epilogue

kade lennox

epilogue: the wedding

"IF YOU'RE GONNA cry during the ceremony, nod your head twice so I can get the photographers and videographers to capture every moment of it."

I still wonder why she's invited. It's not too late to kick her out of the wedding ceremony but then she is one of the few family members of mine whom I liked—if not only.

"Adri, go back to your fiancé," I groan, "Let me have a few minutes of peace before the ceremony begins."

"Alright, Kadey," she smiles before glancing at herself in the mirror. "Honestly, hold another wedding ceremony so I can wear this lehenga again. It's so beautiful. You look good in a white sherwani too," she compliments.

She was wearing a sage green lehenga since she was a bridesmaid, alongside Ellis and Isabelle. Her look was completed with handcrafted diamond jewellery, made for all the bridesmaids.

"It's your own wedding next month." I throw her a look. "You're having two wedding ceremonies and a three-day-long party. Go stress about that and leave me alone." I gesture her to leave.

"Kade, calm down. Aria hasn't ran away yet."

"Ellis, you'll give the poor man a heart attack." Adri laughs as she points at the horror on my face. "We don't want him passed out before the ceremony, do we?"

"Of course, not." Ellis rolls her eyes. "My poor Aria will be heartbroken."

"Oh my goodness! Aria—Aria!"

"Aria? What happened to Aria?" My voice has been raised to a level so high that I could think wasn't ever possible. I gawk at Isabelle, waiting for answers. My hands start shaking in anxiousness.

"She looks beautiful. You'll melt when you see her, Kade." Isabelle grins, batting her eyelashes at me.

I blink, once, twice, and drop myself onto the chair, trying to be sane as possible. "That's it? Nothing happened?"

"No?" Isabelle smiles sweetly. "Did you think she ran away?"

"I'm still questioning why she didn't run away yet."

Adri giggles at Ellis' words while I'm losing the will to live. These three will surely give me a heart attack before my own wedding. I can't possibly die without seeing Aria.

I hear two knocks against the door before it opens wide, revealing the tall man, wearing a golden embroidered black sherwani, matched with white trousers. For the first time, I was glad that it wasn't someone like the three present here.

"Elijah Winchester, please take your fiancée away from me before she makes me suffer any more." I pleadingly stare at the fellow Brit, pointing at my cousin.

He stares at her and crosses his arms, frowning. "You promised not to cause any trouble today, my love."

Adri gasps. "I didn't break the promise! There's no trouble. I didn't even make him pass out."

I furrow my eyebrows. "So you think making my heart beat irregularly to the point I may get a stroke isn't considered causing trouble?"

"You didn't get a stroke, so no," she shrugs.

I refuse to believe that she's a human. She is a demon.

Ellis and Isabelle are grinning at her words. Such inconsiderate friends I have.

"Don't mind her, Kade." Elijah reassures. "It is time for the ceremony to begin."

I'm definitely going to get a stroke now. I'm even finding it difficult to breathe. God, who knew I would be this of a mess on my wedding day?

"Do you need a pump, Kadey?" Adri frowns.

"Girl, he doesn't have asthma," Ellis scoffs, looks at me and gasps. "Maybe he does. Issy get his pump—."

Isabelle looks around the room, "I can't see it—."

Elijah presses his hand against my back and offers me a small smile. "It's all going to be good. This is the day you have been desperately waiting for, Kade, and it's finally here."

God, he's going to make me cry now. Something great like that would have never come out of any of my friends' mouths.

Elijah Winchester is the best thing that has come into my life through Adrianna.

I nod, throwing him a big smile. He has made all my worries fade away with his words.

"Kadey, you're marrying Aria, not my fiancé." Adri reminds, standing next to her man, eyes narrowed at me.

"I know that." I murmur, walking out of the room, soon out of the estate. The sun's rays almost blind me as soon as step out. Getting married in the South of France was a good decision.

In a matter of minutes, I'm standing under the marble gazebo, glancing over the guests as I wait for my bride to walk down the aisle. White roses were all around us, her favourite flowers. I can't wait any longer.

"Dude, smile!" Luca whispers, making me rethink why I had chosen him as my best man. "The guests might think that you're being forced into this marriage."

"Just be quiet and stand there, Luca." I narrow my eyes at him.

"Oh, I see her! Start smiling for the pictures or else we might have to host another ceremony."

The orchestra starts playing "Can't Help Falling in Love" and my heart drops. It was time. Everyone stands up and turns as they watch my beautiful bride walk down, alongside her brother.

Tears are already falling down my cheek as I stare at her. My heart has never been this happy.

My dear Aria wearing a handcrafted white lehanga, embroidered with pearls, matched with her veil that was hiding her face. Her hands adorned with mehndi art and white gold.

"Try your best not to be murdered by her," my soon-to-be brother-in-law whispers as he places her hand over mine. I hold her hand tightly and smile at him. I'd gladly die by her hands.

She steps closer towards me as we glance at our wedding officiant, our dear friend Blake. At first, we wanted it to be Adrianna which I was slightly against since I knew that she would laugh at my face. Thankfully, she rejected the offer, claiming she rather be a bridesmaid.

He smiles at us both. "We are gathered here today to celebrate one of life's greatest moments and to witness the promise between two people who love each other more than life itself..."

- - -

"...I know pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss!"

I don't waste another second as I slowly lift the veil. She smiles, "Don't kiss too hard, save that for later, Kade," she warns.

I nod, smiling so hard, "Whatever you wish, my wife." I murmur, kissing her forehead, then placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

This is just the beginning of our life together. Now, I'm all hers, as much as she is all mine.

The five-year-old me would never have known that loving Aria Arora was the most beautiful thing I could ever do. Loving this woman was art, she brought me joy in simply staring at her.

Aria wipes the tears "You're more of a baby than the baby in my womb," she whispers, smiling as she shakes her head.

I never knew I could be this happy.

My eyes widen as I stare at her, holding my hand firmly against her waist. "Aria...I think my heart is going to explode." I can't stop the tears down. I might just pass out from all the happiness in my body.

She arches an eyebrow. "And you already have plans on making me a widow on my wedding day? Great."

"I'm never leaving you, Aria." I kiss her forehead. "I would beat death any day for you."

T H E   E N D

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i just had to write this or else my mind wouldn't be at ease. hope you enjoyed this : )