Crater Lanterns Glimmered Over Tidelands by Axton Reed 9
On the pink sand beaches of the Bahamas, three hundred crystal chandeliers lit up the private coastline like it were daytime.
Wearing the latest Vera Wang wedding dress, I studied my reflection in the mirror–I looked so much more composed than I had three years before.
“Ms. Todd,” the stylist said quietly, “there’s a gentleman outside-”
Kristen cut in directly, “Tell him she isn’t seeing him.”
My hands, which had been adjusting the veil, stilled. “Orlando is still here?”
“He’s been at the beach entrance since last night,” Kristen said, rolling her eyes.
“He says he won’t leave until he sees you. Security’s removed him three times, but he just keeps coming back.”
I looked through the floor–to–ceiling window and saw Orlando standing in the pouring rain. His suit was soaked through, and his hair, usually perfectly styled with gel, was stuck flat to his head.
One of the bodyguards tried to hold a black umbrella over him, but he shoved it away, almost like he was trying to wash something away in the downpour.
Just then, Melvin walked in, a tablet in his hand.
On the screen was the real–time data from the Wagner Group’s stock crash. Half an hour ago, the Hinton Group had finalized the acquisition of Wagner Group’s last seven percent of shares.
“Should we let him watch our wedding livestream?” Melvin rested his chin on my shoulder and switched the screen to the ultra–high–definition feed from inside the church.
His tone was gentle, like he was asking about the champagne tower today at our wedding. “I picked the same church where you married him back then.”
I smiled and swatted his mischievous hand away, “You’re such a kid sometimes.”
“Gretchen!” Orlando’s heartbroken shout cut through the storm. “Come out and see me!”
Somehow, he’d already gotten past the first security line.
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12.19
Chapter 9
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Standing there in the rain, he held up a velvet box–ruined by seawater–with an emerald ring inside that gave off an eerie green glow. It was one of those cheap matching rings he’d bought from a street vendor for our very first wedding.
“I was diagnosed with late–stage stomach cancer,” he cried, his voice completely broken. “The doctor said I have three months, tops…
“Can’t you just… have some pity on me?”
Suddenly, Melvin’s hand tightened around mine. The man known as the “Mad Wolf” of Wall Street, the one who intimidated everyone, was actually trembling, the corners of his eyes red.
I knew he was afraid I might soften toward Orlando.
But why would I?
I gave his palm a gentle squeeze and shook my head at the housekeeper. “Time for the ceremony.”
The moment the organ music started, a heavy thud came from the beach.
Through the stained–glass window, I saw Orlando collapse into the tide like a dead tree. The velvet box with that cheap ring was pushed by the waves, drifting further and further out to sea.
Orlando was taken to the hospital. Three weeks later, he died alone in a VIP ward. Before he passed, he signed the agreement to become an organ donor.
A month later, Kristen sent me a voice message. “The psychiatric hospital called. Carolina bit through her own windpipe this morning.”
In the second year of my marriage, I gave birth to a beautiful, cute baby girl for Melvin.
Outside the window, the sunset glow painted everything gold, and the city lights began to flicker on one by one.
Holding our daughter in one arm, Melvin wrapped his other hand around mine. Our wedding rings caught the fading sunlight.
Those people who had hurt us once were now just faint ink blots on pages of an old storybook.
And the real story–warm and alive–was still unfolding right here in the palm of my hand.
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Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.
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