Chapter 9 - The Man Who Feared Marriage Finally Planned A Wedding For The Woman He Loved
Even though Nico and Rachel were already legally married, they had one thing missing.
A wedding.
A real one.
Not a private legal ceremony arranged for protection.
Not a business event.
Not a performance.
Rachel wanted flowers.
Nico wanted no guests.
Rachel wanted a string quartet.
Nico wanted a backyard barbecue.
They compromised.
A small ceremony at the restored Queens theater.
The same place where Rachel had once performed.
The same stage where Nico had found his mother.
Family and close friends attended.
Salvatore walked Rachel down the aisle.
This time, he wasn't handing her into a political alliance.
He was handing her into a life of choice.
When they reached Nico, Salvatore said:
"Take care of her."
Nico smiled.
"She takes care of me."
Rachel laughed.
The ceremony began.
Nico read his vows.
"I loved you before I understood what love was."
Rachel's eyes filled.
"I thought you were the actress."
"I was."
"I thought you were temporary."
"So did I."
"I thought six months was enough."
"It wasn't."
The guests laughed softly.
Nico continued.
"You were the first person who made me want a future that wasn't inherited from someone else."
Rachel took his hand.
"You taught me that pretending can sometimes reveal the truth."
He smiled.
"But today I promise there will be no pretending."
They kissed.
Afterward, they danced.
Salvatore danced with Rachel.
Nico danced with his mother.
Livia, the daughter of one of Salvatore's oldest friends, gave a speech.
She talked about the day she first heard of Rachel.
"A fake bride hired to escape a real wedding."
Everyone laughed.
"But Rachel did something no contract could have predicted."
She looked at Nico.
"She made him human."
Nico shook his head.
"No."
He looked at Rachel.
"She made me brave enough to be human."
Later that night, Nico and Rachel stood alone on the theater balcony.
The city glowed below.
Rachel rested her head on his shoulder.
"Do you regret it?"
"What?"
"The fake marriage."
He laughed.
"Not one second."
"Even the shooting?"
"That part I could have skipped."
She smiled.
"What about the contract?"
"I'd burn it."
She looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because it was built around the assumption that love was something dangerous."
"And now?"
He kissed her forehead.
"Now I think living without it would be dangerous."
Rachel smiled.
She took his hand and placed it over her stomach.
He looked at her.
The baby kicked.
His eyes filled with tears.
"We're really doing this."
"Yes."
"You're sure?"
She laughed.
"Unless you've changed your mind."
He pulled her closer.
"Never."
Across the city, the old Sabatini tower stood with its lights glowing.
Nico no longer looked at it as a kingdom.
It was simply a building.
May you like
The real home was elsewhere.
And for the first time, he understood the difference.
