AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“D! Look at her! Isn’t she the cutest?” Erik nudges Dimitri playfully, nodding towards Yulia.
I watch Sophia as she takes her final step, each one more measured than the last, stopping right in front of the altar. With a subtle, graceful movement, she hands her lily bouquet to Wren, who accepts it with a beaming smile.
With her free hand, Sophia turns to me, and we interlock our fingers. The warmth and connection are immediate. A genuine grin escapes from me, a reflection of the happiness bubbling from within.
God, she is stunning.
I glance past Sophia for a moment to acknowledge Nana, her revered grandmother. With a nod of respect, I silently appreciate her for raising this woman standing in front of me so wonderfully on her own.
That’s the woman right there who I’ve sworn to stand by, to love fiercely, and to throw down for, no matter what.
“Now,” the minister’s voice fills the air, breaking our shared moment, “we gather here to unite Luka Ivankov and Sophia Williams in marriage, celebrating the love and journey they’ve chosen to embark on together. Sophia…” the minister calls out.
She inhales audibly, her hand squeezing mine.
Behind the veil, I can’t see her face clearly, but I can feel every ounce of her sincerity. She takes a deep breath, and her eyes briefly flit to mine, a hint of nervousness evident.
Clearing her throat delicately, she starts with a shaky voice, her accent thick yet endearing. “Ya, Sophia, brat tyebya, Luka, za moj zakonuju muzha.”
I feel the weight of her words, translating in my heart to, “I, Sophia, take you, Luka, to be my lawfully wedded husband.”
There’s a pause as she tries to recall the next line. She takes another breath. “V radosti i v gore, v bogatstve i v bednosti,” she continues. I can’t help but smile as she says, “In joy and in sorrow, in wealth and in want.” The slight stumble over her words, the earnest effort she’s putting in to use my mother tongue melt my heart. She’s always surprising me. I squeeze her hands gently.
“Did I say it right?” she whispers, her tone playful yet anxious.
Pulling her closer, the veil thinning between us, I reply, “Perfectly. And with an accent that’s utterly captivating.”
I can’t wait to have her all alone with me.
The minister, sensing my impatience, clears his throat. My attention snaps back to the present. My hands, still entwined with Sophia’s, tighten their hold. It’s time for my vow, and I feel the weight of the moment, the importance of the words I’m about to utter.
“Sophia,” my voice is deep, husky with emotion, and even though her face is hidden behind the veil, I can sense her rapt attention. “Sophia, before this moment, I’ve lived my life without knowing the meaning of love, but now, it’s time for my heart to speak its truth. I love you, Sophia Williams. From the moment you came into my life, everything changed. You brought light into my darkest days, gave meaning to the moments I once took for granted.”
There’s a slight pause, my eyes finding hers behind that delicate fabric. “Ya, Luka Ivankov, brat tyebya, Sophia, za svoju zakonuju zenu – I, Luka Ivankov, take you, Sophia, to be my lawfully wedded wife. Chtoby imet’ i derzat’, nacinaja s etogo dnja – to have and to hold, from this day forward. Until the very last beat of my heart.”
I sense the onlookers’ collective breath being held, the silence weighing heavily with the emotions of our vow.
“The rings?” The minister’s voice punctuates the moment, and Dimitri and Wren step forward, the gold bands glinting as they catch the light.
Sophia’s fingers tremble just a little, reaching out to slide the gold band over my knuckle. “With this ring, I marry you,” she says, her voice thick with emotion.
Returning the gesture, I take the other band, sliding it onto her delicate finger. “With this ring, I marry you,” I echo, sealing our promise.
The minister smiles, a kind expression that reaches his eyes. “It gives me great pleasure to pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride.”
The moment I’ve been waiting for.
Without wasting a second, I reach out, lifting the veil to reveal her radiant face. Those green eyes, shimmering with happy tears, meet mine. Her lips move ever so slightly, barely parting, as if she’s breathing out a secret. Even without sound, the careful movement of her mouth forms three unmistakable words: “I love you.” It’s as silent as a whisper.
I lean in, gently pressing my lips against Sophia’s. She wraps her arms tenderly around my neck, urging me closer, her lips yielding beneath mine as she intensifies our connection. I surrender to her pull. The shadows of my past and the fierce world I’m entangled with fade, overtaken by a love so profound that it leaves me in awe.
For you, I’d conquer empires.
For our child, I’d lay waste to entire cities.
But right now, all that matters is being the man you deserve and the father our child requires.
“See! I told you Beauty and the Beast would be together!” Yulia exclaims, her excitement unmistakable. She claps her hands together with such joy that it’s infectious.
