The reception was held in the sprawling gardens of the Whitmore estate. Twinkling fairy lights hung from the trees, and the scent of fresh lilies and champagne filled the air. Guests danced, laughed, and celebrated the newlyweds.
Alexander moved through the crowd, accepting congratulations, but his focus remained on Eleanor. She was radiant, laughing with her friends, her eyes sparkling with happiness.
He took a deep breath. What's next?
In his past life, he had left for a business trip the morning after their wedding. Eleanor had been disappointed but understanding—at least, in the beginning. It had been the first of many sacrifices she made for him, sacrifices he had taken for granted.
Not this time.
As Eleanor turned toward him, he reached for her hand. "Would you like to take a walk with me?"
She tilted her head in curiosity but nodded.
They wandered away from the crowd, strolling toward the quiet lake at the edge of the estate. The water shimmered under the moonlight, and Alexander felt the weight of the moment settle over him.
"I want to talk about our future," he said, turning to her.
Eleanor's smile faltered slightly. "That sounds serious."
"It is." He took a deep breath. "I don't want to leave tomorrow."
She blinked in surprise. "What do you mean?"
"In our past plans, I was supposed to fly to New York for business first thing in the morning," he explained. "But I don't want to start our marriage that way. I want us to go on our honeymoon as planned. I want to focus on us."
Eleanor searched his face, as if trying to figure out what had changed. In their first life, she had never even protested his departure. She had simply accepted that work came first.
Now, her lips parted in soft amazement. "You'd really do that?"
Alexander squeezed her hand. "I will always choose you, Eleanor. From now on, you come first."
A slow smile spread across her face. "Then let's go to Paris."
And just like that, the first piece of their future shifted.
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