CHAPTER 362: ORANGE AND TEAL (2)

Georgia’s POV

Candice gave my hand one last reassuring squeeze before slipping away to take her position, leaving me at the entrance of the aisle, just me, Wendy beside me, holding my hand, and the soft hum of the ocean drifting in with the breeze.

Then the music changed to indicate that the bride is coming.

My heart thudded once, hard, and I finally stepped forward.

The first thing that caught my eye was the decorations. I had seen the mock-up plans, the sketches, the mood boards, but nothing prepared me for how breathtaking everything looked in real life.

The aisle was covered in khaki burlap, soft under my heels, rustic and elegant all at once. Scattered across it were the petals Katie and Vienna tossed earlier, bursts of orange, yellow, and white like tiny sunsets blooming beneath my feet.

On both sides stood wooden posts wrapped in draped white chiffon and adorned with flowers in the same warm palette, orange marigolds, soft ivory roses, and butter-yellow chrysanthemums, and many other flowers intertwined with leaves in varying shades of green and teal. The teal foliage stood out the most, almost shimmering under the late-afternoon sun, reminding me of waves catching light. Everything looked exactly like the theme we imagined: sunset meeting the ocean, love meeting destiny.

And then I looked up.

My breath caught.

There were so many people.

Rows and rows of faces, all standing, all smiling, all watching me. People who had woven themselves into my life in different ways. My employees, my second family, many of whom had seen me at my lowest, at my most lost, at my most chaotic. Even after my father and brother died, they stayed and helped me rebuild that tiny empire. They were here dressed beautifully, eyes shining with pride and excitement.

Nick’s ship crew was there too, wearing crisp shirts and beaming like they were watching their captain receive a medal of honor. Some of them waved subtly when they caught my eye, and I had to bite back a laugh. I can remember when they were avoiding me on the ship just because Nick told them so, and were too afraid to disobey their captain.

Along the next rows were familiar executives, clients, and investors from the Knight Group, people whose names often showed up in endless meetings, emails, and reports. Today, they looked nothing like the intimidating figures from corporate gatherings. Today, they looked genuinely happy.

Then there were the clients turned friends, mine and Ella’s, cheering with delicate little squeals. Some even held tiny hand-painted signs with "Go get your man, Georgia!" in gold lettering. Ella must’ve planned that.

Family filled the remaining rows. Nick’s relatives. My relatives. Cousins. Aunts. Uncles. Faces I never expected to see together in one space again.

And finally... Benjamin’s entire army of guests.

He had clearly invited half the city, important men and women he did business with, long-time associates, and probably anyone who once told him he had handsome children.

Benjamin was too proud, too thrilled that at last one of his kids was tying the knot. It felt overwhelming but oddly touching. And now that I am pregnant, Benjamin is the happiest. His dream of continuing their lineage will finally come true.

The sun was sinking in slow motion, painting the sky with apricot and gold, matching every accent of our wedding. The ocean wind lifted my veil gently, almost as if guiding me toward the man waiting at the end of the aisle.

I took another step.

And another.

The world around me blurred slightly—not from tears, but from the sheer gravity of the moment. The warmth. The joy. The love.

Everyone was here.

Everyone was watching.

But my eyes were searching... looking past all the faces... until they finally found the only one that mattered.

Nick.

Standing at the altar.

Back straight.

Eyes wide.

Lips parted.

Looking at me like I was the first sunrise he’d ever seen.

My heart fluttered so wildly I could barely breathe.

And as my steps carried me closer, everything else, the music, the whispers, the ocean breeze, faded into the background.

Because all I could see was my husband waiting for his wife.

There he was.

Nicholas Knight, my husband, my safe place, my soulmate, standing beneath the wooden arch draped in chiffon and sunset-colored blooms. But what truly stole my breath was him, just him.

He wore an ivory suit that fit him perfectly, clean and sharp, the kind of elegant simplicity only he could pull off. Under it was a crisp white shirt, the top button undone just enough to look effortlessly handsome. A small white boutonnière was pinned neatly to his chest, minimal, classic, completely him. No flashy accessories, no over-the-top styling. Just Nick, in his purest form.

And God... he looked beautiful.

But it was his eyes that undid me.

They glistened. Then shimmered. Then turned glossy in a way I had never seen before. He blinked, once... twice... as if trying to steady himself. But the second our eyes truly locked, when he realized I wasn’t just a woman in a gown but his bride, everything inside him seemed to crumble.

He covered his mouth with one hand, shoulders trembling.

A soft gasp rippled through the guests.

Nick shook his head slightly, like he was trying so hard not to lose it, but he lost that battle within seconds. Tears slipped down his cheeks, falling freely, openly, without shame.

Oliver immediately stepped in, slipping a tissue into Nick’s hand with the most dramatic pat on the shoulder, followed by another pat on his back, like a proud best man coaching a soldier through emotional combat. I almost laughed, except I was too busy falling in love with Nick all over again.

The crowd reacted instantly.

I saw Evelyn wipe her tears aggressively, whispering, "Oh my god, the Captain is crying."

My bridesmaids were already waving small tissues like surrender flags.

Even some of the executives, the stoic, poker-faced ones, were discreetly dabbing the corners of their eyes.

A wave moved through the guests, a collective soft sobbing as they watched the groom, the famously composed and intimidating Captain Knight, stand there crying unabashedly in front of everyone... simply because he saw me.

It wasn’t dramatic or loud. It was quiet. Raw. Honest.

And it was perfect.

Seeing him like that, so open, so emotional, so clearly overwhelmed with love, made my chest swell and my heart flutter with an intensity I couldn’t put into words.

Every step I took toward him felt like stepping deeper into the kind of love people only read about in books or dream about in secret.

He wasn’t crying because he was nervous.

He wasn’t crying because it was a grand event.

He was crying because of me.

Because he loved me with a depth that made even the ocean behind him feel small.

And in that moment, surrounded by petals, sunset skies, and the breath of the sea, I knew that walking toward him would always be the easiest thing I could ever do.