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“Three weeks,” Nicole repeated softly. With a resolve fortified by love and loyalty, she decided then and there to meet with Amanda and the royal family at the earliest opportunity.
As Theodore’s thumb traced gentle circles over the back of her hand, Nicole allowed herself to imagine the day they would stand before their world, speaking their vows. The gallery’s walls faded into the background of her mind. In their place rose the image of an altar, the echo of vows, and the bright future that awaited them both, free from fear.
Theodore’s brow furrowed as he watched Nicole, her fingers trembling slightly. He knew that beneath her composed exterior, her thoughts were churning like a tempestuous sea. Her laughter had grown rarer, her smiles more measured since the kidnapping.
“Nicole,” he said, ”I’ve been wrestling with something since...since that day.”
She looked up from her hands, her eyes meeting his. “Theodore?”
“Every joy I wish to bring into your life seems shadowed by dangers I never intended for you,” he said. “I hate that I brought danger into your life.”
“You can’t blame yourself for the actions of others,” she replied, though her voice faltered just enough to betray her lingering fear.
“Ah, but I do,” Theodore admitted. “Because it is my world that has made you feel this way.”
Nicole took a deep breath. “It’s your world I am choosing, regardless of the storms it brings.”
He wanted to make things right, to offer her a haven free from threats and shadows.
“Maybe there’s no perfect solution,” Nicole continued.
“If there is, I’ll find it,” Theodore vowed. Yet deep inside, he questioned whether his promise could shield her from her fears.
“I want to mend what’s been broken,” he confessed.
Chapter Eighteen
Nicole stood in front of a mirror, her wedding gown cascading down in layers of ivory silk and lace, the fabric hugging her form before flaring into a train that whispered a fairy tale. Eloise fussed over the placement of every pearl button along the back, her hands steady despite the underlying current of excitement.
“Nicole, you look absolutely stunning,” Amanda breathed out, her eyes shining with unshed tears of joy. Eloise nodded in quiet agreement, the picture of poise yet unable to mask the gleam of pride in her gaze for her friend.
“Thank you,” Nicole replied, her voice laced with gratitude and a subtle tremor of nerves.
“Rushed or not, this wedding is going to be perfect,” Eloise chimed in. “Don’t mind the gossipmongers. They’d find something to talk about even if you’d planned the wedding for an eternity.”
Nicole’s lips curled into a wistful smile. “I know,” she admitted. “I can’t let whispers cloud today—the day I become Theodore’s wife.”
Amanda and Eloise exchanged a look, a silent communication that spoke volumes of their shared history and understanding.
“Perfect,” Eloise added, stepping forward to adjust the delicate tiara nestled in Nicole’s hair. “And besides, who cares what they say? This isn’t about them. It’s about you and Theodore.”
Nicole gazed at her friends, her allies in this whirlwind that was now her life. “You’re right. As always,” she conceded with a soft chuckle. Her heart swelled with gratitude for their unwavering support.
“Then it’s settled.” Amanda clasped Nicole’s hands within her own. “No worrying about anything. Today, we celebrate your love and the beginning of a new chapter.”
“Let’s not keep your prince waiting any longer,” Eloise suggested.
Nicole nodded. She was ready. Ready to step into the role fate had laid out before her, to embrace the duties and loyalties that came with it.
“Today,” she whispered to herself, “I marry for love.”
And with that, Nicole stepped out of the room, her train trailing behind her,
Nicole’s heart throbbed in her chest, a rhythm syncopated by the soft murmur of voices and the rustle of satin. The grandeur of the room did little to quell the fluttering of nerves in her stomach.
The door creaked open, and Nicole’s mother swept into the chamber. Her dress, though elegant, was a simple design of navy chiffon, and her hair framed her face in gentle waves.
“Nicole,” her mother greeted.
