Chapter 9 - The Wedding Without Shadows
Isabella and Ethan married in early spring at a small garden venue overlooking the Hudson River.
There were no reporters.
No investors.
No strategically placed photographs.
Only people who loved them.
Daniel walked Isabella down the aisle.
Robert cried openly before the ceremony even began.
Khloe attended quietly in a pale-blue dress, seated near the back beside women from the nonprofit where she now worked.
When Isabella saw her, she smiled.
Khloe smiled back.
Not because they were friends.
But because they had both survived versions of themselves they no longer wanted to be.
Ethan’s vows were simple.
“I promise to tell you the truth, even when it is difficult. I promise to celebrate your strength without being threatened by it. And I promise that no matter where life takes us, you will never have to wonder whether you belong beside me.”
Isabella’s tears fell freely.
Then she spoke.
“I promise not to disappear inside love again. I promise to choose you without abandoning myself. And I promise that if we ever lose our way, we will find each other with honesty.”
When they kissed, the guests stood and applauded.
The sun broke through the clouds.
May you like
And for once, Isabella did not think about the night she was placed in the back seat.
She thought about the road ahead.
