Chapter 9 - The Vows
When the time came for the vows, Ronan turned to face Ivy, taking both of her hands in his.
He didn't read from a card. He looked straight into her eyes.
"Ivy," Ronan spoke, his deep voice carrying over the quiet garden. "Two years ago, I thought my life was meant to be lived in the cold shadows of business and duty. I thought strength meant holding power over others. Then you walked into my home."
He gently lifted her hand, pressing his lips to her knuckles where her ring would soon sit.
"You showed me that true strength is standing up for a child when boiling soup falls," Ronan continued, his eyes shining with profound devotion. "True strength is holding your head high when cruel people try to make you feel small. You didn't just save my fortune, Ivy—you saved my heart, my family, and my soul. I promise to honor you, protect you, and stand beside you as your equal for every remaining day of my life."
Tears of pure happiness spilled down Ivy’s cheeks.
She stepped closer to Ronan, her voice resonant and filled with undeniable truth.
"Ronan," Ivy said softly. "I spent years feeling invisible. I thought my size, my bank account, and my broken family meant I had to shrink myself to fit into a world that wasn't built for me. But you didn't ask me to shrink. You told me to stand tall."
She reached up, her hand gently resting against his cheek.
"You gave me a shield when I needed to fight, and a home when I needed to rest," Ivy whispered. "You showed me that love isn't something you earn by being perfect; it's something you build by being brave. I give you my heart, my mind, and my life, forever."
Leo stepped forward, proudly holding up the velvet pillow.
Ronan took the ring—a flawless, eight-carat canary yellow diamond surrounded by platinum—and slid it onto Ivy’s finger.
Ivy took a matching heavy platinum band and slid it onto Ronan’s hand.
"By the power vested in me," the priest pronounced with a broad smile, "I now pronounce you husband and wife! Mr. Blackwood, you may kiss your bride!"
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Ronan didn't wait. He wrapped his arms around Ivy’s waist, lifted her slightly off her feet, and pulled her into a passionate, breathtaking kiss that made the entire garden erupt into thunderous applause and cheers!
Bruno let out a loud, happy bark, and Leo threw his hands in the air, jumping up and down in excitement.
