Chapter 313: The Reception

On the ride back, Maximilian leaned closer to her ear.

“You look beautiful, wife,” he murmured.

Catherine turned to him.

The violet of his eyes seemed to deepen as he looked at her, the same way he always did, as though he still couldn’t quite believe she was his. His tailored coat sat perfectly against his broad shoulders, his tie neat, every detail of him carrying the quiet elegance she had always found so unfairly attractive.

“You’re handsome too, husband,” she replied.

Her fingers brushed lightly over the lace at her sleeve.

“Sophia took this lace from my mother’s dress and had it worked into mine.” She looked down at it for a moment before lifting her eyes to him again. “I hope we too have a good marriage, Maximilian.”

There was something almost shy about the way she said it.

Maximilian leaned in and kissed her.

Catherine closed her eyes and accepted the kiss, her heart softening at the simple certainty of it.

“We will.”

When he pulled back, a smile slowly spread across her face. “If you were as brave as you are handsome, we could have returned home in a helicopter.”

Maximilian tilted his head toward her, giving her a pointed glare.

“If we reached there.”

Catherine burst into laughter. “I love you,” she said.

“I love you.”

Maximilian wrapped his arms around her.

By the time they returned to the Preston estate, the quiet intimacy of the journey was gone.

Catherine was immediately surrounded.

Family members, relatives, friends, staff—everyone seemed to want a moment with the newlyweds. Congratulations came from every direction, along with hugs, questions, photographs, and enough excitement to make her head spin.

Eventually, she escaped upstairs for a little while.

She needed to rest.

There was still an entire reception ahead of them.

And, if she was being honest with herself, she wanted to keep at least a little energy for the wedding night.

After some much-needed rest, Catherine changed into her reception gown.

It was lighter and more elegant than her wedding dress, designed for movement, particularly for the waltz. The skirt flowed beautifully when she turned, making it clear that the reception was going to be every bit as extravagant as the ceremony itself.

Downstairs, the Preston compound had been transformed.

The grounds no longer resembled a family estate.

They looked like the courtyard of a palace prepared for royalty.

Flowers covered the entrance and climbed around the carefully constructed arches. Hundreds of lights illuminated the gardens, while elaborate decorations framed the enormous reception area. Every detail had been planned down to the smallest element.

The food alone was enough to feed an army.

Every preparation had been meticulous.

And then the music changed.

The crowd turned toward the grand entrance.

The newlyweds appeared above them, descending in an enormous suspended swing as pyrokinetic flames erupted around the stage, bursting upward in brilliant arcs without coming anywhere near the guests.

The reaction was immediate.

Cheers exploded through the compound.

Popular pop stars performed from the side platform, their music blending with the roar of the crowd as cameras flashed from every direction.

Then the announcer’s voice rang through the reception.

“Please welcome the newlyweds—Mr. and Mrs. Whitmore!”

The cheers grew even louder.

Catherine smiled as she looked around.

Lavish.

Extravagant.

Completely over the top.

And somehow… Perfect.

It was time for their first dance.

This time, there was nothing between them but happiness and love. They moved so close that there wasn’t even space for air between them, their eyes meeting as though the rest of the reception had disappeared.

The waltz began, and Maximilian led while Catherine followed.

“I love you,” Catherine whispered.

She had probably said it a hundred times to him already that day.

It didn’t matter. She could say it a hundred more.

“I love you too,” Maximilian replied.

And they danced.

After their first dance, they took turns with their families. Catherine danced with her father while Maximilian danced with his mother. Then Catherine danced with her brothers, while Maximilian shared a dance with his sister.

Joanna joined them. And Catherine could see that she was truly happy. She was happy she got her blessing too. She wanted everyone’s blessing. She wanted to live happily with Maximilian for a very long time.

Laughter and conversation filled the reception as the family gathered around them.

Fitzgerald watched from a distance.

His parents had already returned home because of business, but he had stayed behind for personal reasons.

At first, he had thought the Preston family was less altruistic than his own. Unlike the Fitzgeralds, they didn’t have a registered foundation dedicated to supporting people.

Then he had learned what they actually did for their employees.

College funds. Health insurance. Pension plans. Stock investments.

They didn’t simply employ their workers.

They took care of them as though they were part of the family.

In fact, the Prestons did more for their employees than any company Fitzgerald had encountered.

His gaze shifted toward the bar. Samantha was there, and she was drinking like she intended to forget the entire world.

Fitzgerald’s eyebrows twitched.

Last night, he had finally met her alone.

She had slapped him so hard that his cheek had stung for quite a while afterward, then told him to fuck off.

He couldn’t even blame her.

She was furious that he had hidden his identity from her and, worse, had refused to tell her the truth when they were at the hospital.

He had wanted to explain. He had wanted to tell her that she was the reason he had changed his mind about her aunt.

But before he could say any of it, Samantha had stormed away.

And now… He had absolutely no idea what to do.

Fitzgerald sighed.

Again.

He had been sighing a lot lately. He hadn’t sighed this much in his entire life.

Apparently, Samantha Preston was responsible for that too.

Fitzgerald walked over to Catherine and held out his hand.

Catherine took it without hesitation. They kept a respectful distance as they moved across the floor.

“What’s bothering you?” she asked.

The whole world could have ended that night, and it probably wouldn’t have put even the smallest dent in Catherine’s happiness.

But seeing Fitzgerald standing there in serious contemplation made it impossible for her to simply ignore him.

“I might be in love with Samantha,” Fitzgerald said.

Catherine raised an eyebrow.

“No. Scratch that.” He looked completely serious. “I am in love with Samantha. I have all the symptoms.”

Catherine chuckled.

Symptoms?

That was certainly the first time she’d heard someone describe falling in love that way. Then again, this was Fitzgerald.

“What are you going to do about it?” she asked.

“What kind of wedding would she like?”

Catherine blinked.

Wasn’t he skipping a few steps?

Fitzgerald looked around the reception, studying the extravagant decorations.

“I don’t suppose she’d like something like this.” He paused. “I didn’t expect your wedding to be something I’d actually enjoy.”

Catherine pressed her lips together to hide her smile.

Of course, he enjoyed it. Samantha was here.

“Can you talk to her father?” Fitzgerald asked.

“About what?”

“I’m going to ask for Samantha’s hand in marriage.” He looked at her expectantly. “Put in a good word for me, will you?”

“You owe me.”

Catherine stared at him.

Of course. He had to turn everything into a transaction. Apparently, simply asking someone for a favor was beyond him.

“What makes you think William will listen to me?” she asked.

“Come on.” Fitzgerald rolled his eyes. “The entire family is under your control.”

Catherine laughed.

“Even so, I’m not interfering in this matter. If you’re certain Samantha will accept your proposal, you can ask Billy yourself. He’s her father, and he has the right to decide whether you’re suitable for her.”

Fitzgerald grumbled under his breath.

Then he walked away.

From across the room, Samantha had been watching them.

Catherine caught her gaze and smiled.

Samantha immediately looked away, curling her lips as though she had just witnessed something she wanted no part of.

Catherine didn’t care. Tonight was her wedding. She intended to dance, drink wine, and enjoy every second of it.

And eventually, the reception came to an end.

When Catherine finally stepped into the house, Maximilian swept her up and carried her across the threshold.

She barely had time to look around before she reached for her weapon.

“Everyone out!”

The house fell eerily silent. Maximilian stared at her, clearly unsure what she was planning.

“This is your last warning!” Catherine shouted.

Her voice echoed through the hall.

“Leave! I’ll shoot blanks!”

For a few seconds, nothing happened.

Then several of her nieces and nephews cautiously poked their heads out from their hiding places.

Only then did Maximilian realize what had been happening. They had been planning to disturb the newlyweds.

“Out!” Catherine ordered.

The children immediately began retreating. Maximilian reached for the door. Then Catherine stopped him.

“The next one won’t be a blank!”

She pulled the trigger. A gunshot cracked through the house. The bullet struck the ceiling.

“What the hell, Aunt—”

Several more nephews crept out of hiding, staring at the ceiling in horror.

“That wasn’t a blank!”

Catherine merely shrugged. They all ran out, faces filled with horror.

She locked the door. Silence settled over the house. She turned around.

Now they were alone.

She leaned on Maximilian.

“Go rest if you want, Wife,” Maximilian said. “You must be tired.”

Catherine’s eyebrows twitched.

Rest?

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