A Year Later
*Alexander's POV*
The sky above the English countryside was the color of a promise. Soft hues of peach and lavender painted the horizon as the sun rose, bathing the rolling hills and dewy fields in gentle gold. The Hammond estate, once a fortress of cold marble and silence, now bustled with laughter, music, and the subtle rustle of silk and linen. My father had insisted I moved the wedding to a venue which was 'safe' enough in his dictionary.
I stood in front of the full-length mirror in the master bedroom, adjusting my tie for what felt like the tenth time. My hands shook—not from nerves, but from the overwhelming weight of today. Today I was marrying Rowena Hart.
From behind me, I heard a quiet knock. The door creaked open.
"You're going to strangle yourself with that thing," came a familiar voice.
I turned. An older man stood there, already impeccably dressed in a tailored black suit, his tie crisp and his cufflinks gleaming with understated power. Gallert Alistair Hammond—my father.
"You clean up well," I said.
"And you look like your mother did when she got nervous before our wedding. Adjusting everything over and over again," he said, his voice softer now.
A silence stretched between us, not awkward, but full of unspoken things. We had built something new over the past year—slowly, brick by brick. After the rescue, after the nights in the hospital and the quiet conversations at my bedside, something shifted. The coldness between us thawed. Grief gave way to gratitude.
"You think she'd approve?" I asked.
He stepped closer, his eyes shining. "She'd be proud. Of both of us."
I met his gaze in the mirror, and in that reflection, I saw her. Eleanor Hammond. Her warmth in his eyes, her strength in mine.
"You never really talked about her before," I said.
Alistair looked down. "Because it hurt. But today... I want to remember her the right way."
He reached into his coat pocket and handed me a small velvet pouch. I opened it carefully. Inside was a delicate silver pendant—an antique locket.
"She wore it on our wedding day. I want Rowena to have it."
The gesture broke something inside me. A dam of emotions that had been held at bay for years. I nodded, unable to speak, and we embraced—father and son, no longer fractured.
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Later That Day
The garden had been transformed into something out of a dream. Rows of white roses lined the aisle, petals scattered beneath golden arches. Guests murmured quietly as they took their seats. Friends, family, distant relatives. Even Lucius and Bryan wore suits, though Bryan kept tugging at his collar like he was being strangled.
Then came the music.
The soft strains of strings filled the air, and everyone rose.
Rowena appeared at the far end of the aisle, radiant.
She wore a flowing ivory gown, embroidered with lace that shimmered in the sunlight. Her hair was pinned up, a few soft tendrils framing her face. And around her neck, she wore mum's locket.
Our eyes met. The world faded.
As she walked toward me, each step etched itself into my soul. By the time she reached me, my hands were trembling again—but she took them in hers, grounding me.
"You okay?" she whispered.
"Now I am."
The officiant began. Words floated around us—vows, promises, the binding of hearts. But all I heard was the beating of hers, steady and sure.
When the final words were spoken, and she was pronounced my wife, the applause broke like a tide. But all I could do was kiss her, and kiss her again.
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Reception: Hammond Estate Ballroom
The music swelled, and glasses clinked. The ballroom was a blur of golden lights and swirling gowns. Laughter rang through the chandeliers, and for the first time in what felt like a lifetime, joy felt real.
I danced with Rowena under a canopy of stars.
Alistair stood off to the side, watching us. When I caught his eye, I nodded. He returned the gesture, and then, surprising everyone, he approached the microphone.
The room quieted.
"For those of you who know me," he began, "you'll know I don't speak much at events like this. But today isn't just another event. It's a miracle."
He paused, scanning the room. "A year ago, we nearly lost everything. My son. Rowena. And with them, the only chance I had left to redeem what I've broken. But they survived. We survived. And from that fire, something stronger was forged."
He turned to us.
"Alexander, Rowena—you are the legacy Eleanor and I dreamed of. Fierce, flawed, loyal to a fault. And I am proud. More than you will ever know."
He raised his glass. "To love that endures. To family that heals. And to the future we now have the courage to build."
Tears welled in my eyes. Rowena squeezed my hand.
It was perfect.
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Epilogue
The house is quiet now. Everyone's gone. The candles have burned low.
Rowena lies asleep beside me, her hand resting on my chest, her breath even and warm.
And I sit by the window, watching the moon cast silver shadows across the lawn.
I think of everything we've endured. Every scar. Every lesson. Every moment we thought we wouldn't make it.
And I know now—we were never meant to be perfect.
Just whole.
Alistair visits often. We drink coffee in the garden. He brings roses to Eleanor's grave. We don't talk about the past much anymore. We don't need to.
We found our way back.
This is the life we fought for.
This is our ending.
Or rather—our beginning.
The End.
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A Note from the Author
To my dear readers,
Thank you. Truly, from the very bottom of my heart—thank you.
This story has been a long journey, one that took years, breaks, doubts, and many moments when I questioned whether I would ever reach the end. But here we are. And I could never have done it without you.
Your support, your patience, your kind messages, and your belief in this story—even when I stepped away for a while—are what kept me going. Without you, I would have given up. Without you, this book would still be a forgotten draft buried in silence.
Because of you, I am finally here, finishing my very first story. Because of you, I dare to call myself a writer.
If you've enjoyed Unexpected Rendezvous, I invite you to follow me on Wattpad, because this is only the beginning. I'll be working on my next stories very soon, and I would love for you to be part of that journey, too.
With love and endless gratitude,
Dracanoire
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Unexpected Rendezvous
RomanceAlexander Hammond is well-known for his ruthless, cold and charming traits. He has it all - wealth, fame, even ladies; but deep down, he was lonely. Little did he know, his life would be turned upside down when he met an unexpected person in an une...
