said casually, and they obediently trailed behind me.

The pool sparkled with freshly replaced water, surrounded by neatly trimmed plants and vibrant greenery. I'd arranged for everything to be cleaned earlier, ensuring the space looked perfect.

"You're welcome to use this," I said with a satisfied smile.

Nio blinked in disbelief. "When will you stop surprising me?" he asked, his voice laced with admiration.

I shrugged playfully. "I don't know," I replied, grinning.

"You really are something else," he said softly, shaking his head.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Now, come on, hit the water," I urged.

Without hesitation, Wynter dashed toward the pool. It wasn't until she leaped in with a splash, still in her pajamas, that I realized what was happening.

"You should've changed first!" I called, shaking my head with a mix of amusement and exasperation.

"Let it go, Sab," Nio said, mimicking my tone from earlier, a smirk on his lips.

I scoffed, pretending to be unimpressed, and looked away as Nio tugged off his saggy T-shirt.

But my gaze found its way back, lingering as he dove into the water with practiced ease.

When he surfaced, his hair slicked back and water cascading down his toned body, I couldn't help but stare. Saying he looked attractive would've been the understatement of the century.

He caught me shamelessly ogling, and instead of teasing, he smirked and swam toward me with purpose.

I didn't even bother to avert my gaze-why should I? He was mine, and I wasn't about to feel guilty about it.

Before I could protest, he reached the edge, grabbed my leg, and dragged me into the water with a playful tug.

"Nio!" I shrieked, laughing despite myself.

Wrapping one arm securely around my waist and taking Wynter in his other hand, he began swimming with us, his playful grin lighting up the moment.

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A Few Hours Later

"Baby girl, we're here!" Mark's familiar voice boomed as he and Chris walked into the house.

I'd called them earlier since they, along with Uncle Adams, were the closest family I had. With everything we needed to do, their help was essential. The more hands, the better.

"Uncle Mike!" Wynter squealed, rushing forward to hug him tightly.

"Did you complete your tasks?" I asked Mark, my tone filled with curiosity and anticipation.

He smiled knowingly. "Good news for you, my darling," he said, his voice brimming with satisfaction. "Helen's in jail now. She's been sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum of twenty years to serve."

"Really?" I asked, my eyes widening in disbelief.

"Yes, baby girl," Mark confirmed. "I took care of everything. And I didn't stop there-I removed that selfish old geezer from his position too. I'll be appointing someone more suitable to fill the role soon."

Relief washed over me. "Thank you," I whispered, feeling an immense weight lift off my shoulders.

"Wow, that's fantastic! I think we should celebrate!" I shouted, excitement bubbling over.

"Isn't our wedding reason enough for a party, Sab?" Nio asked, slipping his arm around my waist from behind, his voice teasing.

Mark raised an eyebrow. "Wait, Nio, when are you and your wife-to-be getting married?"

Nio straightened, a proud smirk on his lips. "First of all, my name is Travis, but you may call me Mr. King if you prefer. 'Nio' is reserved exclusively for my Sab. And to answer your question-we're getting married this weekend."

His tone was laced with possessiveness, making me blush.

Mark rolled his eyes. "All right, whatever."

Chris gasped. "This weekend?" she exclaimed, her eyes darting between us as we nodded in unison.

"Oh my god! We have so much to do-the venue, the dresses, the food, the guest list!" Chris clutched her head as though overwhelmed.

"Chris, take a deep breath," I said, chuckling. "We'll be fine."

But Chris was already in motion. "No time to waste, people! Let's get to work!" She tossed her bag into the corner and began dragging me toward the door.

We all burst into laughter, but we followed her lead.

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By the end of the day, we'd made incredible progress.

The designs for our outfits were finalized, and we had taken measurements. At the jewelry store, Nio surprised me with a stunning necklace adorned with sapphires and turquoise-our birthstones. It was beautiful and meaningful, and I was overjoyed.

Meanwhile, I had a little surprise of my own. Without Nio's knowledge, I had purchased a platinum band for him. My plan was to propose to him that evening and officially seal our engagement.

I asked Chris and Mark to look after Wynter while we were out, and they happily agreed.

Later that evening, Nio had planned a special dinner for us. He told me it was our "first official date," and I was over the moon. It was the perfect opportunity to share my feelings and propose.

As we drove toward the venue, I caught sight of the beach in the distance. My heart skipped a beat when I saw a gazebo set up in the center of the sand, illuminated with soft, golden lights.

When we got out of the car, Nio took my hand, guiding me toward the gazebo.

"Isn't this beautiful?" he asked, his voice low and warm.

"It's perfect," I said, nodding. "Everything here feels so serene, so peaceful."

We stood there for a moment, basking in the quiet beauty of the scene.

Then, I made up my mind-it was time.

Taking a deep breath, I turned to face Nio and dropped to one knee, pulling out the platinum band I had hidden. Before I could say a word, my eyes widened as Nio knelt down at the same time, holding out a ring of his own.

We both froze, then burst into laughter, our eyes misting over as we looked at each other.

"Will you marry me, Nio?" I asked, my voice trembling with emotion.

"Will you marry me, Sab?" he said simultaneously.

We laughed again, tears streaming down our cheeks. Standing up, we nodded to each other, no words needed.

Nio pulled me into his arms, resting his forehead against mine.

As we exchanged rings, he slid the platinum band onto my finger, and I placed mine onto his.

When he finished, he lifted my hand to his lips, placing a tender kiss on it before leaning in to kiss me fully.

"Sab," he said, his voice thick with emotion, "thank you for coming into my life. I don't know what I would've done without you."

Tears welled in my eyes again. "I love you, Nio."

"I love you, Sab," he replied, his voice soft and earnest.

Breaking apart slightly, I smiled. "Come on, we should get back. Our girl might be waiting for us."

"Mark and Chris are keeping her company," Nio assured me, a playful glint in his eye. "And by the way, I think they're doing a fantastic job."

I raised an eyebrow. "Wait-did you ask them to babysit too?"

"Don't tell me you did as well," he said, laughing as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"Well," I chuckled, "at least we'll have less explaining to do. They already know the answer."

"Exactly," he said, leaning in to kiss my hair before leading me toward the gazebo.

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