Chapter 19 - The Vows
The wedding was nothing like Mariana’s first. There were no hundreds of shallow socialites, no press, and no suffocating expectations. It was held in a lush botanical garden on a bright Saturday afternoon, surrounded only by a small circle of close friends and colleagues.
Mariana wore a simple, elegant silk gown that she had sketched out herself, her hair falling in loose, natural waves. Sofia, Maya, and Lily were her bridesmaids, wearing mismatched pastel dresses, their faces beaming with pride.
When Mariana walked down the aisle, there was no fear in her heart. She looked at Leo, waiting for her under an arch of white roses, his eyes shining with unshed tears.
During the ceremony, Leo didn't just exchange vows with Mariana. He knelt down to eye level with the three girls.
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"I promise to always listen to you, to always protect you, and to always be proud of the incredible women you are becoming," he told them, his voice thick with emotion. "I choose you as my daughters, today and forever."
There wasn't a dry eye in the garden. As the officiant pronounced them husband and wife, the cheers that erupted were genuine, a celebration of a family that had been forged in the fire and cooled in absolute love.
