Chapter 9 - The Wedding in the Garden
The wedding took place on a breathtaking Saturday in early September, exactly one year and ten months after the rainy night in the foyer that had changed their lives forever.
There were no media crews, no society snobs, and no fake smiles.
The ceremony was held on the sprawling south lawn of the Mercer estate, under a white wrought-iron arbor draped in hundreds of blooming white roses and ivy. Only close friends, loyal staff, and trusted neighbors attended.
Evelyn Carter stood proudly in the front row wearing a stunning emerald-green dress, while Owen managed the catering tables with a triumphant grin, ensuring every guest had a glass of chilled champagne and a gourmet hors d'oeuvre.
As the string quartet played a soft, classical melody, the double doors of the mansion swung open.
First came Sophie and Ben, walking side by side down the green lawn. Ben wore a sharp miniature navy suit with a red tie, carrying a velvet pillow with the wedding bands. Sophie wore a delicate white lace dress, scattering pale pink rose petals along the grass.
Behind them walked Lily. True to her demand, she wore a miniature bridal crown of baby's breath in her dark curls and carried a wicker basket filled with fresh lavender sprigs, tossing them left and right with intense, theatrical concentration.
And then, Natalie appeared.
She didn't wear a multi-thousand-dollar designer gown bought from a high-end Fifth Avenue boutique. Instead, her dress was custom-designed by a local Greenwich tailor using delicate silk and subtle embroidered strawberries along the scalloped hem—a quiet, beautiful nod to the faded pink dress she had worn on the day she first walked through those front doors.
Her dark hair was swept up in soft curls, and her brown eyes shone with a happiness so radiant it made the September sun look dim.
Grant stood at the end of the aisle. He wore a tailored charcoal suit, but as he watched Natalie walk toward him, he looked less like a billionaire titan and more like a man who had just won the greatest prize the universe had to offer.
When Natalie reached the arbor, Grant stepped forward, took her hands in his, and kissed her knuckles softly before looking into her eyes.
“You look breathtaking,” he whispered.
“You clean up nicely yourself, Mr. Mercer,” she teased softly, a bright smile playing on her lips.
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The ceremony was brief, filled with personal vows written by Grant, Natalie, and even the twins. When the officiant finally pronounced them husband and wife, the applause and cheers from the garden echoed off the stone walls of the mansion.
As Grant leaned down to kiss his bride, a flock of white doves—released by Owen as a surprise—soared gracefully into the clear blue autumn sky above them.
