Back in the grand hall,Avery stepped through the doors with Silas by her side. Her gaze swept over the crowd until it landed on the center of chaos: Cassian West.
Cassian was being held tightly by two towering men clad in sleek black coats, each one flanking him like a guard dog with orders to kill. He thrashed in their grip like a caught animal, his voice raw with panic. But the moment his bloodshot eyes found Avery, all his anger melted into something else—desperation.
"Avery! Baby!" he shouted, loud enough that people turned their heads again. "Look what these people are doing to me! Baby, please—tell them to stop!"
He didn't get to finish.
His voice died in his throat the second he saw it—Silas Blackwood's hand possessively wrapped around Avery's waist.
Cassian's expression crumpled like cheap paper soaked in rain. His confusion turned to horror, then rage.
But Avery didn't even spare him a second glance.
Instead, she looked up just in time to see Declan Vale, her father, walking toward them with a beaming smile—a smile so wide, so warm, that it froze Avery in place.
She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen that look on his face.
Right behind him trailed Elias, who was watching her with an unmissable smirk—part teasing, part disbelief, and all trouble.
"I'm so happy for you, my child!" Declan said joyfully, pulling her into a brief, fatherly hug before looking between her and Silas with approval. "Why didn't you tell me all this earlier? It's thanks to Silas that I found out everything yesterday."
Avery turned sharply, stunned, and looked at Silas. Her lips parted in shock.
So she wasn't imagining it last night.
It really had been him.
Silas cleared his throat, straightening beside her with a slight shrug. "I told Uncle about us being married yesterday," he explained, voice steady.
Avery's eyes widened further.
The words were simple enough, but they didn't explain anything. Her mind spun.
What did you tell him, Silas?
Before she could voice her thoughts, Declan clapped his hands once and laughed heartily.
"Ha ha! He told me everything. How you contacted him after finding out about Cassian's betrayal," Declan said with a nod, "and how Silas offered to help you gather proof against him. He said you two grew closer during that time… and eventually decided to get married in secret."
Avery froze.
That… was not how it happened. At least, not exactly.
Her lips moved, but no words came out.
Silas simply stood tall beside her, completely calm, his arm still firm around her waist.
Declan continued, eyes twinkling with both approval and mild disappointment. "I must say, Avery… Even though I like Silas very much—very much—getting married without telling your family is not something I can overlook."
He leaned forward and tapped her head lightly, as if scolding a mischievous child. "We'll talk about that later."
Avery blinked, still trying to find her voice.
It was all happening so fast.
But her father's words carried no malice. In fact, he looked… genuinely happy. There was relief in his eyes—relief that maybe, finally, his daughter had found something real.
"I'm happy for you, my child," he said softly, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Silas is a good choice."
With that, he turned toward Silas and gave him a nod full of trust and silent gratitude. "Take care of her," he added.
"Always," Silas replied without hesitation.
Declan walked back to his place with the grace of a man whose duty had been fulfilled, his hands clasped behind his back. Elias lingered a moment longer.
He raised an eyebrow and looked between Silas and Avery, amusement dancing in his eyes. Then, without a word, he clapped Silas on the shoulder and followed his father, the smirk still tugging at the corner of his lips.
Avery stood motionless, surrounded by chaos yet wrapped in a strange, unnatural calm.
Cassian was still yelling somewhere behind her.
But none of it reached her ears.
She slowly turned her head toward Silas, her expression unreadable.
Before Avery could even open her mouth to demand answers, Silas beat her to it.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Silas called out, his voice cool and commanding—just the right pitch to silence a hall that had already witnessed more drama than most reality shows. "We have a truly special announcement to make tonight."
The crowd stilled instantly. Even the music seemed to pause for breath.
Cassian, who was somewhere behind the walls or down a corridor being dragged away, heard that voice—that voice—and the last flicker of hope drained from his eyes like wine spilled on marble.
Every gaze turned to the man now standing center stage, his arm wrapped around the waist of the woman who was supposed to be someone else's bride tonight.
Silas Blackwood.
And beside him, Avery Vale.
All eyes were on them.
All breaths, held.
This engagement party had already turned into a drama set, but no one was walking out. People live for drama—as long as it's not theirs.
Silas gave the audience a dazzling smile, the kind that made women swoon and men frown in envy.
"With all of you here," he said, "family, friends, and… curious onlookers,"—that earned a few chuckles—"I want to share something beautiful."
He turned toward Avery, his voice softening ever so slightly.
"I and my beautiful Avy are getting married."
The hall broke into stunned applause, and then into loud, shocked cheers. Some gasped.
Even the staff stopped to look.
The drama, the betrayal, the sudden reversal—and now this?
Nobody was going home early tonight.
Near the side, Elias clapped slowly, a mischievous grin tugging at his mouth.
"What an eventful night," he murmured, half to himself. "No doubt it's my sister, alright." He looked over to their father, Declan, who was clapping with so much childlike excitement that Elias tilted his head in disbelief.
"Is that really my dad?" he whispered to no one in particular, shaking his head with mock dismay.
Onstage, Avery forced a radiant smile toward the crowd, but her eyes were anything but calm.
She leaned in just enough for Silas to hear her over the applause.
"You don't have to go this deep into the act, Silas. Just wrap it up."
His expression turned playfully offended. "What are you talking about? It's my wedding day. I want to enjoy it properly."
Avery rolled her eyes and muttered curses under her breath, but the smile on her lips remained perfectly intact.
Then Silas lifted a hand, signaling discreetly.
His ever-efficient secretary, Nial, appeared like magic from the shadows. He was dressed in a perfectly tailored charcoal suit and moved with sharp precision, as if this absurd scene had been choreographed by a Broadway director. In his hands was a white velvet box—the rings.
As Nial approached, the lights dimmed subtly, and suddenly the speakers filled the hall with the sound of soft, soulful music.
A romantic ballad—smooth strings, gentle piano, a voice filled with aching love and quiet promises—wrapped around the moment like a silk ribbon. It was the band's new track, unreleased and unheard by the public.
Avery's lips parted in astonishment as she looked around.
Everything was changing around her.
The crimson and gold banner that once read "Cassian & Avery" had been pulled down and replaced with one in elegant white and silver: "Silas Weds Avery" in swirling calligraphy, backlit like it was meant for a movie scene.
She turned to Silas in stunned disbelief.
"When did you prepare all this?" she asked, genuinely dumbfounded.
Silas smirked, brushing his fingers against her cheek like they weren't being watched by a room full of people.
"You should be the last person to ask me that, Avy. You know me."
He led her toward the stage, where Nial stood proudly as if mentally asking, Am I my boss's best man now?
The white velvet box opened, revealing two rings—hers was delicate, with a rose-gold band and a single, luminous stone set like a star in twilight. His was sleek and modern, black titanium with a single groove etched through the center.
Just as Avery reached for the box, she paused, scanning the hall.
"Wait—what about Cassian?" she asked, tension creeping back into her voice. "Where is he?"
"Don't worry about him, Avy. He's being taken care of."
That was... terrifyingly vague.
But before she could pry further, a priest appeared on stage as if summoned by divine chaos.
Avery blinked. What the hell is happening? she thought, utterly overwhelmed. Where did he even come from?!
She barely registered the priest's opening remarks. Everything was spinning. Her heart beat against her ribs like a warning drum, and her breaths came a little quicker with each passing second.
And then—Silas turned to her, holding her hand more firmly now.
Avery's head whipped toward the priest just as he asked:
"Do you, Avery Vale, vow to take Silas Blackwood as your lawfully wedded husband, to love and to cherish, in joy and in sorrow, in strength and in weakness, for as long as you both shall live?"
The world quieted. Her gaze lifted to meet Silas's.
He was smiling—not the arrogant smirk or cold grin from their school days—but something warm, patient.
Her chest tightened. Her throat felt dry. Somewhere in the background, she could hear her father's voice cheerfully encouraging her, "Say yes, baby girl!"
But it was Silas's eyes that held her.
And suddenly, she wasn't thinking anymore.
"I do," she whispered.
The hall erupted. Applause, cheers, whistles—it felt like fireworks had gone off behind her eyes.
Silas's expression lit up as if the sun had risen just for him.
The priest turned to him with a faint chuckle. "And do you, Silas Blackwood, take Avery Vale as your lawfully wedded wife?"
"I do," Silas replied immediately, his voice firm and clear.
The guests laughed at his eagerness, and someone called out, "Can we get a honeymoon sequel to this soap opera?!" filling the hall with more smiles.
The rings were exchanged.
And then the priest gave the final declaration.
"You may now kiss the bride."
There was a moment of perfect, suspended silence.
Then Silas stepped closer.
Avery barely had time to catch her breath before he leaned in, his hand curling around her waist again like a second skin. She felt his breath against her cheek, and then at her ear—warm and teasing.
"You never answered me earlier," he whispered, his lips brushing the edge of her ear. "I asked if you wanted me to kiss you."
Avery's breath hitched. Her lashes fluttered, her body tensed.
He drew back just a little, just enough to meet her gaze.
"Guess I'll have to take your silence as a yes."