Chapter 9 - The Colazo Vows
The wedding was held not in a dark underground church, but in the historic public gardens of Beacon Hill, under a brilliant summer sky. Thousands of white roses filled the air with a sweet, intoxicating scent.
Maeve stood before the mirror in the estate’s bridal pavilion, adjusting her veil. Her dress was a masterpiece of French lace, elegant, timeless, and completely covering the faded silver scar on her shoulder—the scar that had brought her here.
Cecily walked in, tears of joy in her eyes as she handed Maeve a bouquet of white orchids. "You look beautiful, Maeve. You're officially my sister now."
"I always felt like I was, Cecily," Maeve smiled, hugging her tightly.
When Maeve walked down the aisle, the entire high society of Boston stood up in absolute respect. At the altar stood Rafe, looking incredibly handsome in a classic black tuxedo. For the first time in his public life, the cold, ruthless Don had a visible, genuine smile on his face.
They exchanged vows not of submission or fear, but of an equal, unyielding partnership that had survived the darkest nights the city could offer.
"I promised to protect you because you saved my sister," Rafe said, his voice rich with an intense emotion that made the crowd go silent. "But the truth is, Maeve, you saved me from my own darkness. I am yours, completely, for as long as my heart beats."
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"You gave my family a future when the world closed every door on us, Rafe," Maeve replied, her voice steady and filled with love. "I’m not afraid of your world anymore, because I know your heart."
As the priest pronounced them husband and wife, Rafe pulled her into a deep, passionate kiss, and the entire garden erupted into cheers, white rose petals thrown into the air like a storm of pure joy.
