Chapter 8: A Wedding No One Could Stop

Corbin remained outside the gates for almost an hour.

I knew because I saw his black car from the window of the sitting room.

It didn't move.

Neither did he.

Jack stood beside the fireplace, speaking quietly with one of the ranch hands.

He never once asked me what Corbin wanted.

He never asked whether I wanted to go back.

That silence was more comforting than any reassurance could have been.

Eventually, the black car disappeared down the long road.

Only then did I release the breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

Jack glanced toward me.

“You okay?”

I nodded.

Then, after a pause, I said, “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For not asking questions.”

Jack leaned against the mantel.

“I figured you'd tell me when you were ready.”

I looked down at the aquamarine ring.

In my previous life, I had spent years explaining myself.

Explaining why I was hurt.

Why Emma's behavior wasn't harmless.

Why my parents' words had wounded me.

The more I explained, the less anyone listened.

Jack had known me for only two days.

Yet somehow, he understood that silence could also be a form of kindness.

...

The next morning arrived bright and clear.

It was our wedding day.

I woke before sunrise.

For a moment, panic seized me.

In my last life, my wedding day had been a spectacle.

Hundreds of guests.

Reporters waiting outside.

A custom gown shipped from Paris.

The Sinclair family crest embroidered onto everything from the napkins to the invitations.

I had been terrified of making a mistake.

Terrified of embarrassing Corbin.

Terrified of disappointing the family I had fought so hard to belong to.

Today, there were no reporters.

No cameras.

No enormous ballroom.

Just a small ceremony at the ranch chapel.

And somehow, I was even more nervous.

A knock sounded at the door.

I expected the housekeeper.

Instead, when I opened it, I froze.

My grandmother stood in the hallway.

“Grandma?”

She smiled.

The moment I saw her face, something inside me broke.

I threw my arms around her.

In my last life, my grandmother had been the only person who had ever truly tried to protect me.

When I died, I never knew what happened to her.

The thought had haunted me.

She held me tightly.

Then pulled back and examined my face.

“Why didn't you tell me you were getting married?”

I lowered my eyes.

“I didn't think anyone would care.”

Her expression changed instantly.

“Esme.”

Her voice trembled.

“Don't ever say that again.”

I bit my lip.

She cupped my cheek.

“I care.”

Those two words nearly brought me to tears.

My grandmother reached into her handbag and pulled out a small velvet box.

Inside was an old gold bracelet.

I recognized it immediately.

She had worn it for decades.

“This belonged to my mother,” she said.

“And someday, it will belong to you.”

I stared at the bracelet.

“Grandma, I can't take this.”

She closed my fingers around it.

“You can.”

Then she smiled softly.

“Because unlike some people, I know exactly what kind of woman you are.”

I finally understood something.

Maybe I had never been completely unloved.

Maybe I had simply spent too much time chasing love from people incapable of giving it.

...

The chapel was decorated with wildflowers from the ranch.

Sunlight streamed through the windows.

Jack stood at the end of the aisle in a dark suit.

When he saw me, he went completely still.

I wore the simple lace dress we had chosen in town.

No diamonds.

No designer veil.

No crowd waiting to judge me.

Just me.

For the first time, that felt like enough.

My grandmother walked beside me.

Halfway down the aisle, I noticed movement outside the chapel windows.

A familiar black car.

My steps stopped.

Jack followed my gaze.

Corbin was standing outside.

My mother and father were with him.

And beside them stood Emma.

My grandmother tightened her hand around mine.

“Ignore them.”

I took a slow breath.

Then I continued walking.

This time, no one could make me turn back.

When I reached Jack, he looked toward the window.

Then back at me.

“Do you want me to stop this?”

His voice was quiet enough that only I could hear.

I shook my head.

“No.”

The ceremony began.

Every word felt simple.

Honest.

There were no promises about eternity.

No dramatic declarations of impossible love.

Only two people agreeing to walk forward together.

When it was time to exchange rings, Jack held out his hand.

I placed the aquamarine ring in his palm.

He looked at it for a moment.

“Funny,” he murmured.

“What?”

“Everyone thought this ring meant you lost.”

A faint smile appeared on my lips.

“Maybe everyone was wrong.”

Jack slipped the ring back onto my finger.

Then placed a simple wedding band beside it.

“I think they were.”

When the officiant pronounced us husband and wife, Jack looked at me.

He hesitated.

Giving me time.

Giving me a choice.

I closed the distance myself.

Our kiss was gentle.

Nothing like the dramatic photographs from my previous wedding.

But when I opened my eyes, I felt something I had never felt standing beside Corbin.

Peace.

...

The small reception began outside under the open sky.

My grandmother laughed with Jack's staff.

Children from the riding school ran around the lawn.

For once, I wasn't performing happiness.

I was actually happy.

Then a glass shattered.

Everyone turned.

My mother stood near the entrance.

Her face was pale with fury.

Emma was crying beside her.

Corbin stood silently behind them.

“So this is really happening,” my mother said.

Her voice shook.

“You married him just to spite us.”

I looked at her.

For years, I would have immediately defended myself.

Today, I didn't feel the need.

“No.”

She stared at me.

I continued.

“I married him because I wanted to.”

My father stepped forward.

“Esme, stop being childish. You don't know what kind of life you've chosen.”

I laughed quietly.

“That's interesting.”

He frowned.

“You decided my entire future without asking me what I wanted.”

“You gave Emma everything and expected me to be grateful for whatever was left.”

“And now that I've made my own choice, suddenly you're concerned about my future?”

My father's face hardened.

Emma suddenly walked toward me.

Her eyes were red.

“Esme, why are you doing this?”

I looked at her.

She had always known exactly how to make herself look fragile.

Exactly how to make everyone else feel guilty.

But this time, I saw through her.

“Doing what?”

“Taking everything away from me.”

For a second, I almost laughed.

“Emma, you have Corbin.”

“You have the trust fund, the apartment, the house, and our parents' love.”

“What exactly did I take?”

Emma opened her mouth.

But no answer came.

Because for once, there wasn't one.

Corbin finally stepped forward.

His eyes were fixed on my wedding ring.

“Esme.”

Jack moved beside me.

Not possessively.

Not aggressively.

Just there.

Corbin noticed.

His expression darkened.

“I need to speak with you alone.”

“No.”

The answer came from me immediately.

His face changed.

I had never denied him so directly before.

“You don't understand,” he said quietly.

“No, Corbin.”

I looked directly into his eyes.

“You are the one who doesn't understand.”

I raised my hand, letting the aquamarine catch the sunlight.

“I didn't choose Jack because I lost you.”

For the first time, Corbin looked shaken.

I smiled.

“I chose him because I finally stopped wanting you.”

The silence that followed was absolute.

Emma's tears stopped.

My mother stared at me.

My father looked away.

And Corbin stood completely motionless.

I turned toward Jack.

He held out his hand.

I took it.

Then together, we walked back toward our guests.

Behind us, I heard my mother call my name.

I didn't stop.

Because this time, I wasn't running away.

I was walking toward the life I had chosen.