Chapter 23 - The Final Fittings
Three days before the ceremony, Julian and I met at the glass conservatory botanical garden for our final walkthrough. The soaring glass ceilings were adorned with hundreds of twinkling fairy lights, and fragrant eucalyptus leaves and golden sunflowers lined the aisles where we would soon exchange our vows.
Julian wore a sharp navy blue tailored suit, looking every bit the brilliant art curator and the love of my life. He walked over to me, wrapping his arms around my waist as I adjusted the lapel of his jacket with mock seriousness.
"Are you nervous, Ms. Miller?" he teased softly, a playful glint in his blue eyes.
"Not even a little bit," I smiled, resting my hands against his chest, feeling the steady, rhythmic beat of his heart. "For the first time in my life, I am completely certain of every single step I'm taking."
May you like
Julian smiled, leaning down to press a tender, lingering kiss to my lips. "Good. Because I've cleared my calendar for the next fifty years, and I don't plan on letting you go."
As the afternoon sun dipped below the glass horizon, casting a warm golden glow across the botanical gardens, I realized how far I had come from that cold concrete stairwell in the Grandview Hotel. Every tear, every betrayal, and every shattered illusion had been necessary to strip away the expectations of others and reveal the unshakeable strength underneath.
