The soft glow of twilight bathed the world in gold as Lila stood at the edge of forever.
Her white gown flowed like a river of moonlight, delicate lace wrapping around her body like a whispered promise. Her heart thundered inside her chest — not from fear, but from a joy so fierce, so overwhelming, it left her breathless.
When the chapel doors opened, she saw him.
Roman Astor.
Waiting for her at the end of the aisle, his storm-gray eyes locked on her like she was the only thing that had ever mattered — and ever would.
The world blurred at the edges.
There were no guests, no music, no whispered gasps of awe.
There was only him.
And her.
And the invisible thread that had tied them together long before today.
Each step toward him felt like falling, soft and weightless, into the arms of fate.
When she finally reached him, Astor's hands trembled slightly as he took hers, as if he couldn't believe she was real. He leaned down, so close she could feel his breath against her skin, and whispered, "You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."
Lila smiled, tears already gathering in her eyes. "You found me," she whispered back. "And I found my home."
The vows felt like a conversation only they could hear.
"I choose you," Lila said, her voice steady but thick with emotion. "Every day, every moment, in every lifetime. I choose your darkness. I choose your light. I choose your soul."
Astor's gaze burned into her, fierce and reverent.
"You are my reason," he said, his voice breaking slightly. "You are my peace, my fire, my forever. I will spend my life loving you — and only you."
When the priest declared them husband and wife, Astor didn't wait. He pulled her into his arms, lifting her off the ground as he kissed her. It wasn't careful or polite — it was desperate and consuming, like he was breathing her in, anchoring himself to her.
Their guests erupted into applause, but they hardly noticed.
In each other's arms, the world disappeared.
Later that night, after the last glass had been toasted, after the last dance had been danced, Lila and Astor escaped to the rooftop garden of their hotel.
Stars spilled across the velvet sky, and the cool night air smelled of jasmine and promises.
Astor tugged her closer until her back pressed against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, his chin resting on her head.
"You're mine now," he murmured into her hair, his voice a low, rough caress. "In every way that matters. Every piece of you — every broken shard, every beautiful scar — belongs to me."
"And you're mine," she whispered back, turning in his arms to face him. She cupped his face, brushing her thumbs across his cheeks as if memorizing every inch. "You always have been, Astor. Even when I was too afraid to believe it."
He kissed her then — slow and tender — pouring all the things he could never say into the press of his lips against hers.
Lila melted into him, feeling the strength of his love wrap around her like a second skin.
They stayed like that for a long time, just holding each other under the watchful eyes of the stars, letting the world spin around them.
No more secrets.
No more fears.
Just the pure, breathtaking truth: they belonged to each other.
Tonight, tomorrow, and all the days to come.
Astor brushed his lips against her forehead and whispered, "Always, my love."
Lila smiled through the tears glistening in her eyes, her heart so full it felt ready to burst.
"Always," she whispered back, sealing her vow with another kiss — one full of light, of hope, of a love that had survived everything.
As the city lights flickered below them and the stars danced above, Lila knew without a single doubt:
She had found her forever.
And it was more beautiful than any dream she had ever dared to dream.
She grabbed his hand with a playful laugh and pulled him toward their hotel room.
The moment the door clicked shut behind them, the atmosphere shifted — the air thick with anticipation, heavy with desire.
With a teasing glance over her shoulder, Lila slipped away from him, disappearing behind a screen.
When she reappeared, she was wearing a dress so daring, so breathtakingly revealing, that Astor's breath caught in his throat.
His gaze raked over her slowly, hungrily, as if he was memorizing every curve, every inch of bare skin she offered him.
"You're going to kill me, Little Lullaby," he rasped, voice thick with need.
Lila only smiled — a wicked, inviting smile — and stepped closer.
Astor couldn't hold back any longer.
He reached out, his fingers grazing her bare shoulders, her waist, her hips — slow, reverent touches that made her shiver.
Then, with a low growl of surrender, he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her flush against him.
Their mouths met in a kiss that was desperate and sweet all at once, all fire and softness tangled together.
Without breaking the kiss, he lifted her easily and laid her down on the bed like she was something precious — something he couldn't risk breaking.
Hovering over her, Astor brushed her hair back from her face, his eyes devouring her.
"You're mine," he whispered against her lips. "All mine."
Lila's fingers curled into his shirt, tugging him closer.
"Always," she breathed. "I'm yours."
That was all he needed to hear.
With hands that were both tender and possessive, he began to love her — slowly at first, savoring every gasp and every whispered plea.
Every kiss was a promise.
Every touch was a worship.
And as the night deepened around them, they lost themselves completely — not just in the heat and the hunger, but in the kind of love that stripped away everything else until only the truth remained:
They were each other's.
Completely.
Utterly.
Forever.