CHAPTER THIRTY (FINAL)

As she walked on, her heart was pounding so much that it seemed as though it would break free from her chest. Each step was a mixture of anticipation and dread, a turmoil she couldn't quite understand. She was walking too fast, too desperate to escape the emotions overwhelming her.

Suddenly, the ground beneath her betrayed her. Her stiletto heels, sharp and unforgiving, slipped on the smooth stone, and she fell, her knee crashing painfully to the floor. A jolt of agony shot through her, and she screamed in frustration. Her heels cut into her skin, and every movement felt like an assault.

Everything was frustrating. The whirlwind of emotions, the love she could not deny, the hurt she had buried so deep. She had no idea what was controlling her—what was driving her toward him, toward Raymond, the man who had never truly left her heart.

And then, before she could collect herself, she felt a presence—his presence.

Raymond Smith crouched before her, his gaze fixed not on her, but on the injury she had caused herself. The sadness in his eyes was evident, so deep, so pure, that she felt an ache in her own chest. He didn't say a word; he didn't need to. His every movement was deliberate, gentle, as he took her injured knee in his hands and began to apply something soothing to it. The touch was intentional, tender, unlike anything she had ever known. It was a care that reached deep into her soul, as though he could heal more than just the physical pain.

But the salve he applied caused a sharp sting. She groaned in protest, unable to contain the sound. His eyes softened, and in a voice as quiet and soothing as a whisper, he muttered, "Sorry…"

The single word, laced with regret, made tears spring to her eyes. She looked at him, helpless, overwhelmed. "Why are you troubling me, Raymond? I am so disturbed at the sight of you. Why do you keep appearing and affecting me? It's so frustrating!" Her voice broke, and she cried out, unable to stop the flow of emotions.

And then, to her greatest shock, Raymond reached out, pulling her into his arms. His embrace was warm, fierce, like the shelter she had always longed for. She melted into him, her body trembling as his words, filled with intensity and promise, wrapped around her.

"Sophia, I came to give you rest from all the troubles you faced while I was not by your side. Those times you watched me secretly because our love was forbidden. Those times we missed each other so much, and we had to swallow it inside... Sophia, I don't care about your engagement, I don't care about anything. The only thing I care about is that from now on, I am going to fiercely love you. I'm going to be your rest. I'm going to be the home you run to... I'm going to be everything more..."

He released her just enough to kiss her tears away. He kissed her forehead, he kissed her face, and then, slowly, tenderly, he kissed the ring on her finger. With a sudden, bold movement, he took it off, throwing it far into the distance.

"Allow me to fiercelessly love you, Sophia..."

He pulled out a ring from his pocket, the one he had bought the very day Amelia had left. He had thought of throwing it away when he saw the ring on her finger at the orientation day but something had stopped him. And now, here he was, with this ring, asking her a question he knew could change everything.

"This is not a request, Sophia. This is me begging you to be my wife... my home... my shield... my rest. Please marry me, Sophia."

More tears fell from her eyes, tracing the lines of her cheeks as she tried to process the emotions rushing through her. She had loved him before she even realized it, and now, standing here, with him asking for something so deep, so final, she knew with every part of her being that she was ready.

"Raymond," she whispered, her voice shaking. "The hold you have had on me, I never expected I would ever be this affected by any man. My head wanted to hold on to Grayson, but my heart clung to you... You affect me. Ever since that kiss at the warehouse, I imagined this day... it felt impossible, but silently, I looked up to the day I would call you my husband... because genuinely, being with you feels like home... I want to be your wife, Raymond..."

The world fell away as they both sobbed, and Raymond slid the ring onto her finger. They sealed their promise with a kiss—one that would mark the beginning of the rest of their lives. This was her home. Raymond Smith was her home.

***

Raymond had always dreaded watching videos of the groom crying as he saw his bride for the first time. It had always seemed too emotional, too feminine. But now, as he stood at the altar, waiting for Sophia, he understood—every single weight in his heart. A love that had once been forbidden now had the chance to blossom fully, in front of all those who had once doubted.

When they announced that Sophia had arrived, Raymond's heart pounded in his chest. His hands trembled as he fought the urge to cry, but the moment he turned and saw her—her in that gown, her veil flowing gently over her face—tears filled his eyes. She was more beautiful than he had ever imagined. That veil, that symbol of everything they had fought for, was a constant reminder to him that she was his. Again. And again.

"My wife..." he muttered, the words thick with emotion, as sobs wracked his chest. His family, everyone in the room, cheered, but all he could do was stare at her. It was the first time in his life that he had felt the urge to cry so much.

Sophia reached out, wiping the tears from his face, her own tears streaming down as she looked at him with love, with understanding. It was a moment neither of them would ever forget.

They faced the pastor, their hands still intertwined.

And when it was time to speak their vows, Raymond's voice was soft but unwavering.

Raymond's Vow:

"I, Raymond, take you, Sophia, to be my wife, my partner in life, and my one true love. I will cherish our friendship and love you today, tomorrow, and forever. I will trust you and honor you, I will laugh with you and cry with you. Through the best and the worst, through the difficult and the easy. Whatever may come, I will always be there. As I have given you my hand to hold, so I give you my life to keep."

Sophia's Vow:

"I, Sophia, take you, Raymond, to be my husband, my partner in life, and my one true love. I will cherish our friendship and love you today, tomorrow, and forever. I will trust you and honor you, I will laugh with you and cry with you. Through the best and the worst, through the difficult and the easy. Whatever may come, I will always be there. As I have given you my hand to hold, so I give you my life to keep."

Their vows sealed with a kiss, one full of promise, full of love—love that had fought every obstacle and emerged victorious.

***

As they exited the chapel, hand in hand, the sound of applause faded into the background, yet all Sophia could hear was the rhythmic thump of her heart in her chest. The world around them seemed to blur, as though everything else had vanished into a distant echo, leaving only the two of them. Raymond's hand, warm and steady in hers, was a promise—a vow that no words could capture fully.

The crowd's cheers and laughter were a mere hum compared to the deep connection they shared, a bond that had been forged through trials, heartache, and the undeniable pull of love. They walked, side by side, to the waiting car, each step affirming that this was the life they were meant to build together. The moment they reached the car, Raymond opened the door for her, his hands never leaving hers until she was safely seated.

As he slid into the driver's seat beside her, their eyes met. Words weren't needed, for they both knew what was in the other's heart. The past, with its uncertainties and pain, had brought them here—together.

This was the beginning of something new, something they both deserved.

The soft hum of the engine started, and they began to drive away, the car carrying them toward their new life, their new chapter. Outside, the world spun on, unaware of the sacred vows exchanged and the promises made under the glowing lights of the chapel. But inside the car, there was a quiet understanding—an unspoken bond that neither of them had ever imagined would be theirs.

Sophia, her eyes reflecting the love that now swirled in her chest, leaned her head on Raymond's shoulder. His hand reached out to gently squeeze hers, and she felt it—the safe haven she'd always longed for, now in his arms. They had come through the darkness, and now the light was theirs to share.

As the car carried them down the winding road to their future, their hearts beat as one, a symphony of love and redemption. And with each passing moment, they grew closer, stronger, more certain that this was where they belonged.

This was home. And it was a love like no other.

THE END