Tristan
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The restaurant was beautiful inside, all warm lighting and soft music, and the host led us to a private table in the back corner that felt secluded from the rest of the dining room.
“This is nice,” I said as we sat down.
“I thought we deserved a proper date,” she said. “After everything we’ve been through, I wanted to do something special.”
My heart swelled with love for her, for the fact that she’d planned this, that she wanted to celebrate us being okay.
“I love it,” I said, reaching across the table to take her hand. “And I love you.”
“I love you too,” she said, squeezing my fingers.
We ordered food and wine for me, sparkling water for her, and spent the first part of dinner just talking and laughing, enjoying each other’s company without any stress or worry.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt this relaxed, this happy, this certain that everything was going to be okay.
Athena seemed almost nervous though, kept fidgeting with her napkin and glancing at her purse like she was working up the courage to do something.
“You okay baby?” I asked. “You seem anxious.”
“I’m fine,” she said quickly. “Just… excited.”
Before I could ask what she meant, she reached into her purse and pulled out an envelope, holding it carefully like it contained something precious.
My heart started beating faster, anxiety creeping in even though I had no idea what was in that envelope.
“What’s that?” I asked, my voice coming out rougher than I intended.
“Open it,” she said, sliding it across the table to me.
My hands were shaking slightly as I picked it up, and I noticed that she was watching me with an intensity that made my nervousness spike higher.
I opened the envelope carefully and pulled out what looked like an official document, some kind of certificate with fancy lettering at the top.
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Chapter 357
My eyes scanned the words but my brain wasn’t processing them, wasn’t making sense of what I was seeing.
Marriage Certificate.
The words finally registered and my head snapped up to look at Athena, confusion and shock warring inside me.
“What… what is this?” I managed to ask.
She was smiling now, a brilliant smile that lit up her whole face.
“Read it,” she said softly. “All of it.”
I looked back down at the paper, my eyes finding the names printed on it.
Tristan Hayes and Athena Slade.
Her signature was already there, elegant and official on the bride’s line.
Mine was blank.
“I don’t understand,” I said, looking back up at her.
“I pulled some strings,” she said. “Called in a few favors, got us a special license. I’ve already signed it.”
She reached across the table and took my hands in hers.
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“I know we were already planning a big wedding,” she continued. “And we’re still going to have that, still going to have the ceremony with all our family and friends. But I wanted this too. I wanted us to be legally married now. I wanted you to know that I’m all in, that I’m
committed to you completely.”
I was still trying to process what she was saying, my brain struggling to catch up with reality.
“After our fight,” she went on, “after I threatened to end things between us, I realized how much that must have scared you. And I
wanted to show you that I meant what I said, that I was never going to leave you, that you’re stuck with me forever.”
Her eyes were shining with tears now.
“All it needs is your signature, Tristan. Sign it, and I’m your wife.”
The words hit me like a physical blow and suddenly I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, couldn’t do anything except stare at her in absolute shock and awe.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
