Chapter 105

Chapter 105
Crimson gently wrapped his arms around my waist as I rested my head on his chest and closed my eyes. It had been an hour since we left Isabela's room, but her confession still lingered in my mind.

Part of me wished I had never learned the truth, but another part of me was grateful for the closure it brought.

"I wish I had been with my grandmother in her final moments so she could have shared the truth with me instead of my cousin. I wish I could have told her that I don't blame her; that despite her mistake, she remains the kindest person I know. I believe she wouldn't have done anything unless she was pushed to her limit.”

I raised my head to look at him. Witnessing the frown on his forehead, I smoothed it away with my fingers until it vanished.

"I have my own regrets too," I whispered, feeling a tightness in my throat from the flood of emotions. "I wish I had discovered the truth sooner, so I didn't chase after it blindly. And I wish I could have reunited Grandpa with the woman he loved before he passed away.”

Crimson's face twisted in anguish. "I'm sorry about your grandfather's tragic death in the fire. I feel helpless, knowing I did everything I could to help, yet still failed.”

My eyes widened as I realized I had not yet told him about my grandfather. At that time, everyone believed George had died in the fire, with only my family knowing the truth.

“Please, don't be shocked,” I warned him. “Grandfather didn't die in the burning ancestral house.”

"What do you mean?"

I laced my fingers with his and guided him to a wooden bench to sit, where I shared the story of how my brother had rescued my grandfather from the burning house. I explained that the burned remains found inside the ancestral house, which everyone believed to be my grandfather, were actually those of the private investigator my family had hired to search for me.

Crimson was speechless for several minutes after hearing the revelation. When he finally found his voice, he tightly squeezed my hands. "I can't believe it... I'm so relieved. I'm happy that George spent his final moments with his family and that he was content and smiling when he took his last breath.”

He cleared his throat and asked, "Have you found the culprit of the fire?"

"It was Mark," I revealed. However, Crimson did not seem surprised.

"He's already dead, and he has paid for his crimes. There's nothing left for us to worry about," he reassured me, pulling me back into his embrace.

—

Since Isabela was in stable condition, we left her in Mrs. Ashford's care. Crimson and I then went back to the hotel.

After the stress we had been through, both of us needed time to compose ourselves. He invited me to take a walk in the garden, where a variety of colorful roses were in full bloom.

“Are you planning to tell your family about what you learned today?” he asked.

I took a deep breath, considering his question carefully. Finally, I nodded. "Yes. They deserve to know the whole story, and I want to be honest with them. However, if you don't want me to tell them, I’ll take it to my grave.”

“Liz…” There was understanding in his eyes. "It doesn't matter anymore. I know that they also need closure, so you can tell them."

Relief rushed through me like a tide. “I’ll tell them when I find the right moment.”

As we strolled through the garden, we marveled at the stunning sunset that resembled a work of art.

Crimson held me close, his arms wrapped around me in a protective embrace. I felt safe and loved in his presence, the worries and anxieties of the world melting away.

He looked into my eyes, his gaze intense and filled with emotion. "I'm glad I have you, Liz," he whispered softly. "I love you.”

“I love you too,” I replied.

We stood there, lost in each other's gaze, knowing that we were meant to be together.

—

A few months later.

Tears blurred my vision as I walked down the aisle. All eyes were on me, but my gaze was fixed on my soon-to-be husband, who looked incredibly handsome in his black tuxedo.

Crimson's eyes sparkled with love as he waited for me, mirroring the intensity of emotion that filled my own.

After what felt like an eternity, I finally stood before him, our hands entwined. The noise of the background seemed to fade into a blur. I couldn't focus on anyone except him.

"Am I dreaming?" he whispered mischievously.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking that?" I whispered in return, barely able to contain my smile.

"Will you kiss me to confirm that this is all real?" he teased.

Unable to resist his charm, I leaned in close. Just as my lips were about to touch his, the priest cleared his throat, bringing us back to reality.

“Save the kiss for later, you two lovebirds. Let’s finish up with the ceremony first.”

Laughter erupted among our guests. We pulled away, our faces flushed with embarrassment.

The heartfelt ceremony began. Everyone was in tears watching us exchange vows. When the priest finally pronounced us husband and wife, the church erupted in cheers and applause.

Crimson and I shared our first kiss as a married couple.

After the ceremony, we headed to Queen's Courtyard, where we held our reception.

The courtyard was adorned with lights, flowers, and decorations, creating a magical atmosphere. Soft music filled the air as we greeted our guests and thanked them for being a part of our special day.

We cut the cake, shared our first dance, and then friends and family gave us heartfelt messages.

"I can't believe we're finally married," Crimson murmured in my ear as we found a moment alone. Wrapping his arms around me, his hands gently caressed my belly where our child was growing.

Resting my head against his shoulder, I closed my eyes. "I can't believe it either, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

He pressed a soft kiss to my forehead.

"Hey, you two should go back to the reception. Save the honeymoon for later. The guests are looking for the bride and groom!”

My husband and I looked toward the voice, feeling our faces flush at the sight of my stepsister Sapphire, who had a mischievous smile on her lips.

We shared a laugh and made our way back to the reception, hand in hand.

—

Later that evening, Crimson and I nestled in bed, wrapped in each other's arms.

"What do you think we should name our child?" he asked, a small smile tugging at his lips as he caressed my belly.

"I think we should wait and see what the gender is; then we can decide on a name."

He nodded in agreement, saying, "I remember you mentioning years ago that if we ever had a daughter, you wanted to name her Diana. I still love that name and think it would be perfect for our little girl.”

I snuggled closer to him, feeling incredibly fortunate to have such a loving husband. "However, what if it's a boy?" I murmured sleepily.

Crimson's arms tightened around my waist. "If it's a boy, we will name him Blaze."

Tears welled up in my eyes. “If our baby is a boy, Blaze it shall be.”

With that, we drifted off to sleep, wrapped in each other's arms.

~The End~