Aneta walked along the corridor, her footsteps echoing softly on the carpet.

The maid followed her, carefully lifting the long train of her dress.

The basic structure of her bell-shaped dress was made of gold lace, intertwined with flowers and leaves, which connected seamlessly. Over that, a white tulle was layered, creating pleats, and the dress’s focal point was the elaborate belt wrapped around her waist. That, too, was made of gold, making Aneta seem as if her entire body was draped in golden light.

As she neared the banquet hall where he was waiting, Aneta’s heart grew restless.

She wanted to run and be by his side but forced herself to hold back.

If she gave in to that impulse, she was certain she would be the subject of Vernon’s teasing for years.

Trying to shake off the urge, Aneta turned her gaze toward the window. Although it was the height of winter, the sky was clear and the air mild.

It was the perfect day to promise eternity to the person she loved.

It would be a lie to say she had no concerns about the future she would share with Carlos. She didn’t understand the dynamics of an ordinary married life or know much about the role of good parents.

But she wasn’t foolish enough to delay her marriage out of fear.

Everyone has a first time for everything. No one is born a spouse or a parent. With time and effort, she would gradually understand.

What made Aneta happy was that Carlos would be the one to walk that path with her. Thinking of him brought a warm breeze to her heart, and her chest thumped with anticipation.

Before she knew it, the end of the red carpet came into view.

Standing guard outside the banquet hall with the servants, Linden stepped forward and opened the door when he saw her approaching.

Aneta could catch a glimpse of Carlos through the slowly opening door.

He stood with his back to the visiting dignitaries, who had come as witnesses and officiators. But as soon as their eyes met, he smiled brightly.

“Welcome, Aneta.”

Carlos, unable to wait for her any longer, stepped forward and took her hand.

Aneta nodded and glanced at the face of the officiant, Haiden.

Clad in the deep green robes symbolizing his position as a dignitary, Haiden was not someone with the leisure to officiate weddings, but at Russell’s request, the Pope had sent him specifically.

Haiden bowed slightly when he saw Aneta, and she returned the gesture. His pleased expression made it clear he didn’t mind Carlos’s behavior.

Meanwhile, the maid quickly adjusted the dress train and stepped back, bowing slightly as if signaling everything was in place. Carlos then spoke.

“Shall we go in?”

“Yes.”

From the point where the door was, the carpet on the floor was white. When her feet touched it, Aneta knew it would be a turning point in her life.

Holding Carlos’s hand tightly as he offered it to escort her, Aneta crossed the threshold without hesitation.

The servants had perfectly transformed the space inside the banquet hall into a wedding venue. The couple could not be stopped as they threw themselves into preparing the event enthusiastically, making up for the fact that they hadn’t arranged a grander wedding.

There was no grand march or cheering guests, but that didn’t matter to them at all.

Some might have said that the wedding was beneath the prestige of both families, but Aneta preferred it this way.

The two of them walked along the path of pure white. If they could continue like this, hand in hand, walking in step with each other for the rest of their lives, Aneta felt she would have no further wishes.

“I never dreamed I would feel such happiness. The journey here wasn’t easy, but because this happiness was so hard-earned, I’ll hold on to it tenaciously.”

Aneta believed that a person’s heart was the most changeable thing in the world.

But, looking at Carlos, she realized that the hardest thing to change was also a person’s heart.

That was why she believed his love for her would never change, forever. Of course, she felt the same about her love for him.

“I’ll never regret this choice today.”

“Trust me. I’ll make sure of it.”

With Carlos’s confident words, the two reached the platform where the officiant was waiting. The officiant, looking at them with a kindly expression, began the ceremony. His face, now devoid of any smile, had a serious air.

He spoke words of blessing for the couple’s future.

Aneta and Carlos nodded occasionally, listening attentively to the officiant’s words. The only sound filling the hall was his solemn voice.

The ceremony was brief thanks to the decision to keep things simple, avoiding unnecessary formalities.

This starkly contrasted with those attempting to flaunt their wealth and status, which unnecessarily prolonged such events.

“Now, please make your vows before our Lord Admos.”

Soon enough, it was time to make the wedding vows. The officiant first turned to Carlos and asked.

“Do you, Carlos Baltimor, take Aneta Adenauer as your spouse, always promising to respect one another, be faithful to your home, and love her truly?”

“Yes. I do.”

Carlos answered immediately as the officiant finished speaking.

Next was Aneta’s turn.

“Do you, Aneta Adenauer, take Carlos Baltimor as your spouse, promising always to respect one another, be faithful to your home, and love him truly?”

Before answering, Aneta gazed at Carlos.

Sensing her gaze, Carlos immediately met her eyes. His look was still filled with blind affection.

“Yes. I do.”

Aneta responded while continuing to stare directly at Carlos. As she intertwined their fingers, a smile spread across his face. He knew it was an impious thought but didn’t care about other witnesses.

That was enough as long as they were each other’s witnesses and owners.

“Lastly, please exchange the rings.”

The ceremony had reached its final step.

Carlos took the ring that Aneta had worn from the case. Aneta smiled as she looked at the ring in his hand. Compared to his hand, her ring seemed incredibly small.

There was a slight tremor in how his hand slid the ring onto her finger.

She had experienced this during their first wedding, but the emotions she felt then and the ones she felt now were completely different.

The long-forgotten ring still fit her hand perfectly. Aneta looked down at the blue diamond in the ring, then took his ring from the case and placed it on his finger.

As the rings found their rightful owners, the officiant smiled warmly, the same gentle expression he had worn initially.

With the sincere wish that these two would be truly happy, he concluded the ceremony.

“Now, I solemnly declare that you two are officially husband and wife.”

With that, they became husband and wife once again.

***

Patience had long been Carlos Baltimor’s habit and specialty.

However, as he awaited the night with the woman he loved, he had no patience now.

Having been to the battlefield, he had faced near-death experiences countless times.

Yet he now felt that the situation before him was even more overwhelming and dangerous than any battle he had faced.

“I never imagined I would marry the same person twice,” she said softly.

Aneta absentmindedly played with the ring in Carlos’s hand. It was an innocent, platonic gesture, but Carlos’s situation differed.

The two were now in Aneta’s bedroom on the Duke’s estate, meaning they were alone in a confined space.

Moreover, the space was filled with her fragrance, making it impossible for Carlos to remain still.

Carlos was too flustered to respond to Aneta’s words. On the other hand, Aneta didn’t seem to care much about getting a reply.

She looked down at his ring, gently tracing its surface with her fingertips.

It was the first time Aneta examined his ring closely.

She realized it wouldn’t fit any of her fingers. She could tell even without trying it on, making her acutely aware of the size difference between their hands.

“Aneta, this is too stimulating.”

Carlos spoke up at that moment, unable to endure her touch any longer.

“What did I do? Are you really saying this just because I touched your hand?”

Aneta was momentarily at a loss for words, her lips moving without sound as she asked,

“I haven’t mentioned it until now, but just thinking about you excites me. How can I hold back when you touch me like that?”

Carlos answered shamelessly, subtly reaching out his hand toward Aneta.

He didn’t take long to pull her body from the side and onto his lap.

“You say just thinking about me makes you excited. Isn’t this even more dangerous?”

“I’m trying to appeal that I want to get it over with. But what is this?”

Carlos began to feel something near Aneta’s thigh through her dress. It felt strange, as if something was out of place.

“Oh, this? It’s a wedding garter. I thought you’d like it, so I wore it.”

Upon hearing that, Carlos abruptly stopped moving. As his body stiffened, Aneta’s playful side emerged.

“Want to see it?”

Aneta teasingly lifted her dress to show the shape of the garter.

Carlos involuntarily inhaled sharply as the fabric that had covered her legs lifted, revealing the lace that wrapped around her thigh.

His gaze penetrated eagerly between the lace. He had almost reached out impulsively but held his hand back tightly.

To be honest, Aneta had expected Carlos to pounce at any moment.

However, he remained surprisingly still, like a statue, eyes fixed on her with a longing gaze, as if waiting for his owner’s permission.

He gripped his fist so tightly that veins bulged on his hand.

This time, Aneta decided to tease him with the intention he so desperately desired.

“Let’s see if you can handle what you’re talking about.”

At last, as he finally broke the thread of reason he had been barely holding onto, a reaction immediately followed.

Aneta burst into laughter at the sudden shift in perspective.

There was no reason to feel anxious.

There was plenty of time, and Aneta was ready to cherish every moment she would spend with him.