The guests were utterly stunned when Ceres stepped out of the limousine in front of the church. The maid of honor looked more dazzling, more like a bride, than the actual bride herself.
Even her parents were taken aback. They could hardly believe what their daughter had done, but after a moment of shock, they could only shake their heads and smile.
Ciena, however, had been preparing herself for whatever chaos Ceres was planning. She expected something, she knew her half-sister wouldn't let this wedding pass without a scene, but not this. No wonder Ceres refused to join the bridal entourage for makeup and preparations. She had been planning something grand.
Ciena seethed in rage, but her fury turned into pure resentment when she caught the expression on Ryzel's face.
He was expecting this. He looked so damn proud like he was watching his real bride arrive. His eyes never once turned to her, not even for a second.
If Zeus hadn't been the one to step out of the limousine with Ceres, she was certain Ryzel would have been the one rushing to open the door for her.
But Ciena kept it all in.
This was the price she had to pay for begging Ceres to help make this wedding happen. She had no choice but to endure the humiliation Ceres was throwing at her today. But she wouldn't endure it forever.
Once she and Ryzel were officially married, she would leave the Monteverde household for good. And she would make sure she got pregnant, by any means necessary. Ceres's charade of pretending to be blackmailed by Zeus wouldn't last. She knew Ceres wouldn't keep up the act of pretending to still love Ryzel for long. She would get bored. And Zeus, possessive as he was, wouldn't tolerate it for long.
The wedding procession began.
As expected, Ceres walked down the aisle before Ciena.
She was radiant, smiling as if this were her wedding.
And Ryzel couldn't take his eyes off her.
She was wearing the dress. The wedding gown she had designed for what should have been their wedding. He had only seen the sketch before, and at the time, he had been slightly annoyed because he had wanted something simpler for her, but she had refused, choosing to design her own instead.
Now, seeing her in it, Ryzel was breathless.
She looked unreal. All eyes were locked on her. It wasn't even evening yet, but the jewels embroidered into her gown shimmered under the light, making her look like a dream come to life.
He barely even noticed Ciena anymore.
Even the camera crew, tasked with capturing every moment of the wedding, focused more on Ceres than the actual bride. She was stealing the entire show without even trying.
As she neared the altar, Ryzel almost forgot, forgot that she wasn't his bride.
His body moved instinctively, almost stepping forward to take her hand, but before he could, she continued past him, walking toward the left side, where the bridesmaids stood.
Finally, Ciena, the actual bride, began her slow, solitary walk down the aisle.
Alone.
The guests watched her with quiet pity.
Whispers spread through the crowd like ripples in still water, soft, but undeniable. It was impossible not to notice where the groom's attention was. Ryzel wasn't looking at his bride. His gaze was locked on the maid of honor. And worse, he and Ceres exchanged knowing smiles as if they shared a secret the rest of the world would never understand.
Then came the vows.
Ciena stood before Ryzel, but his eyes never left Ceres.
It was as if every word he spoke wasn't meant for his bride but for the woman standing just beyond her reach.
"They say love is a journey, a path we walk with the one our heart chooses. Today, I stand, ready to embark on this journey, and I make these promises with all that I am."
"I vow to honor you, to cherish you, to always see you for who you are, flaws, beauty, and all. I promise to be the man who stands by your side, in moments of joy and in times of sorrow, through triumphs and through storms."
"I promise to love you, not just in the light of day but in the quiet moments, in the unspoken words, in the glances that mean more than any vow I could utter. I vow to never stop looking at you the way I always have, to never forget the way you made me feel when love was new, and to hold onto that feeling forever."
"In this life, love finds us in unexpected ways. It shapes us, molds us, and sometimes, it takes a winding path before it returns home. But no matter where the road has taken me, my heart has always known where it belongs."
"I will love you in all the ways I can, in every moment that life gives me, in the ways you see and the ways you don't. And even when silence is all that remains, know that my love will still echo through time, unchanged, unwavering, and undeniably yours."
"You were my first. You are my always. And no matter what, I will find my way back to you."
Tears welled in Ciena's eyes, not from joy, but from heartbreak.
She knew. She knew exactly who those words were meant for.
Not her.
The ceremony ended with the final words sealing the marriage she had fought so desperately to keep intact.
"Just endure it a little longer, Ciena. Just a little more," she told herself, forcing a smile as applause rang through the church.
After a brief photoshoot inside, the guests began making their way to Aurora Vineyard, where the wedding reception and program would take place.
Outside the church, away from prying eyes, Zeus wrapped an arm around Ceres's waist, pulling her close. He leaned in, his breath warm against her temple.
"You look absolutely perfect, love," he murmured before pressing a kiss to her forehead.
Ceres chuckled, rolling her eyes. "I know, right?" she teased. "Though I'm a little exhausted, considering someone wouldn't leave me alone last night."
A smirk curled on Zeus's lips as he tightened his hold on her.
"I was thinking," he began, his voice low and playful. "Let's skip the wedding program. We have more important things to do, like making our own soccer team captain."
Ceres's eyes widened in disbelief. She quickly glanced around, making sure no one had overheard him.
"Love, stop it!?!" she hissed, slapping his chest. "Someone might hear you, you perv!"
Zeus grinned unfazed before pulling her even closer. He buried his face into the curve of her neck, pressing a lingering kiss against her skin before moving to her jaw, then her lips.
And then, in the most audacious fashion, Zeus suddenly declared, loud enough for anyone nearby to hear.
"WE'RE MAKING A BABY!"
Several heads snapped in their direction. Guests turned, some amused, others scandalized, while a few simply shook their heads in disbelief.
"Love! You are insane!" Ceres's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as she stared at him in disbelief. But despite her protest, she couldn't stop the laughter bubbling up in her chest.
Zeus smirked, clearly proud of his antics. And just as he opened his mouth to repeat the outrageous statement, Ceres cut him off, grabbing his collar and pulling him into a firm kiss.
He responded immediately, deepening it, his golden eyes glinting with triumph.
When they finally pulled apart, Zeus grinned smugly. "You may now kiss the bride," he murmured. "All done, Father."
Ceres burst into laughter, shaking her head at him. "You are impossible."
Still giggling, she cupped his face, her fingers grazing his cheek with affection.
"Anyway, where the hell is the limousine? Why is it taking so long? It's scorching out here."
At that, Zeus finally turned serious. He glanced around, realizing their ride back to Aurora Vineyard hadn't arrived yet. With a small frown, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone to check.
"You stay here, love. I'll check the parking lot," he said, shifting his attention back to her. "Your mommy and daddy are still here, so worst case, we'll just hitch a ride with them. Stay in the shade, okay?"
Ceres simply nodded.
"I love you," Zeus said before pressing a lingering kiss to her lips.
"I love you, too."
"I love you more." Another kiss.
Ceres playfully rolled her eyes before pinching his nose. "You seriously never let me win, even with 'I love yous'."
Zeus smirked. "Of course not." He proceeded to pepper her face with kisses, each accompanied by a whispered I love you.
Ceres giggled, her heart swelling. "And I love you too, Mr. Zeus Falcon. Always and forever."
Then she gently pushed him away. "Now, go check on the car. I need to change outfits."
Zeus gave her one last kiss before finally walking toward the back of the church where the parking lot was.
Left alone for the moment, Ceres stood there, a triumphant smile tugging at her lips. Her gaze drifted toward the entrance of the church, where her parents were still engaged in conversation with some guests. Most people were in no rush to leave, knowing that a crowd heading to Aurora Vineyard at the same time would only worsen the traffic.
Absentmindedly, she touched her ring finger, and a small, knowing smile crossed her face when she didn't feel her engagement ring there.
Diana had taken it earlier before they left for the church. Her best friend was handling the final touches on the ring she had specially commissioned for Zeus's upcoming birthday.
His new ring was designed so that when combined with her engagement ring, they would form a single, seamless piece, two halves of a whole.
Ceres was excited to see the final outcome, but she was even more excited to see Zeus's reaction when she finally gave it to him two months later.
And maybe… by then, they'd be receiving another kind of gift as well.
She had never planned on getting pregnant at 22. In fact, she hadn't even considered having kids in her twenties. There was still so much she wanted to do, so many goals she had yet to achieve, and she knew that a baby would change everything.
But with Zeus…
With Zeus, she knew that even if they had ten children, he would still support her dreams. He would shoulder every responsibility without hesitation, just so she could continue living the life she wanted.
And it wasn't like he hadn't already been obsessed with the idea.
From the moment she woke up that morning, all the way through her wedding preparations and the ride to the church, Zeus had been nonstop talking about their future child or children. Name ideas had been thrown around, too many, in fact. He'd suggested ridiculous names, going as far as Zeus the 1st to Zeus the 9th, much to her horror. She had flat-out rejected them, laughing at his absurdity.
Eventually, they had settled on a name. Caelum. Inspired by the Latin word for sky or heaven.
Ceres let out a small, contented sigh, her fingers absentmindedly brushing over her still-flat stomach.
Maybe… maybe something had already started growing inside her.
After all, with how relentless Zeus had been last night, it was nearly impossible that nothing had happened.
She was lost in thought, a small, secret smile playing on her lips when suddenly, a commotion erupted around her.
Shouts filled the air, rising in panic.
From where she stood, Ceres saw people on the opposite side of the road screaming and scrambling to get out of the way. Then, her eyes landed on the source of chaos.
A large truck, swerving uncontrollably, its tires screeching as the driver desperately fought to regain control. The massive vehicle zigzagged violently, its brakes clearly failing, the steering useless.
Ceres was safe where she stood, far enough from the danger. But then, down below, at the edge of the road, she saw a little girl.
The child, no older than five or six, was crying, frozen in place, standing directly in the truck's path. There was no adult beside her, no one rushing to pull her away.
And in that split second, Ceres didn't think.
She ran.
Adrenaline surged through her veins, making her oblivious to the heavy weight of her gown as she sprinted down the steps. The only thing that mattered was reaching that child.
And she did.
With one final lunge, Ceres grabbed the girl, pulling her into her arms.
She turned, ready to run back toward safety, but her gown, the intricate, jewel-encrusted fabric, had snagged on a jagged piece of metal jutting from the pavement.
Ceres struggled to yank herself free, her pulse hammering as the deafening roar of the incoming truck grew closer.
The little girl clung to her, sobbing.
Ceres looked back, and there was no time.
No time to free herself. No time to escape.
So she made a choice.
With all the strength she had left, she shoved the girl out of harm's way.
"Run, baby," she whispered, her voice urgent but gentle.
And then, the truck hit her.
They say that when you're about to die, your life flashes before your eyes.
But that's not what happened to Ceres.
She didn't see the life she had lived.
She saw the life she could have lived.
She saw her wedding with Zeus, the moment she would have placed that custom ring on his finger.
She saw their children, their house, and their future together.
She saw herself in his arms, wrapped in warmth, filled with laughter, love, and everything she had ever dreamed of.
And then, nothing.
Ceres could no longer feel her body. She didn't know if she was in pain. Everything felt distant, fading.
But she could still move her eyes.
Desperately, she searched for the little girl.
And when she saw her, safe, alive, Ceres managed a small, weak smile.
And then, slowly…
Even though she didn't want to.
Even though she fought against it.
Her eyes began to close.
Until the darkness swallowed her whole.
She didn't see the way her parents stood frozen in shock, their faces twisted in horror as they watched their daughter lying motionless on the ground.
She didn't see the way Zeus ran, faster than he had ever run in his life, his face stricken with terror as he fell to his knees beside her.
She didn't hear the way he screamed her name, his voice raw and broken, shaking her, begging her to wake up.
She didn't feel the way he cradled her in his arms, pressing desperate kisses to her forehead, her cheeks, her lips, his hands trembling as he held onto her like she was slipping through his fingers.
Zeus Falcon yelled and begged for help.
Cielo and Romos ran toward their daughter, calling her name, tears streaking down their faces.
But Ceres could no longer hear them.