Chapter 131: Homeward

Nina giggled softly.

After the exhibition ended, the media began digging into Ruth's background.

Some unearthed old news about her having once been Mrs. Grey, while others traced her connection to the Queen of England's gown... There were also people trying to smear her online, but William had arranged for his people to handle everything in advance.

When Ruth saw those reports, she simply smiled and didn't pay them much mind.

That evening, Marcus came to the estate.

Ruth was in the living room playing with Nina when she saw Marcus enter. She sat up a bit straighter, though she wasn't particularly resistant.

Marcus sat down across from her, pulled several pages of documents from his briefcase, and placed them on the coffee table. "Dewey Gerard has been extradited and is standing trial. The prosecution has solid evidence—he won't get away."

Ruth glanced down at the papers but didn't open them. She just nodded. "What about Jade?"

"Her luxury empire is under investigation. The brand valuation has dropped sixty percent, and several major distributors have already announced they're terminating their contracts." Marcus spoke deliberately. "Her lawyers are trying to get her sentence reduced, but it's basically impossible."

Ruth looked up at Marcus, silent for a moment before speaking. "Thank you for telling me all this."

Marcus lowered his eyes, as if he wanted to say something more but couldn't quite get it out.

"I should go."

When he reached the door, Ruth called out to him. "Wait."

Marcus stopped but didn't turn around.

Ruth looked at his back. "If you have time, you can come visit Nina."

Marcus understood what Ruth meant by those words. His expression softened as he nodded.

After the door closed, Ruth leaned back against the sofa, looking down at Nina in her arms. The little one was clutching her finger, grinning toothlessly.

She said softly, "Nina, you have another grandpa now. Did you know that?"

When Nina turned ten months old, she could already pull herself up shakily against the sofa.

She wasn't particularly shy around strangers—she'd flash that gummy smile at just about anyone.

George absolutely adored her. Every day after school, the first thing he'd do was wash his hands, then crouch beside Nina's play mat and flip through the pictures he'd drawn at school, showing them to her one by one.

Nina couldn't understand them, but she'd reach out to grab them anyway. Once she got hold of one, she'd try to put it in her mouth. George would frantically shout, "You can't eat it! You can't eat it!" and carefully extract it from her grip.

Ruth would sit nearby watching, her eyes crinkling with laughter.

That afternoon was an ordinary weekend.

The weather was beautiful. The hydrangeas in the garden were in full bloom, their blossoms swaying gently in the breeze.

Ruth was crouched by the flower bed, trimming dead branches from the hydrangeas, when she heard footsteps behind her.

Thinking it was George running outside, she didn't turn around. "Finished your homework?"

The person behind her didn't answer.

She glanced back and saw William standing a few steps away, holding a small velvet box in his hand. He looked unusually nervous.

William had clearly dressed up for the occasion—he was immediately eye-catching.

Ruth slowly stood up, brushing the dirt from her hands. "What's wrong?"

William walked up to her, and there in the garden full of flowers and afternoon light, he dropped to one knee.

He opened the velvet box. Inside lay a ring.

A ring set with a pale blue gemstone.

"Ruth." William looked up at her, his eyes bright as stars. "For the rest of our lives, will you walk with me?"

The garden fell silent for a few seconds.

Wind blew in from the distance, making the hydrangeas sway gently.

Ruth looked down at those eyes gazing up at her, and for a moment she seemed to see the boy from years ago.

That boy who used to stand in the corner of the Becker family garden, only daring to glance at her from afar before looking away.

Her eyes suddenly stung with tears, but she laughed.

"William." She said his name, then held out her hand. "Get up. There are ants on the ground in summer."

William froze for a moment, then realized what she meant. He gently slid the ring onto her finger.

Their hands clasped together.

Ruth looked at the ring, which fit perfectly, and asked thoughtfully, "When did you measure my size?"

William was straightforward. "The night of Nina's one-month celebration. You fell asleep on the sofa from exhaustion. That's when I measured it."

Ruth was silent for a moment, then finally smiled.

The wedding was set for early summer.

Because Ruth didn't like noise and commotion, she didn't plan to hold the ceremony at a palace.

They chose a countryside estate instead.

The estate was on the outskirts of New York, surrounded by expansive lawns and flower gardens.

Early summer.

The garden flowers were in full bloom. When the wind blew, the air filled with a delicate floral fragrance.

The wedding wasn't particularly large in scale—both sides invited only their closest people.

Ruth wore a simple satin gown with a clean silhouette, cinched at the waist, with tiny pearls adorning the shoulders and neckline like fallen moonlight.

She had designed this wedding dress herself. She'd wanted to wear it when she married Shawn, but never got the chance.

As she walked down the aisle on Michael's arm, George and Nina followed behind them, scattering flower petals.

At the end of the aisle, William stood waiting for her.

Marcus watched from below, well aware of how Michael had cared for Ruth all these years.

Though he felt some regret, what he felt most was a sense of peace. Ruth had finally found happiness.

On the platform, Michael placed Ruth's hand in William's, his voice choked with emotion. "You must treat my daughter well, or neither her father nor I will let you off."

Those words reached Marcus's ears, and the corners of his mouth curved upward slightly.

William nodded solemnly and gripped Ruth's hand tightly. "I'll spend my lifetime proving it."

After the priest finished the ceremony, they exchanged rings.

Marcus watched them exchange rings and turn to face the guests. Seeing the smile on Ruth's face, he suddenly realized she looked almost exactly like her mother had in her youth when she smiled.

"Ruth, you can rest easy now." Marcus tilted his head back slightly, speaking softly.

As evening fell, the guests gradually departed, until only William and Ruth remained standing on the second-floor terrace.

In the distance, the skyline slowly darkened as stars appeared one by one.

Ruth leaned against William's shoulder. After a long silence, she spoke softly. "I never imagined that after traveling such a long road, I'd end up here beside you."

William lowered his head and kissed the top of her hair, his voice gentle and certain. "No matter how far you go, I'll always find you."

The night breeze blew in from afar, carrying the lingering fragrance from the garden and the warmth of early summer.

Meanwhile, in a small apartment in Brooklyn, Shawn stood by the window, looking through the glass toward the flickering lights in the distance.

He clutched an old ring in his hand—the one he'd given Ruth years ago.

She had left it in a drawer at Rosewood Estates before leaving. He'd found it when sorting through belongings and kept it ever since.

He stared at it for a long time before finally placing it back in the cabinet.

"Ruth, congratulations on your wedding."