Ellis Barker entered the garden with an elegance and mystery that intrigued everyone who watched her. She wore a stunning black dress with a sweetheart neckline and wide straps, which accentuated her silhouette and made her even more beautiful. The skirt was wide, made of smooth fabric in a deep and imposing black, gracefully spreading around her feet in a princess style.
A black fascinator-type garland covered her eyes, giving her a mysterious and seductive look. Her makeup was light, with emphasis only on her lips, which were painted with intense and elegant wine-colored lipstick. Her loosely tied hairdo gave the impression that she didn't care about the formalities of the wedding, leaving her nape and neck exposed, without any jewelry to adorn them.
Ellis's appearance caused a frenzy among the guests, who whispered to each other, wondering if she was really dressed for the wedding or a funeral. The groom's mother, in particular, was horrified by the appearance of her future daughter-in-law, considering it inappropriate for the occasion.
"This is an affront to our family," she whispered to her son.
Despite everyone being shocked by Ellis's choice, Vittorio watched her in admiration. Despite knowing that it was a way for the brunette to challenge him, he was enchanted by the unique beauty of his bride.
As she walked through the garden toward the altar, her steps were firm and decisive, conveying a confidence and determination that impressed everyone. Her presence exuded an aura of mystery and fascination, and her unusual beauty attracted looks and sighs of admiration. In the end, Ellis Barker reached the altar with Jason, who stopped with his sister a few steps away from the mafia boss, who held his breath when he saw the young man lift the veil to kiss the bride's forehead. Then Ellis finally turned to face her groom, who, she had to agree, exuded masculinity in his tailcoat. He extended his hand to Ellis, who took it, receiving a wave of warmth that ran through her entire body.
"Control yourself, Ellis," she asked herself, but the situation became even more complicated when Vittorio leaned close to her ear.
"What a beautiful choice of dress, Miss Barker," he whispered.
"Just expressing the sentiment I feel for this marriage, Don Vittorio," Ellis whispered, looking at her groom.
---
"Welcome, everyone, to this celebration of witness and affirmation of love," began the priest of the ceremony before all present. He looked at the couple, who were staring without even turning to each other, and then continued, "To love is to experience the fullness of goodness mixed with divine and human ecstasy. To love is to feel that the earth and sky form a paradise without contradictions. It is to believe that the dream is not a distant utopia but the expression of the concrete truth that we generate in the womb of hope. Love knows no barriers, it invades any human limit to manifest itself. We are here to witness that love is a presence; it is God manifesting Himself in a human and concrete form. Love is a mystery that reveals itself. It is a force that surrenders, it is a reflecting light. Today we celebrate love in the form of surrender, donation, tenderness, and grace. In faith, we celebrate the love of Vittorio and Ellis."
The priest continued with the sacramental rite, performing the welcome, the liturgy of the word, reading the psalm, and all the rituals, while the couple seemed as if they had turned into two statues. They didn't move, didn't look at each other, nor even smile.
"They must have fought the day before, it can't be anything else," whispered one of the guests.
"The groom must have gone overboard on his last bachelor night," commented another guest.
"Dear bride and groom, Vittorio and Ellis, you have come to this church so that, in the presence of the priest and the Christian community, your decision to enter into marriage may be marked by Christ with a sacred sign. Christ blesses your conjugal love generously. Having already consecrated you through baptism, He will now enrich and strengthen you with the sacrament of matrimony, so that you may be faithful to each other for life and assume all the duties of marriage," the priest continued. "Vittorio and Ellis, you have come here to unite in marriage. Therefore, I ask you before the Church: do you do so of your own free and spontaneous will?"
"Yes," the couple responded simultaneously.
"Are you ready to lovingly accept the children whom God will entrust to you, raising them in the law of Christ and the Church?"
"Yes," they both answered.
"By embracing marriage, you are pledging love and fidelity to each other. Do you promise this for the rest of your lives?"
The two fell silent for a few moments. That question took them back to their last encounter, where Ellis found Vittorio with Eleonora. How could they swear fidelity when she authorized him to betray her? Would he be capable of promising and fulfilling that? Ellis then closed her eyes, questioning why she was thinking about all that when their relationship wasn't real. It didn't matter whether he would fulfill the oath or not; in the end, it was just business. She looked at Vittorio and then at the priest and said:
"Yes."
Then Vittorio replied, looking at Ellis:
"Yes."
"Now, I invite you, dear bride and groom, Vittorio and Ellis, to join hands and seal the sacred bond of matrimony, publicly manifesting your consent," the priest continued.
The couple turned to each other and held hands, forced to look at each other. Ellis rolled her eyes upon seeing a smile on Vittorio's face.
"Vittorio," the priest called. "Please, make your vows for the sacrament and the ones you prepared for your bride."
Vittorio looked into Ellis' eyes and began saying his wedding vows. His voice was firm and filled with emotion as he professed his love for her:
"I, Vittorio Amorielle, take you, Ellis Barker, to be my wife, and I promise to be faithful, to love you, and to respect you in joy and sorrow, in health and sickness, all the days of our lives.
Ellis, for a long time, I had put the idea of marriage aside. I never ran away from it, it was just something I didn't think about. But it's funny how you brought me certainties since you arrived. Since I first saw you, I was sure that I wanted to get to know you. Since I met you, I was sure that I wanted you in my life. And from the moment I had you in my life, I was sure that I would never let you go. Because, Ellis, how can I explain the comfort my heartfelt from the first time we met in that parking lot? Meeting you was like being home. Today, we will become one, solidifying this bond that has existed since past lives, until the last day of my life."
Tears filled Ellis' eyes as she listened to Vittorio's beautiful words. She could feel the love and sincerity behind his vows, and it touched her deeply. But she also knew that behind those words was a contract, and just like on the day of their engagement, Vittorio was only following the agreement. So she composed herself, took a deep breath, and smiled at Vittorio, letting him know that those words didn't affect her.
"Ellis," the priest called. "Please, say your sacramental vows and the ones you prepared for your groom."
Ellis approached Vittorio, looked into his eyes, and began speaking, her voice calm and confident.
"I, Ellis Barker, take you, Vittorio Amorielle, to be my husband, and I promise to be faithful, to love you, and to respect you in joy and sorrow, in health and sickness, all the days of our lives.
Today is the happiest day of my life because I have the honor and joy of pledging my love, my devotion, and my loyalty to you, in front of all our friends and family. From the moment our eyes met, I knew I had found my soulmate – someone who fills me with happiness and completes me in ways I never thought possible.
Your presence in my life makes me feel whole and secure as if I could conquer the world with you by my side.
You have been my constant support, encouraging me to pursue my dreams and giving me unconditional love. I couldn't be more grateful for finding someone as special as you.
With all my heart, I promise to love, honor, and respect you every day of my life. I promise to be your faithful and devoted partner, supporting you in all your adventures and dreams. I promise to love you with all that I am and to be your safe harbor and light in every moment.
Today, on this special day, I can't wait to begin this new journey together, as husband and wife.
You are the best gift life has given me, and I am the luckiest person in the world to have you by my side."
Emotionally moved, Vittorio didn't say anything but kissed Ellis' hand and pulled her close, embracing her tightly while whispering in her ear,
"You lie so well that I almost believed it. Or can I allow myself to believe in you?"
"I just said what needed to be said," Ellis replied coldly, leaving Vittorio stirred and confused, unable to put into words what he was feeling.
Vittorio stepped back from Ellis with certainty: he knew he had found his soulmate and was ready to spend the rest of his life with her, even if Ellis didn't want to.
"Please bring the rings," the priest requested, and as everyone waited, the responsible children entered and handed the rings to him. He continued, saying, "O God, who made various covenants with men through Noah, Abraham, and Moses, promising them loving protection and giving them the mission to form, in Your love, Your people, for the birth of Your Son Jesus Christ, bless now these rings that Vittorio and Ellis will wear. May they be the sign of their mutual promise of protection, faithfulness, love, and a continuous reminder of the mission they received from You to prepare a human and loving environment to witness Your presence in the world. Vittorio, please place the ring on your bride's finger and make your vow."
"Ellis, receive this ring as a sign of my love and faithfulness. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Spirit," the mafioso said as he placed the engraved gold ring on Ellis' ring finger.
Ellis received the pair of rings she would put on Vittorio, but she couldn't resist and checked what was engraved: her name with a date that wasn't their wedding day. She looked at him, not understanding the meaning.
"It's the date we first met," Vittorio answered the hidden question from the brunette.
Ellis then took Vittorio's hand and quickly placed the ring on his finger while saying,
"Vittorio, receive this ring as a sign of my love and faithfulness. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Spirit."
"The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, the God who blessed our first parents in paradise, confirm and bless in Christ this commitment that you have declared before the Church. By the powers vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife, and let no one separate what God has joined together," the priest continued. "The groom may now kiss the bride."
Vittorio and Ellis were finally married, but there was a palpable tension in the air as they now needed to share a kiss as husband and wife and convince everyone present.
Vittorio looked at Ellis, who seemed to be feeling the same thing. With a tender gaze, the mafioso gently held her face in his hands and pulled her softly closer. They looked into each other's eyes for a moment, savoring the moment. Vittorio then closed his eyes and leaned forward, pressing his lips against hers.
Their first kiss was gentle and slow, filled with tenderness and love. Vittorio felt his heart gradually calming as he focused on the kiss. He could feel Ellis' breath on his lips, and he knew she was as nervous as he was.
But they kept kissing, their lips moving in a delicate and romantic dance. Nervousness gave way to a feeling that encompassed everything at once, something that couldn't be explained but that both of them were feeling. Vittorio finally opened his eyes and saw the guests looking at them with smiles of approval and happiness.
He smiled at them and then looked back at Ellis, his newlywed wife. They locked eyes and knew that from that moment on, there was no turning back.