𝐌𝐘 𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐄 || 𝐆𝐎𝐉𝐎 𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐔 𝐗 𝐅. 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞

I STEP INSIDE SUGUR'S TEST kitchen in London, watching him whisk together eggs and parmesan cheese.

He glances up and smiles at me. "Hey there, you're just in time. I'm testing a carbonara sauce for our Italian menu and need a taste tester."

"Oh, thank god, I'm starving." I pull up a barstool as I watch him work.

Satoru is meeting me here as soon as he finishes at the office. He had a call with Tomoe and Akira this afternoon that he couldn't miss.

"How does it feel to be Senior Vice President of Geto International?" Suguru asks with a proud smile as he sprinkles pepper into the mixture.

"It's fantastic," I say, grinning from ear to ear.

The week since the acquisition was finalized has been a whirlwind. My dad had to cut ties with the company, and I can't name a single person who felt sad to see him go. He let greed get the better of him, and it cost him everything.

The looming threat of jail will keep him out of my life, and I'm okay with that. The last shred of hope that he could shift his mindset died when he tried blaming me for his mistakes. In that moment, I realized he would never change. There was something cathartic about finally standing up to him after years of letting him beat me down. It felt liberating to put him in his place, knowing he'd face the consequences of his reckless choices alone.

While my dad's life is imploding, mine has never been better. When Satoru and I got back from our visit to Aspen Grove, we returned to a fully furnished apartment, thanks to Haibara. My favorite part was the beautiful daffodil painting in our living room from Mia's latest collection. She's a famous artist known for her floral pieces, and I'm honored to have her artwork in our home.

"I'm sorry you had to handle F/n and Mom by yourself all those years," Suguru says, his eyes downcast. "I should never have ignored the situation the way I did."

I lean over to place my hand on his arm. "I was the one who chose not to tell you what was going on and should have confided in you instead."

Recently, I've learned that I don't have to face anything alone. Between Satoru, Suguru, and my found families, I have more love and support than I could ever ask for.

"Have you talked to Mom lately?" Suguru asks while adding pancetta to a hot, oiled pan, the meat sizzling when it hits the surface.

"As far as I know, she's still in Miami. Hopefully it works out with Mark, the surgeon." I'm not interested in rekindling a relationship with her, but that doesn't mean I want her to be unhappy.

"Yeah, maybe," Suguru says skeptically.

The day after the acquisition was complete, I came clean to him about supporting our mom all these years. The next morning, I woke up to a notification that her house and car were paid off. Then I received an email from Main Street Market in Aspen Grove saying she has a large credit there, allowing her to get groceries whenever she's in town.

Suguru didn't want her to continue to be a constant burden on me. Satoru would have done the same if I had asked, but he understood this was the one aspect of my life Suguru and I needed to handle together.

"You've been my rock since we were kids, Suguru. You're the best brother anyone could ask for."

"You mean the best older brother, right?" He smirks.

Here we go again.

"You were born two minutes before me," I remind him, holding up two fingers. "It doesn't count."

"It absolutely does." He grins as he mixes the sauce in with the pancetta, the rich aroma filling the air.

"What smells so good?" Satoru asks from the doorway.

He's wearing slacks and a white button-down shirt with the top two buttons undone. With his tousled hair, he's utterly irresistible.

He has on the new bracelet I gave him when we got back to London. I found one online that looks similar to the one he's worn for the past fourteen years, which we're keeping in a box in the closet along with our marriage pact.

He comes over to stand behind me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. I tilt my head and kiss him.

"I missed you," he murmurs against my lips.

"I missed you too," I say.

"Do you guys ever take a break from the PDA?" Suguru teases from his spot at the stove.

"I'm afraid not," I say, unable to keep the smile off my face.

Thanks to Satoru, I'm happier than I've ever been, and it's impossible to hide.

"Think you can keep your hands to yourselves for five minutes?" he quips as he plates the tagliatelle carbonara and garnishes it with parsley and pecorino Romano.

"Oh my god, this looks delicious," I gush when he places a dish in front of me.

"I'm glad you think so," Suguru says as he serves himself some pasta. "How are the wedding plans coming along?"

"Hanako, Ari, and Mia are handling most of the planning. All I told them is that I'd prefer something small and simple."

They called me the other day and offered to take care of everything. With my busy work schedule and wanting to spend my free time with Satoru, I was glad to pass on a sizable portion of the planning to them. Since Satoru and I are already legally married, the wedding is mainly for our families.

Satoru scoffs.

"What?" I ask, casting him a sidelong glance.

"N/n, if you're wanting simplicity, involving my mom and Ari wasn't the best idea. It's the first wedding in the family, and I guarantee they'll go overboard on all fronts." He sits next to me and pulls his plate of pasta closer.

Now that I think about it, he may be right. When I suggested a dress shop in Aspen Grove, Ari texted me an hour later, informing me she had booked an appointment for early next month at an exclusive wedding boutique in New York. I don't need an expensive dress, but I'm looking forward to making memories with my new family.

"As long as you join me at the end of the aisle, I don't mind what the venue looks like," I say with conviction.

What matters most is being able to exchange our wedding vows surrounded by our loved ones.

For years, I dismissed the idea of a happily ever after. Love seemed like a fairy tale for those who didn't know better. Then Satoru came along with his battle-worn armor and the scars from his past.

I think about the boy who brought me a milkshake and the man he's become. His kindness, patient heart, and sense of humor have shown me that true love does exist, and now I'm lucky enough to call him mine.

Getting a husband didn't turn out like I expected, but now I know what happens when a billionaire gets a bride...

She becomes the center of his universe, and he becomes the center of hers.