Chapter 235 EPILOGUE 2.

Chapter 235 EPILOGUE 2.
\~~~DAMIEN.

“If one more person asks me about the napkin folding style, I am personally deporting them to an undisclosed island.”

I stood in the holding room of the grand estate garden, glaring at a clipboard that Ethan had shoved into my hands ten minutes ago. I wore a custom three-piece tuxedo that cost more than a small car, yet somehow I had spent the last two hours being bossed around by a wedding coordinator who looked at me like I was a rogue element threatening her color palette.

Serena walked out of the dressing room, looking breathtaking in a purple silk maid-of-honor gown. She paused, tying back a stray strand of her hair, and laughed as she caught sight of my scowl.

“You look very handsome, Mr. Hale,” Serena teased, walking over to smooth down the lapels of my jacket. “Stop threatening the vendors. It’s Maya’s big day.”

“Maya has terrorized every single corporate supplier in this tri-state area for years now,” I muttered, pulling her close by the waist. “I am simply maintaining national security standards.”

Before Serena could reply, the door swung open, and Maya marched in. She wore a stunning white gown, her veil slightly askew, looking radiant, frantic, and entirely unhinged. 

“Where is the groom?!” Maya demanded, waving her bouquet like a weapon. “Is Jay breathing? Did someone check his pulse? If he passed out in the antechamber because he forgot his vows, I am calling off the wedding and keeping the open bar for myself!”

“The poor man looked as though he’d spent the morning preparing for execution rather than marriage,” I smacked my lips.
“But he’s alive, right?”
“He’s alive,” I said. “Barely. He’s standing two rooms over with Ethan, trying not to throw up,” Serena laughed, stepping away from me to fix Maya’s veil. “Breathe. You’re about to marry the man.”
“I know! And he’s wearing a tie I didn't approve of!” Maya groaned dramatically. 

Just then, three-year-old Dawn waddled into the room, wearing a miniature white tulle dress with a matching flower crown. 
She looked like an absolute angel, an angel who was currently holding a half-eaten chocolate chip cookie. 

“Mommy, look! I am a princess!” Dawn announced, spinning around and nearly tripping over her hem. 

Maya immediately dropped her bride panic, squealing and dropping to her knees. “You are the prettiest princess in the entire universe! Are you ready to toss petals down the aisle for Auntie Maya?”

“Yes! And then I get cake!” Dawn declared firmly. 

Down the hall, the string quartet began playing the processional. The air in the room instantly shifted from chaotic panic to breathless reality. Serena kissed Maya on both cheeks, her eyes shining with tears of joy, while I checked my watch and straightened my cuffs one last time. 

“Showtime,” I murmured. 

\~~~

The ceremony space was breathtaking—an expansive garden lawn overlooking the glittering city skyline, packed with smiling faces, cascading white roses, and rows of white chairs. 

At the altar, Jay stood looking immaculate in his tailored suit, shifting nervously from foot to foot while Ethan whispered something in his ear. 

“Relax, man,” Ethan stage-whispered from the best man spot. “If you mess up the vows, Maya will sue you for breach of contract, and you don’t want her as opposing counsel.”

Jay swallowed hard, shooting Ethan a glare that made the crowd chuckle quietly. 

Then, the music swelled. 

Dawn stepped out first as the flower girl. She held her tiny wicker basket of rose petals, her little face scrunched up in intense concentration. She took one step and then a few more while the entire audience let out an audible collective ‘aww.’ 

Then, a stray yellow butterfly fluttered right across the grass in front of her. 

Dawn stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes went wide. She dropped her basket of petals entirely, spilling them across the grass, and bolted after the insect, shouting, “Buggy!”

Laughter erupted through the rows of guests. Maya pressed her hands to her face, giggling uncontrollably from the archway, while Ethan shook his head with a grin. 

Dawn chased the butterfly halfway down the aisle, realized it was flying away, and suddenly spotted me sitting in the front row next to Serena. 

Tears welling up in her eyes, our daughter abandoned her post, sprinted up the aisle, and threw herself directly into my lap, burying her face in my tuxedo jacket. 

“Daddy, the bug ran away!” she sobbed dramatically. 

I blinked, completely stunned, holding a three-year-old flower girl in the middle of a high-society wedding ceremony while two hundred people stared at us. 

Serena bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud, gently patting Dawn’s back. 

“It’s okay, angel,” I whispered, awkwardly smoothing her hair while looking up at Jay, who was still waiting at the altar. “Go on, buddy. Your auntie is waiting.”

Sniffling, Dawn wiped her nose on my silk lapel, ruining a second piece of clothing today, and finally decided to march the rest of the way to the altar, dragging her flower crown behind her. 

When Maya finally walked down the aisle on her father's arm, the small hiccup was entirely forgotten. 

Later, as the sun dipped below the horizon and the reception kicked into full gear under a canopy of fairy lights, the tension melted away completely. Melissa, glowing and heavily pregnant, sat comfortably at the VIP table while Ethan hovered over her like an overly anxious bodyguard, making sure she had sparkling water and every snack within a five-mile radius. 

Look who said I had been too extra when Serena and I were expecting. Hypocrite, the man that he is.

Midway through the evening, a runner from the front desk dropped off a sleek, international delivery package for us. 

Serena opened it while I poured two glasses of champagne. Inside was a large, beautifully framed photograph of the Amalfi coast, signed with a simple note: 

“Wishing you a lifetime of happiness, laughter, and no corporate drama. Congratulations to the bride and groom. Tell Dawn her Uncle Ryan still owes her Italian gelato — Ryan.”

I set the card down, smiling faintly. 

“That’s sweet of him,” Serena murmured, leaning against my shoulder as we watched Maya and Jay tear up the dance floor, completely lost in their own world. 

“It is,” I agreed, pulling her closer. 

Just then, a small hand tugged on my trouser leg. I looked down to see Dawn staring up at me with big, innocent eyes. 

“Daddy, can I have the wedding cake now?” 

I laughed, scooping her up into my arms as the music played on, surrounded by the family we built, the peace we earned, and a future that was entirely ours.

(I know you all think this was over, but, will a little bit of happy ending hurts?🌚🌚🌚)