Chapter 170 Their Wedding
Chapter 170 Their Wedding
Stephanie's POV
In that moment, my heart hammered so hard I could feel it in my throat.
The entire venue fell silent. Everyone waited for the emcee to announce the final winner.
His voice rang out clearly through the microphone. "This year's grand champion—the Ravenhill University cheer squad!"
My eyes flew open.
The next second, the crowd erupted. Cheers exploded from every direction, wave after wave.
Beside me, Deborah slapped my shoulder hard, her voice thick with excitement. "Stephanie, did you hear that? Your team took first place! You won as a member, and now you've won as a coach. You're absolutely incredible!"
I blinked, slowly coming back to myself, and looked around.
On the floor, the girls clung to each other in a tight huddle, laughing and crying at the same time, too overwhelmed to sort out their emotions.
Mia stood at the edge of the group. She froze for a few seconds, then turned toward me and broke into a brilliant smile. She didn't say anything, but that one look said more than a thousand words. It was as if she was telling me, We did it.
I stood on the sidelines, watching them celebrate and embrace, and suddenly felt my nose sting.
From the moment this new team was formed, I'd been with them every step of the way. From awkward movements and chaotic coordination, to gradually finding their rhythm and building chemistry, to finally claiming the championship.
Every moment of the journey flooded through my mind.
Turns out, witnessing the people you've protected achieve success really can make you cry.
I turned to Deborah and saw her eyes had quietly reddened too.
I stepped forward and pulled her into a tight hug.
Deborah said softly, her voice full of relief, "You did it, Stephanie."
"No. We all did it."
After the competition ended, the girls went wild in the locker room. Drinks were spilled everywhere, and the trophy was passed around from one pair of arms to another. It wasn't until Deborah came in and reminded them to clean up before leaving that the chaos finally settled down a bit.
I stood in the doorway, watching them laugh and clean at the same time, and felt an odd sense of déjà vu—except now, I was on the other side of it.
---
Before long, the day of my wedding to Christopher arrived.
We chose a fall wedding. The venue was Harborcrest Beach, on the stretch of sand right across from that old house.
Once we'd set the date, Emily took charge of most of the planning.
She coordinated the venue, contacted the florist, arranged for a live band—she was on top of everything.
She had a fiery personality, but whatever you asked her to do, she got it done.
She scrolled through vendor contacts on her phone, brimming with confidence. "Don't worry, you two. I've done tons of research. This wedding is going to be even more romantic than the proposal."
Rufus stayed by Emily's side the whole time, quietly keeping an eye on her. Whenever her voice got hoarse, he'd hand her the water bottle he always carried.
I chimed in occasionally on details—like the style of the table florals or whether to add hand-drawn touches to the invitations.
But most of the time, I just stood by the window, watching everyone in the living room bustling around for our wedding, my heart full of warmth.
Christopher would cut up a plate of fruit now and then and set it on the coffee table before going back to whatever he was working on.
Whenever he passed by me, he'd bump my shoulder lightly and wink.
The day before the wedding, I went to the beach alone.
The evening shore was nearly empty. The sea breeze was gentle, and the waves rolled in and out with a soothing rhythm, like the ocean was breathing softly.
I kicked off my shoes and walked slowly along the shoreline, feeling the fine sand shift beneath my feet and the cool water wash over my toes again and again.
I heard steady footsteps behind me. I turned around.
Christopher was walking toward me, carrying my jacket.
"It's chilly by the water."
We sat side by side on the sand, watching the light over the ocean slowly dim.
He spoke softly out of the blue. "Once tomorrow comes, my name will take on a whole new meaning—it'll mean I'm yours for the rest of your life."
"But I say your name every single day already."
"It's not the same." He met my eyes, his gaze soft yet earnest. "Come tomorrow, this name will be yours and yours alone."
We sat in silence for a long time, until the distant lighthouse began to glow faintly. Only then did he stand and reach out his hand.
I took it and rose to my feet, brushed the sand off my skirt, and walked back with him side by side.
---
On the day of the wedding, the weather was perfect.
There weren't many guests—just over twenty people, seated in white chairs lining both sides of the aisle.
I stood at the far end of the aisle, wearing the wedding dress Christopher had custom-made for me. The hem fluttered gently in the sea breeze.
Emily stood behind me, carefully adjusting my veil. She asked quietly, "Nervous?"
I nodded honestly. "A little."
She smiled. "That's normal. It'd be weird if you weren't."
The wedding music began to play, soft and melodic.
I looked up. At the other end of the aisle, Christopher stood in a light-colored suit that matched my dress perfectly. His eyes found mine across the crowd and stayed there, steady and sure.
I took a deep breath and stepped forward. I was walking toward him—and toward the rest of my life.
We didn't follow tradition. Instead, both of our parents accompanied me as I made my way to Christopher.
I walked step by step, counting each one in my mind, as if measuring all the time we'd traveled together to get here.
Finally, I reached him.
Christopher extended his hand and took mine firmly in his.
He leaned close to my ear and whispered, "You walked very steadily today."
I couldn't help but smile.
The ceremony was simple and warm. No long vows, no complicated rituals.
A wedding isn't about grandeur—it's about whether the people beside you share your heart and will stay by your side for life.
We exchanged rings and made our vows to stay together forever.
The officiant announced that the bride and groom could kiss.
I looked up at him, smiling. "Christopher, from today on, you're my husband."
He gazed at me, his eyes glistening faintly.
"Stephanie, I'm so grateful that I drove you home that night."
My cheeks warmed. I lowered my head and whispered back, "Me too."
We kissed, and the crowd below erupted into enthusiastic applause.
---
When it came time to toss the bouquet, everyone crowded around.
In the end, the bouquet landed squarely in Rufus's hands.
I turned to look. He was holding the flowers, rushing straight toward Emily—and then he dropped to one knee in front of her.
The band immediately struck up a romantic tune. Rufus, his forehead damp with sweat, pulled a ring box from his jacket and held it up to Emily with both hands.
"Emily, will you marry me?"
Emily froze on the spot. It wasn't until the guests started laughing and urging her on that she finally snapped out of it.
"You… this is way too sudden!"
Rufus smiled, gentle but unwavering. "I told you—once I was ready, I'd propose to you right away. And now is the perfect time."
Emily's eyes welled up. She hesitated for a long moment, then slowly extended her hand.
"Well… I guess I'll reluctantly say yes."
The guests around them burst into laughter.
I leaned against Christopher, smiling as I watched Rufus carefully slip the ring onto Emily's finger, then pull her into a tight embrace.
Looks like we'll be planning another wedding soon.
I quietly turned around and placed a single flower I'd been hiding in my hand onto the altar.
"For Yasmin," I said softly.
Christopher gently wrapped his arm around my waist and nodded.
I turned to look toward the beach in the distance and caught sight of a familiar figure.
He stood far off, watching us quietly as we held each other. There was hope in his eyes, but he never stepped forward.
I lowered my gaze, then smiled faintly after a moment. I turned and squeezed Christopher's hand tightly.
"Let's go dance."
"Okay."
I believe this is the beginning of a new chapter of happiness.