Arranged •{ONC 2020}•

《 Epilogue 》

Ashlynn stared at herself in the mirror.

Today was her wedding day.

Rather, her second wedding day, but the first one had been less of a wedding and more of a business deal. This time it was for real.

Nerves made her hands tremble as she smoothed down the satiny fabric of her dress.

"So, you're going to let the poor boy finally see you in that lingerie we got you for Christmas, right?" Lucy asked from behind her.

Ashlynn felt her cheeks burn, but she nodded. After New Year's, they'd come clean to the family. Jamison and Lucy were shocked but recovered quickly when Wesley told them they weren't going to be faking anymore. Aunt Leah had nearly fallen out of her chair because she was so happy. The crazy fox had pulled it off again. She couldn't wait to brag to the Judge about this one.

Ashlynn bit her lip. She wished Aunt Leah were here to see this.

Someone knocked on the door. "Ready?"

Ashlynn opened it, and there stood Arnold in his fancy old tux. He walked her down the aisle the first time, and he would walk her down the aisle the last time.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

Wesley fidgeted with his cufflinks. The eyes of his employees were watching his every move, making him sweat even more. They had all been invited under the guise that the first ceremony was done in private out of respect to Ashlynn's parents. None of them knew the real reason, which was that he had suggested it as a joke.

"I'm kinda bummed that I never had an actual wedding," she had said when they were watching a movie on the couch. "I was fine with what we did because I thought I'd end up marrying someone else for real."

Wesley had hummed in response and brushed his fingers through her hair. "We can always have a second wedding, you know. An actual ceremony and everything."

Ashlynn bolted upright. "Wes, you're a genius. Sometimes, anyways. María!"

It spiraled out of control after that. Truth be told, he really didn't mind. He just wanted to get out of this stuffy tuxedo so he could breathe.

The doors at the end of the chapel opened and the music started to play. Wesley's lungs decided he didn't need to breathe, with or without the tux, because the view of Ashlynn always knocked the wind right out of him.

This time was no different.

She was wearing an A-line wedding dress with lace sleeves and that bewitching sweetheart neckline. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her, not even when she was standing in front of him and the priest had started his spiel.

He wiped his chin with his hand to make sure he wasn't drooling like an idiot. He was. A couple ladies in the front—one of whom he recognized as Caitlyn—snickered when he dried his hand on his pants. Even Ashlynn was fighting back a laugh, which made it all the harder for him to breathe.

They followed the priest's lead. "Do you, Wesley Marker, take this woman, Ashlynn Marker, to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in heath, in good times and woe, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself solely unto her for as long as you both shall live?'

"I do." Wesley's hand was warm when he slid the golden band onto her finger, and the expression she had once thought to be unreadable now clearly conveyed an intense love.

"Do you, Ashlynn Marker, take this man, Wesley Marker, to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and health, to love, honor and obey, in good times and woe, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself solely unto him for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do." And this time she meant it. Her hands didn't shake as they had before when sliding the ring onto his finger; she was too confident in Wesley to waver anymore.

"Then by the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife," the priest added with a chuckle, "again. You may kiss the bride."

Ashlynn tugged Wesley down by his tie and kissed him as the guests cheered. He smiled against her lips and pulled her closer, thinking of that silly picture Aunt Leah had given them. He hoped Arnold got a better picture at this wedding.

Arnold had all the time in the world to take it, because this time Wesley wasn't going to let Ashlynn go. And he wasn't going to let her go, ever again.

(Unless, of course, she was going to put on that lavender lingerie. He'd make an exception there.)

The End. (For real, this time.)