Someone’s Someone

by Curious Girl

I've always been someone's someone. I will always be known as the sister of. The sister of the wonder child; the sister of the Nobel prize laureate; the sister of Princess Anastasia of Romanov; the sister of the next Queen of England; the sister of the Olympian... and the daughter of Troy and Gabriella Bolton. But I am so much more. I am Josephine Bolton.

29. Chapter 29

Josephine

The next morning it's a rude awakening. Not because of the words we shared yesterday or the sex that gave me the best orgasms I've ever had in my whole life, but because of the shaking and shifting sensation that rips me out of my sleep.

For a second I think it's an earthquake. But then I open my eyes and see Oliver's little brother jumping on the bed.

And I suddenly get reminded I'm totally naked underneath the blanket. Shit!

I stare at the Jonathan, his curls are flying through the air as he jumps up and down. How can he be so energetic?

"Wake up, wake up, wake up!" He says without stopping to jump between us on the bed. "Oliver, wake up!" Jonathan kicks his bigger brother lightly, causing him to growl. "We're going to the beach again!"

How can Oliver still be asleep?!

"Jonathan!"

My head swings to the left as Jonathan and Oliver's mother suddenly runs into the room. "Bom dia." I greet her.

But Maria only grabs her son and gets him off of the bed. Her brown eyes stare at me for a second and I can see exactly what she's thinking. "Morning." She says back in English before rushing out of the bedroom with her son in her arms.

The door shuts a second later and I let out a growl.

Only that's when Oliver starts to move by stretching his limbs.

Seriously, how could he sleep through this?! I stare at him when he opens his eyes. It's the most beautiful pine green I've ever seen. "Morning." He greets me with a smile on his lips before pulling me closer to him until I'm nearly laying on him.

I can feel my sore muscles as I hook my left leg over his hips. "How can you sleep through that earthquake of your brother? I have to know your secret!"

His chuckle sends goosebumps all over my skin. "That secret is you. You kept me up all night, demanding more... pleasing you made me dog tired."

I grin as the memory of last night is still fresh on my mind. "I'm quite sore this morning."

"I can imagine. I think we broke our record tonight."

"I think so, too." I say before rubbing my nose against his. "But your Mom wasn't very amused apparently."

"She stepped in here?"

"Who do you think brought your brother out? I'm naked. I won't step out nude."

"Well, she is just worried about me."

"She thinks I'm some selfish monster who plays with your heart." I read between the lines.

"She didn't use those words but she expressed her concern. She doesn't know what to think of all of this... she never got pampered and she never even got close to such a hotel. And suddenly you come around and start paying for clothes and ice cream... and haircuts!"

"I see. I think I should talk to her. Explain my intentions."

"You don't know what your intentions are."

"You're confusing feelings with intentions. My intentions are clear: I want to bring you and your family to London but my feelings... not so much." He runs his fingers through my hair as he watches how my lips move. He looks so mesmerised that I don't think he even listened to my words. "Alright, I'm going to talk to her." I say before lifting myself off of him.

He pulls me back on the bed, "Woah, right now?"

"Yes, right now. Because apparently they're going to the beach." I explain and free myself out of his embrace. I get out of the bed and pick up the white silk morning gown. I get into it and tie a bow to secure the silk. Then I walk out of the master bedroom and into the open living area where Jonathan, Maria and Caio. While Jonathan seems to be over the moon over the trip to the beach, his 15 year old brother seems less amused.

"Do you have everything?" Maria asks their sons as she looks through the beach bag that I bought yesterday. Johnathan and I bought lots of sunscreen and towels, a sun umbrella and gossip magazines yesterday at the shop in the lobby. He had fun picking out all the toys and swim goggles, flippers and pool loungers. Oh and of course bathing suits, swim trunks and coverups for them. We even bought straw hats and sunglasses.

"Maria," I breathe out, causing her to look at me.

"Are you joining us?" Johnathan asks me.

"No, I'm afraid not." I tell him. "Can I talk to you?"

She nods before looking at their sons. "I'll meet you downstairs in the lobby."

Caio nods before picking up the beach bag with one hand and dragging Johnathan out of the suite with the other.

Maria crosses her arms in front of her chest. She really does think I'm a monster who's playing with her son's heart. "It took you two days to talk to me."

I sit down on the beige couch, "I'm not hurting him."

"That's not yours to decide." She hisses at me. "You broke my son's heart! It took him a year to repair what you broke and then suddenly you appear in our neighbourhood! Not even an ocean can keep you away from him!"

"Maria,"

"What's your plan?"

"I told you. I want to bring you guys to London."

"You want to drag us into a country whose language we don't speak?"

"It's a language you can learn. Johnathan and Caio will learn it quicker than you but it's possible."

"And how is that suppose to work without papers?"

"That's between Oliver and me."

She leans forward, "You don't love my son but you're clearly not here because of his wealth since he has none. So it must be his looks."

"It's his heart." I tell her without thinking. "He has the kindest heart I've ever come across. Yes he is beautiful but his soul is even more beautiful. He's loyal and true to himself. He's strong so I can be weak when I have to. He was... is my best friend. And I didn't realise that when I broke us up. I didn't value the connection that we had but now... now I do. Because I know what a horrible mistake I made by letting him go. And I won't let him go again." I tell her.

"Do you love him?"

"I don't know." I answer honestly. "But I have strong feelings for him. Feelings that made me come to Brazil and look for him. So, I'm going to go with them and see wherever they take me."

She nods, "Okay. That's enough for me right now."

"Okay..." I whisper with a small smile on my lips.

She rises from the couch and turns on her heel but then stops before turning around. "You know, Oliver called you an angel once. A help send from heaven. He said you're the most difficult woman he ever met but also the most altruistic. I can see why he's so fascinated by you and why he fell in love with you. You have a big heart but it has lots of locks that no one has opened yet. But my son... my son thinks it's worth looking for the keys and eventually... eventually he wants to own your heart."

As if I didn't knew that. "I don't know if he's going to succeed."

"I don't know either." She says honestly. "Just please do your best to not hurt him."

"I'd rather hurt myself than hurt him."

She nods, "Good."

"Have fun at the beach." I say with a smile on my lips.

"We'll probably be gone all day." She informs me before walking out of the suite.

I get off the couch and turn on my heel to walk over to the bedroom. But I stop as I see Oliver standing in the open double doors. His tall and lean figure fills the open space perfectly. His pine green eyes are glittering as he looks at me. He's still naked but somehow that doesn't appeal me right now.

I only feel drawn to those eyes.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"You'd rather hurt yourself than me?" He asks me back before taking a step towards me. "You think I'm your best friend?"

"I-"

"You think my soul is beautiful?" He asks me as he stops across me. I wince from the jolt of electricity as he places his hands on my hips. I've never had that with Edward.

"Oliver,"

"Your soul is even more beautiful than mine." He whispers back.

"No, it's not." I disagree with him. I've destroyed Oliver and I've destroyed Edward. I destroy all men in my life that aren't related to me. It's just like the press said: I'm a heartbreaker. It's what I do best. Intentionally or unintentionally.

"Yes, it is. I don't know everything about you but what I do know is that. You are a complicated woman but you have the most beautiful soul I've ever met. You own my heart not because you're smoking hot but because you're incredibly kind and you do good in so many ways."

"So you heard the whole conversation then?"

"Pretty much."

I nod and wrap my arms around his neck. "I meant every word."

He stares deeply into my eyes, taking my breath away so easily. The stare creates goosebumps on my arms and legs. It makes my heart beat faster and my mouth dry out. "Okay."

"Okay?" I ask him back confused.

"Yes." He nods at me.

"Yes?" I ask again.

"Yes. I'm saying yes. Let's get married."

I grin as his words unfold their full meaning in my ears. "You won't regret it."

He cups my face and fondles my cheeks, "No, you won't regret it." He promises me before kissing me passionately.

He's the best kisser I've ever kissed, hands down. Only he can create these feelings within me. Only he makes me feel like I'm chocolate melting in the sun.

He's the only man I can't get enough of.

Ever.

I let go before we end up in the bed again, "I need to shower."

"We can do that together." He whispers into my ear.

I feel how my body reacts to his warmth breath, "Oliver,"

His hands open the bow of my morning gown and the silk fabric glides down my body like it never belonged there.

And suddenly there's no holding back.

Oliver

"Just sign here and here." A lawyer says to Josephine and me. Then he hands me his black pen.

Somehow I thought this whole marriage thing would take longer. I didn't think that within two hours of saying yes to this, I'd be about to get married. I've already signed a prenup that was thicker than any book I've ever read but I didn't expect anything less from Josephine. I agreed to not get anything that's hers when we get divorced and to give up on my last name. I'm not with her for the money anyway.

I want her heart.

I grab the pen and sign on the dotted line with my full name. It's the last time I will use it, I notice as I hand Josephine the pen. She signs the document that will bind us legally with her curly handwriting.

And now I'm a Bolton. Oliver Carlos Bolton.

"That's it?" I ask the lawyer in the black suit across me.

He nods, "That would be all. Congratulations. I suggest you go out and buy rings now."

Rings... of course, we need wedding rings. I look at Josephine, who is now my wife. She doesn't look any different and it doesn't feel any different. We're still as close - or apart - from one another as before. It's just now we're husband and wife.

"We can go to a jewellery shop after I've changed." She tells me. Her chestnut hair is still damp and she's wearing the white silk rope again after she showered.

And I'm only in a sweatpants and a T-shirt.

We didn't wear a fancy wedding dress and a tuxedo. We wore a silk morning gown and sweatpants with a T-shirt when we got married.

But somehow that doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would.

The lawyer packs up his stuff and picks up his black briefcase. "Your family can leave the country from tomorrow morning onwards." He tells me.

It doesn't feel like I've made a deal with the devil. This doesn't feel wrong either... I don't know how to feel about that. So, I just nod and shake his hand when he offers it.

"Thank you for being here on such short notice, Mr. Santos." Josephine says with a smile on her lips as she shakes his hand as well.

I watch the lawyer walking out of the suite. The door snaps in place - and reality hits me. It hits me hard.

I am married to Josephine! I look at my wife. Her chestnut waves are wrapped into a chignon. She's not wearing a drop of makeup and only a white silk rope. At least, she wore white on our wedding day. "We're married." I breathe out amazed.

"Yes, we are." She says with a smile on my lips. "But don't worry in two years you will have your name back. We have to stay married for a year and then comes the separation year, but in two years we could divorce but your family would have a permanent visa by that time. And you will have a double nationality: the Brazilian one and the British one."

I'm not sure I want my name back. My Mum won't be thrilled about what happened while she was at the beach with Caio and Johnathan, but I sort of like it. Sure, we got married under unconventional circumstances but it doesn't feel wrong. In fact, it feels right.

I just hope Josephine feels the same way.

"I'm going to blow dry my hair and change so we can head to Cartier and get some wedding bands." She says to me before turning on her heel.

I grab her wrist and pull her into my arms before kissing her passionately. As always, she melt into my body and wraps her arms around my neck as she deepens the kiss. For minutes, we explore our mouths, our married mouths.

But then she pulls away. "What was that for?"

"Our first kiss as a married couple." I say while fondling her cheeks.

She wraps her fingers around my wrists, "Get dressed, husband. We're first going ring shopping and then we're getting a whole new wardrobe - for every member of your family."

"It's now yours as well." I tell her.

"Right... of course. You know their sizes right?"

I nod, "But they don't need-"

She growls, "We're married for Christ's sake! Get over the fact that you're now wealthy as well!"

I frown, "But I signed the prenup. It said that our banking accounts are kept separate."

She rolls her sky blue eyes at me, "It also said that we have a joined banking account with half a billion pounds as a start."

"What?!" Half a billion pounds?! Bloody 500 million pounds as a start?!

"You should have read the fine print, Oliver. I need to protect my family and most of my wealth but that doesn't mean you won't get anything."

"You rewarded me for marrying you?"

"I gave you a very big safety net when we divorce. I won't ask for anything then and leave you with the money. It's financial safety I gave you, no reward." She explains to me as she runs her long fingers through my hair. "I'm worth way more than that. I told you once, I have more money than I could ever spend. It's why I enjoy doing social work so much because I can see what life changing things can happen if I just donate a drop of my money."

She doesn't even have to work then. She's doing it for the work itself, not the money she earns. "How much are you worth?"

"Do you really want to know the number?"

I nod.

"55 billion. But that doesn't include stocks and the property I own."

My jaw falls open, "Just you?"

"Just me. My whole family... I don't even know how much we're all worth but it's close to a trillion if I have to guess."

"What do you do with so much money?" I ask her. I struggled to have one meal on the table, that's something Josephine will never relate to. Not with 55 billion on her bank account.

"Build schools. Make education accessible. Build women shelters. Make sure girls know how to protect themselves from potential danger. Donate into medical care and improvement. Pay for life saving surgeries... Charity in a nutshell. I don't like to brag with my wealth. I have it and I attend to social and royal events because I have to but it's not what I really care about. I care about the people on the streets. I want to help and make the world a better place for future generations."

I have the best wife on earth!

Josephine

Oliver and I follow one of the many female sales associates at Cartier down a red carpeted hallway with matching walls that have framed black and white ads from their perfumes and rings. We stop at one of the many white doors. The sales associate opens the door and lets us both in.

"Champagne, Mr. and Mrs. Bolton?"

"No." Oliver says.

"Yes and water, please." I tell the blonde sales associate with a smile on my lips.

She returns my smile, "Of course. Mr. Dias will be here shortly with a collection of wedding bands. Thank you for choosing Cartier." She turns on her heel and walks away.

I sit down on the turquoise coloured couch that's across two matching armchairs. "You don't say no to champagne. Ever." I explain to Oliver.

He sighs before sitting down next to me, "Is this how it's always going to be? You making decision for us?"

I look into his pine green eyes and brush through his chin long blonde hair, "Until you've learned it, yes. I told you before, being with me is not easy. It comes with rules, etiquette and many sparkling diamonds. Women wear big colourful hats to polo matches and huge diamonds at galas. It's just the world I live in. And you now as well."

He's silent for a moment, "But I won't choose a diamond covered wedding band. I don't like to stand out. I'm used to work in the background, in the dark."

"Those times are over, Oliver. With me by your side, you will always be in the spotlight whether you like it or not. You don't have to do something you don't want to but everything you do will get back to me now. We're a team so we better act like one as well." I grab his hands, "When Mr. Dias comes with a tablet filled with the wedding rings, I just want you to pick one. Don't think of the price. Just choose, okay?"

He nods, "Okay."

"Look, I know this is a lot but you will grow into this role. You only have to be with me for a year. After that you can take off the ring and sell it."

He gulps, "What if I don't want to sell it?"

I stare at him in confusion, "What do you mean?"

Before he can answer me, Mr. Dias walks in with a tablet filled with different wedding rings. The dark brown haired man is wearing a black suit. "Mr. and Mrs. Bolton, welcome to Cartier. I'm confident we will find something fitting to your tastes." He places the tablet on the coffee table before sitting in one of the two armchairs. "I've got fifteen rings for women and fifteen for men." He explains and points at the rows of the different rings. There are rings of silver, platinum, white gold, yellow gold, red gold and diamonds in various shapes. There's even a ring made out of baguette shaped diamonds. It looks just like my Mum's wedding band.

"Anything you fancy?"

"They are all so... so sparkling!" Oliver says as his pine green eyes move from ring to ring.

This feels so different than the time I went wedding ring shopping with Edward. This time, I actually care about the ring that's going to be on my left ring finger. This time, I can choose whatever ring I wish as I don't have to care about it matching an engagement ring. I'm free.

Yet, I chose to bond myself to Oliver.

"I want to start with a classic." I decide and pick up a platinum wedding band. I chose a similar ring when I went wedding ring shopping with Edward. I put it on my left ring finger and stare at it. No, I won't repeat the past. "No, that's too wide."

Dias nods and hands me a thinner band. "That's 6mm wide on platinum."

I take off the wedding band and put on the thinner band. "That's better... but not ideal. Maybe we should go with something more sparkling." I take off the plain wedding band and pick up a red gold band that's 3mm wide and has diamonds. It's polished and has round edges. "This looks definitely better!" I say as I stare at my left ring finger. I wiggle the finger to see it from every angel just like a paparazzi camera would catch it. No, that ring is not it. I shake my head.

"No?" Dias asks me.

I look at him, "Not good enough. Perhaps something with 4 or 5mm and definitely platinum. Red gold doesn't look good with diamonds. It almost ruins the nice colour."

Dias nods and hands me the most sparkling wedding band. "Platinum 950 with side by side diamonds."

The platinum wedding band has two rows of diamonds in the front as well as a row of diamonds each at the side, so only the platinum on the inside is naked. It doesn't feel as heavy as it looks like and it's definitely sparkling. It will make a statement.

"We have 2,05 carats of D diamonds." Dias says. Diamonds rated D are the most devoid of colour and very rare. It's the highest colour rate that money can buy, so this ring is quite a masterpiece. It's absolutely stunning!

But I take it off. "I'll go with a simple platinum band." I decide instead. If we get divorced after a year, I can make earrings out of the ring. It's the safest choice.

"Very well." Dias hands me a 4mm platinum wedding band. It's polished and has round edges. Nothing special.

"No, maybe something more modern." I say and slide off the platinum band.

"How about this?" He asks me and hands me a platinum ring that features twisting strands as an eternity band with diamonds around the band.

I don't know why but suddenly a smile stretches my lips.

"Oh, that smile is a good sign." Oliver says to Dias.

I put on the ring and have a closer took. The infinity twist with round pavé-set diamonds is stunning and quite unusual."It's very pretty."

"About 2 carats of D diamonds as well." Dias says. "The strands each are thinner than the other diamond ring you tried on but because of the twisting element the ring width is about the same."

"It's very nice..." I say as I wiggle my finger in the light. The 42 round D diamonds shine rays of rainbow lights through the room. It's not a traditional wedding band and Oliver and me are not a traditional married couple. I mean, we got married in a bathrobe and lounge wear! Somehow, the ring matches my personality.

"We can change the stones if you want to. Sapphires, rubies, emeralds or yellow diamonds."

Sapphires. My heart skips a beat at the word. I've always loved Mummy's engagement ring because of the sapphire. And her original wedding band had sapphires in it as well. Probably why the Indonesian monkeys stole it from her. "How long would it take to exchange the stones to sapphires?"

"We could have it done within a few minutes. While you pick out the other wedding band and maybe have a look around. I'd say 15 minutes but not more."

"What do you think?" I ask Oliver.

"It already looks lovely as it is but if you want to change the stones to sapphires we can wait."

He's learning fast. "Good. I'll take that. Now it's your turn."

He looks back at the tablet, "How about you choose?"

I suppress a sigh and pick up a platinum band that's 6mm wide because his fingers are wider than mine. It's polished and has round edges. It's basically my ring but without all the diamonds and twists. "This one. It matches my ring. Plus, it looks great against your golden undertones."

He puts it on and stares at his left ring finger before looking at Dias. "Okay. I choose that one."

"No diamonds, sir?" Dias asks him.

Oliver shakes his head. I don't think he will ever wear something with diamonds.

I slip off the ring and hand it back to Dias. "We'll look at your watches while we wait."

Dias nods, "I can have your ring polished once more as well."

I look at Oliver but he doesn't want to give Dias the ring back, so I narrow my eyes and nod slightly towards Dias. It is only then, that Oliver takes the ring off. I don't know why he's making such a big deal out of this. It's just a bloody ring!

Dias picks up the tablet and rises from the chair, "I'll be back in 15 minutes."

I watch how Dias leaves the red carpeted room and closes the white wooden door behind himself. Then I look at Oliver. "Everything alright?"

He runs his left fingers through his hair and sighs. I must say I liked it more with the wedding band on. "This looks just so real."

"Well it is. We just signed the papers an hour ago!"

"Yeah, I know... I just didn't expect my wedding to be just signing a few papers."

"You want that fairytale shit, don't you?" I ask him.

He gives me a dark look. "Yes, Josephine, I want that fairytale shit. With a tux, a wedding dress, a wedding cake and a fucking traditional ceremony held by a priest. It doesn't have to be in a church... but, yeah I want that fairytale shit."

I gulp, "Oliver,"

"I know you think you're too modern for that and that I can't ask of that given what this really is..."

I grab his hands and feel his energy running through my whole body. "Listen to me, if this thing between us works out and we're still together in a year, we can do this again. This time your way. With a dress and a tux and a cake... and a priest." I suggest.

"You think we're still going to be together in a year?"

I shrug. "I don't know but I know I'm willing to give us a real chance."

---

I have a look at all the different jewellery that's on display in the glass cabinets at the front of the Cartier shop. I should buy something for Caio, Johnathan and Maria. Something they won't take off. Something that can have a GPS sensor built in. "What kind of jewels would your Mum wear? Daily, I mean."

Oliver frowns at my question, "I don't know. Probably a necklace with a cross or very delicate earrings."

"Would she wear a ring?"

"No. She hasn't worn one since my father died. She's still wearing her wedding ring."

I nod and keep looking around. I quickly find a yellow gold necklace with a cross. "Like this one?"

Oliver looks over my shoulder, "Yes."

I look at one of the salespersons that have kept themselves in the background while we looked around. "We'll take the golden necklace with the cross."

The brunette woman smiles before walking over to the glass cabinet and getting it out. "A very beautiful necklace." She says while her mocha brown eyes stare at Oliver. "Your sister chose very well."

I grab Oliver's hand as I feel jealousy building inside of me. "Wife." I correct her. I need that wedding ring on his finger as soon as possible.

"Of course, I apologise." The woman says before looking at me.

I don't grace her with attention but look at Oliver instead. "What about Caio and Johna? A watch? Or necklaces?"

"Necklaces. They wouldn't wear watches daily."

"I'm getting them all watches anyway. Better safe than sorry." I mumble before looking at another salesperson. The old man in the black suit looks much friendlier than the brunette who tried to hit on my man. "Do you have more necklaces with crosses?"

He nods, "We also have pendants with icons."

"Maria would be good." Oliver tells him. "In platinum."

The man nods again. "We've got some with diamonds and without."

"No, no diamonds. Just... just a simple version." Oliver explains without letting go of my hand.

He shows us two platinum necklaces with pendants of the Holy Maria.

"Perfect."

"Should I wrap them up as gifts?"

"No, just put them into their boxes. I'd like to add something to them before wrapping it up."

"Okay. Clara will pack them up for you. Anything else you'd like to have a look at?"

The brunette that flirted with my husband picks up the tray with the necklaces.

"No, thank you." Oliver says.

"Actually, I wanted to look at watches. Male and female." I tell him and follow the salesman and Oliver over to the watch section. "Which one do you like? I ask Oliver.

He looks at the 25 different Cartier watches. They're all pretty expensive but also very beautiful. "That one looks good." He points at the Ballon Bleu de Cartier watch. It has a 36 mm diameter and mechanical movement with automatic winding. Steel case, fluted crown decorated with a sapphire spinel cabochon, silvered guilloché opaline dial, Roman numerals, blued-steel sword-shaped hands, sapphire crystal, steel bracelet.

I have one at home as well.

I nod, "Can we have three of these?"

"Of course. Anything else?"

"Yes." I look at Oliver, "Would your Mum wear one?"

"No. It's too big for her."

"Then maybe something smaller and in a square shape." The salesman suggests. "The tank solo."

"Which one is that?" Oliver asks him.

He points at the watch in another glass cabinet. Steel case, beaded crown set with a synthetic spinel cabochon, clear silvered opaline dial, Roman numerals, blued-steel sword-shaped hands, sapphire crystal, steel bracelet. "The small version."

To my surprise Oliver nods. "We'll take it."

I think he has finally stopped thinking about numbers and is actually starting to enjoy the shopping.

Oliver

Ralph, Leo and me pick up the twenty bags filled with luxurious clothes and walk out of the lift, following Josephine - my wife. She's carrying five bags as well. I think she completely overdid it with the shopping. She bought items in multiple colours, shoes for every day of the year and jackets we will never be able to wear. I fought her, I fought her even harder in the second store but I gave up after she said that one, single, word that means everything to me and something to her: marriage.

We're married and I guess that's what comes with the wedding rings and the signature. My Mum won't know what hit her and Johnathan and Caio will be in 7th heaven. They have no idea how truly wealthy the Boltons - and now us - are. But they will find out.

Josephine holds the door of the penthouse open for us. It's a little after lunchtime and we hadn't had anything to eat yet. It doesn't bother me much because I'm used to one meal a day or even less, but Josephine's blood sugar level seems a little low because she's bitchy. And she only gets bitchy when she's hungry.

"We'll bring you back the jewels as quickly as possible." Ralph says to us. "Oh and congratulations on the wedding. I'm very happy for you."

I know he means well but Josephine gives him a glare so dark that he and Leo almost run out of the suite. I know she doesn't mean it. She's just hungry. "What shall I order?" I ask her.

"I'm sorry?"

"You're hungry. I can see it in your eyes and body language. You nearly ripped Ralph and Leo apart!"

She blushes before she smiles, "I want fries and pizza and some sort of cake."

"Cake?" I ask her shocked. She has never eaten cake since we met. Not one that hasn't been made by her Mum anyway.

She shrugs," Yes. I'm in the mood. Maybe chocolate or something fruity. Lemon or strawberry. But with lots of buttercream. No cheesecake or crumbles."

I place my hand on my hip, "So you don't want a traditional wedding but you do care about a cake?"

"Don't tell me you don't like my thoughts!"

"Of course I do but that's not the point!" I hiss at her.

She gives me the same dark glare that she gave Ralph and Leo but unlike them I won't run away. It will never leave my wife's side no matter how mad she gets. "Fine!" She hisses before picking up the phone. "I'd like to make an order for food." She tells the room service while looking at me. "Two big portions of fries. One tuna pizza, one pizza margarita and one pizza with ham and salami. Plus, a traditional cake with vanilla buttercream and a strawberry and lemon filling." She orders like ordering a cake with that specifics would be normal.

Frankly, I think they have to bake that cake for us.

"Oh and a bottle of Louis XIII. Thank you." She says before hanging up.

"I thought you don't drink anymore."

"It's not for me. It's for you."

"I won't drink a whole bottle!"

"It's not for you to drink. It's for you to lick off my body." She's turned into a femme fatale within a second.

God, I love this woman! I kiss her hard and passionate. She returns my kiss with enough force that we could fly to the moon. The passion between us was never gone. This is real. This is love. And she's finally allowing herself to feel it, too.

I let go before we end up naked in the living room. I know my Mama said she'd be gone all day but I still don't want her and my brothers to catch us in the heat of the moment.

God, my Mama! How will I tell her that I'm married?!

"What?" Josephine asks me confused as she tries to flatten out the wrinkles that have formed on my forehead.

"How will we tell my mother and brothers that we got married? How much do we tell them?" I ask her as she wraps her arms around my torso. I missed being so close to her. I missed it very badly.

"We'll go somewhere special and then tell them. Is there a place in Rio they always wanted to see?" She asks me. She sounds as calm as a buddha.

"The Cristo statue. We've never been there."

She nods before she runs her left fingers through my hair. I liked the hand more with the wedding ring on and I hope Ralph and Leo get the GPS signals installed soon. "Good. Then we'll meet them there at sunset." She decides. "Everything will be fine."

I guess, I'll have to learn to lean on my wife from now on. "Okay..."

"Okay." She shows me a smile that nearly bursts my heart.

"I love you."

She licks her lips, "I know..."

She can't say it back. But somehow it doesn't hurt as much as it did the first time I told her I love her - or third as the first time was in Finland and she was asleep and the second on her rooftop garden when she fell asleep on my shoulder. "How will we tell your parents?"

That's when her face looses all of its colour and she becomes as pale as a snowflake.

She didn't think of it.

"I... I don't know. But we'll think of something. First it's your family and then when we're back in London I'm sure we'll have some sort of plan." She mumbles.

"I'm not going to anywhere." I promise her.

"I know because I've got you chained to me with a ring on her left ring finger." She counters with a smile on her lips.

"You've had me chained to you the very first second I saw you." I breathe out.

She blushes. It's rare that I make her blush so I enjoy the moment while it lasts. "Oh, that reminds me. I've got something for you." She says before walking into the master bedroom.

I follow her and watch her pulling one drawer open. She digs through her clothes before finally pulling out a navy lumberjack shirt with a green checked pattern.

I totally forgot this still existed.

"My Mum found it in my closet when she packed my suitcases for Rio." Josephine explains to me. "She said it was stuffed into my underwear drawer."

I grab the lumberjack shirt and look at it. The last time I wore it, I met her. "I forgot where I put it." It's pretty old and looks very well used. I bought it from a one pound shop years ago.

"I thought you wanted it back." She whispers before placing her hand on mine.

A jolt of electricity runs through my whole body. It awakes my cock but also my heart. Everything is hyper sensitive out of the sudden. I smell her, feel her and see her in a whole different light. That woman is the love of my life. She's got a heart of gold.

And she's my wife.

I let go of the shirt and kiss her passionately. Everything inside of me explodes with emotions that are too strong to put into words. I'm high on my woman and I never want to stop using. She's my drug. She's the centre of my universe.

She returns my kiss and runs her hands down my abs. My muscles vibrate from her fingers. She grabs my T-shirt and helps me out of it. My hands runs down her blue ruffled dress before grabbing the fabric and helping her out of it. She looks beautiful in her white laced underwear. Her hands open my black belt and button of my trousers. She pulls them down and I kick them away. My erection is already throbbing in my boxers.

"God, you're so beautiful..." she whispers and she hooks her thumbs into the waistband of my boxer briefs. She pulls them down, revealing my throbbing erection.

She's reading my mind.

Josephine kisses me again as I nearly rip her white laced panties apart as I try to pull them down too eagerly. My hands find her bra clasp on her back next and I open it before she throws it away. I love being with her skin on skin. I love her smell and her body warmth. I love everything about her.

"How do you want me to take you?" I ask her breathlessly. I know she likes to get fucked hard. I know she needs that to keep her demons at bay.

"Cover me with your love." She whispers back as she runs her hands down my back.

I cup her face, "Josephine,"

Her sapphire blue eyes sparkle as they stare into mine. "Oliver,"

My name has never sounded better. I kiss her before I push her on the bed behind her. She wraps her legs around my hips. She's holding on to me as much as I'm holding on to her.

Last night, we fucked but today we're making love.

As husband and wife.

And she knows it.

Josephine

I put the last French fry into my mouth. "This was delicious!" I say with grin on my lips. After hours of love making, I definitely needed all the French fries and pizzas. The pizzas were not as good as Luigi's but good enough.

"I can't believe this is our wedding meal." Oliver says before putting another piece of the lemon strawberry cake into his mouth. The vanilla buttercream frosting on it looks absolutely stunning. We're sitting cross legged on the floor with our backs resting against the couches. The whole food is spread between us. Pizza, French fries and a cake.

It reminds me of the times we used to do that at home in London. It feels like going back in time only this here is way better. Because we're married.

I won't fly home without my husband and his family.

I kick him into his side with my foot. "Don't complain. You got your wedding cake."

Oliver's laugh makes my heart do somersaults. "We'll do this again. With a proper cake."

"Okay. But I won't do all the planning again. It was stressful enough the last time." I say without thinking.

"The last time?" He asks me with a frown before crossing his arms in front of his chest. "What exactly happened after we broke up?"

I bite on my lower lip, "That's kind of a long story."

"I've got all day."

I sigh, I might as well come clean now so the pay won't bite me in my ass when I least expect it. "After we broke up, I flew to French Cay. For a week, I got drunk. I don't remember much about this week as I have lots of blackouts from drinking too much. Then, I called Ed."

"Ed? The man you cheated on me with?"

"Yes. I wanted to give him a chance. We spent two weeks in Mexico together before flying back home. It got pretty intense pretty quickly and when he asked me to marry him on my birthday I said yes."

Oliver's pine green eyes slowly get lighter the more I talk... the more I reveal... the more I hurt him. I hope he knows it breaks my heart as well. "You were engaged to Edward?"

"Yes. Our wedding day was set on the first day of spring. I didn't participate much in the wedding preparations. I didn't even enjoy the engagement party and all the jazz. I did my best to fit into his world, to please his family."

"You turned into Gatsby."

I lick my lips. I never saw it that way. "I guess I did." I agree with him.

"But you're not married to him."

"No. I eloped on my wedding day. Because I dreamt of you the night before. It was the first time you talked to me in my dreams. You begged me to not give up on us." I lick my lips, "So, I couldn't marry him. I couldn't step out of the limousine when it stopped in front of the cathedral. I thought I had given Edward but heart but turns out it was here with you the whole time. I projected my feelings for you on him and therefore created a fantasy world. I turned into a puppet and lost myself. I was okay with everything concerning the wedding. I let his mother choose my wedding dress and I even let her talk me out of having peonies as my bridal bouquet. I did so much that I didn't recognise myself in the end anymore." I admit. I've never voiced my thoughts out loud but with Oliver it's so easy. Everything's easy with him. "But then I flew to Rio to work for the Bolton Foundation. We've built a school, kindergarten, hospital, public pool, women's shelter and donated a boat that drives down the Amazon to provide the people there with medical service. I came here to get away from the stress and press in London. I came here to find you and apologise for the awful mistake I made by pushing you away. But what I didn't expect was to find myself. I found my purpose and that's social work."

Oliver finishes his glass of water without saying a word.

"I probably should have told you that before you signed the marriage certificate." I mumble. "I'm sorry."

"You have never apologised before."

"I'm learning to voice my feelings more." I say with a shrug.

Suddenly there's a knock on the front door.

I get up from the floor and pull the strings of my bathrobe tighter. That's probably Ralph with the jewellery. I open the wooden door and see Ralph with two bags from Cartier.

"The jewellery is done. We wrapped up all the gifts. Your rings are in the right bag." He says before handing me the bags.

"Thank you."

"Leo told me Maria, Caio and Johnathan will be at the Cristo statue in about an hour and a half. I suggest you get dressed. Call me when you're ready to go."

I nod before closing the door again. I walk back into the living room and place the bags on to the dining table that's separating the open kitchen from the living room. "Our jewellery is finished." I announce as I pull out the red box that has our wedding rings. I open it and stare at the platinum ring, which is Oliver's and my ring which has an infinity twist with round pavé-set sapphires on one side and is polished with round edges on the other side. I love my wedding ring!

I turn around with the box in my hand and look at Oliver, my husband. His green eyes have lightened a bit over the last few minutes. They're almost a sage green now. The last time I saw that colour was when I broke his heart. I close the box and leave it on the dining table before walking over to him. "Oliver,"

"You chose him over me and when it didn't work out you came running back to me. I will not be his replacement!" He hisses at me. "I am not the second option!"

"No, that's not what you are. This is not what this is." I tell him and grab his hands. As always when we touch I feel this electricity running through my body. I never had that with Ed. "I am not replacing Edward with you. I was replacing you with Edward."

"But you wanted to marry him!"

"Because I bloody projected my feelings for you on him!" I hiss back at him. "I won't deny that Ed has a charming effect, obviously that's why I cheated on you with him twice. But he is not... it's not..." I growl at my own inability to voice my feelings properly. "He is not you. I want you. I need you." I let go of his hands and cup his face. "If I tell you I need you do not take it lightly. I do everything I can to never have to depend on anyone, to never show weakness, and if I say I need you, it means I am trusting you to catch me when I fall." I explain to his green eyes. "This wedding ring means I am willing to fully commit to you. It means I can depend on you and you can depend on me. No more unfaithfulness. Just you and me. You drew memories in my mind I could never erase. You painted colours in my heart I could never replace. I'm choosing you. Constantly, consistently, continually, you." I promise him.

His green eyes slowly transition into a sea foam colour but his lips remain sealed.

"Look, I know we're quite an unconventional couple but does that really matter? I'm with you because I want you. I don't want anyone else. I need you. The last months have been like hell. You enrich my life in a way no one else can. You make me smile. You make me fight with you - and I like that. You turn sex into a magical, surreal experience. You make food taste better and sleep more restful. You make love songs logical and views spectacular. My life is better with you in it. And as you know I am a selfish woman so I won't let you go. Because I like my life with you in it better."

"Josephine,"

"I know being married to me will ask a lot of you. And I also know there's a lot you don't know about me and a lot for me to tell you. But not today. I want to enjoy this day. I'd like to end it on the Cristo statue at sunset. I was there once along and once with my family and I swore to myself that the next time I'll be there, it would be with you."

He kisses me before I can say another word. Then he grabs the Cartier box and gets out my wedding ring. Without a word he slips it on my left ring finger before doing the same with his ring. "Let's get dressed and tell my Mum and brothers that we're a family."

Oliver

I button up the white Oxford shirt that we bought today before tugging it into my beige linen trousers. It's an expensive outfit, I know that not only because of the price tag the clothes had but also because of the quality. I slip into the cognac leathered shoes and have a look into my reflection in the mirror in my guest bedroom. I look so different than 24 hours ago. My hair has been cut into a nice style, I'm wearing clothes that are clean and fit my body, I'm wearing leather shoes instead of sneakers... but most of all, there's a shining platinum wedding band on my left ring finger.

Because I'm married.

Married to the most amazing woman on the planet!

I roll up the sleeves of the white Oxford shirt and run my fingers through my chin long beach blonde hair. I don't like it perfectly groomed. I'd rather have it messy. I still look like myself, only a better version... a married version.

I've never looked better in my entire life.

I open the door of my guest bedroom the same time Josephine opens the door of the master bedroom across me. She's wearing a beautiful white ruffled dress that has short laced sleeves. Her hair is braided into a massive plait that looks like a fishtail. Her earlobes are sparkling with diamond stud earrings and she's wearing the same diamond bracelet that she wore when we met at the charity gala before we had our first date. She paired the dress with simple nude stilettos. But what I like most about her, is that sparkling sapphire wedding ring around her left ring finger. The royal blue sparkles are the perfect contrast to the sharp white of the dress. It looks like it belonged there all along.

I've never seen anything so beautiful in my life.

"It's not a wedding dress, but the closest I could find in my closet." she says with a smirk on her plump lips. She even put on the tiniest of makeup, a little mascara, blush and a pale pink lipstick. I don't know why but her eyes glow and glitter stronger than the sapphires on her wedding ring. Josephine looks so free, so happy! I have the most beautiful wife.

"You look absolutely breathtaking."

She licks her lips as she eyeballs me, "As do you. I knew Armani would fit you perfectly."

I close the door and walk over to my wife. My wife! It's so crazy!

The moment she grabs my hand, my whole body reacts. There are fireworks going everywhere. Her smell starts filling my nostrils and a sense of pure peace and bliss fills me.

"I can feel it, too." She answers my question as she stares into my eyes.

I knew that but it's the first time she admitted it towards me.

"Josephine," She kisses me before I can say anymore.

She runs her long slim fingers through my hair, "Lets go."

Josephine

Standing atop Corcovado (which means 'hunchback'), Cristo Redentor gazes out over Rio, a placid expression on his well-crafted face. The mountain rises straight up from the city to 710m, and at night the brightly lit 38m-high open-armed statue – all 1145 tons of him – is visible from nearly every part of the city. Rio de Janeiro's landmark, the statue of Jesus Christ is one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World and is the world's biggest Art Deco sculpture. The monument represents the faith and compassion of cariocas (as those born in Rio are nicknamed).

But today, when Oliver and I arrive, the tourist magnet Cristo Redentor is completely empty. There's not a single soul here and it's so quiet! The sun is going to start setting behind the Corcovado any minute now, so the white statue will be coated in brilliant lightning.

I look over my shoulder. "You booked us the whole Cristo Redentor?" I ask Ralph. He has my reflex camera around his neck.

He shows me a small smile. "See it as a wedding gift."

That's so sweet of him! "Thank you. "

He nods. "Mrs. Rodriguez and the two Masters Rodriguez will be here soon."

"You can call them by their first names." Oliver suggests.

"He won't do that." I tell him before looking at the majestic statue. "Enjoy the view."

Oliver turns around as well and looks at the statue. "Wow!"

"It's so amazing!" I whisper and grab Oliver's hand.

He squeezes my hand, "It is!"

A jolt of electricity runs through my whole body. My heart starts pounding in my chest so loudly that I fear Oliver might hear it. A grin starts stretching my lips all the way up to my ears. I didn't expect this when I started looking for Oliver. I didn't dream of us standing here in front of the Cristo Redentor statue as the sun sets over Rio, being married to one another. It's been 48 hours since I found him and my world has completely turned upside down - and I wouldn't want it any other way. It's this crazy ride, these ups and downs, those crossfires like the one at Cartier earlier that I missed so much. I missed him and now that I've found him, I will never ever let him go.

Just like Ana told me on my birthday.

"Oliver,"

He tears his gaze off of the statue and looks at me. The sea foam green colour in his eyes gives me goosebumps all over my skin.

"We'll do this again." I promise him.

He smiles at me before letting go of my hand and cupping my face. "So, you're saying you'll marry me again?"

"Yes." No doubt. It's something I don't even have to think about.

"With a dress, a tuxedo, a cake, a bouquet, an aisle and a priest?"

"Yes."

"With your families as our witnesses?"

I know he's asking for a fairytale wedding. "Yes." It felt wrong with Edward but it feels right with Oliver. I was extraordinary with Edward but I'm one in a million with Oliver.

"I'm not asking for happily ever after." He reads my mind like no other.

"Good because I'm not either." I counter with a smile on my lips. "I quite like our crossfires."

He chuckles before kissing me passionately. "Me, too. If we don't fight than there's something going wrong."

I run my fingers through his beach blonde hair. I missed this messy hair so much!

"I love you."

I lick my lips. The last time I said those words it turned me into Gatsby. It made me loose myself. "I know you want me to say it back but I can't do that. Not because I don't feel it but because... the last time I said them to someone it made me lose myself." I run my thumb over his full lips. "This word... my feelings for you can't be captured by a single word. I know it means everything to you but to me they mean nothing. Saying those words would only please you but do nothing for me. Because my feelings for you are so much stronger, they go deeper than anything I have ever felt. You are my best friend, my best lover and my perfect match. We come from different worlds but we've created our own. And within that world, the words I love you don't come even close to what I'm feeling for you. Just give me... give me some time to find something that is able to capture my emotions for you into proper words. And if I don't... If I don't find them than I'll say them back to you, okay?"

He gulps before nodding, "Okay."

I press my forehead against his and inhale deeply. For a moment, the world stands still. For a moment, all that exists is him and I...

This decision to marry him was one of the best in my life.

"But I want you to know that I love you. I love you so much it is consuming me. I fall more in love with you every single day. Just because we couldn't be together for 14 months doesn't mean you don't love me, or I'll ever stop loving you. All it means is it wasn't our time. But our time has now come and I always knew that. I felt it deep in my heart. Because when someone has been through as much as we have there is no leaving. There is no other partner in the whole world. Because after all that I'm still here and still so madly and deeply in love with you. Because when someone loves someone as much as I love you, there's no such thing as giving up or moving on. I love you forever, I love you always".

My whole body goes crazy at his words. They hit me so hard that I can't even think for a moment. His faith in us is stronger than mine ever could be.

"Oliver,"

Oliver and I both wince at the sound of his mother. We break apart and look at Maria, Caio and Johnathan who are standing at the top of the stairs. They're all dressed casually as they're coming straight from the beach where they spent the day. Their hair is full of salt, their skin tanned and their eyes look a little tired. But they also look very relaxed and happy.

Leo is standing next to Ralph, who I think took a few photos of the statue with my camera.

"Mama," Oliver grabs my hand.

"Wow this is so cool!" Caio says as he looks at the statue. "We've got the whole place for ourselves?"

I nod with a smile on my lips.

"Awesome!" The brothers say out of one mouth before exploring the tourist magnet that's now glowing in the most beautiful lightning.

"What's going on here?" Maria asks as her eyes stare at our hands.

"We've got some news." Oliver starts.

"We got married this noon." I finish.

The colour in Maria's face fades immediately. "What?!"

"Look, I know this seems sudden, but I love her-"

"But she hasn't said it back!" Maria interrupts her son in a hiss, completely ignoring me.

"I'm going to give you a moment." I say before letting go of Oliver's hand and walking over to Caio and Johnathan. Ralph follows me, always keeping a distance of ten metres maximum. My safety really is his highest priority. "Pretty cool, huh?" I ask them.

Both Rodriguez men nod.

"Oliver said you guys have never been here."

"No, but we always wanted to." Johna says and Caio nods in agreement.

"Ralph can take some photos of you in front of it." I tell them.

"Can you take the photos? Oliver said you're very talented and I want to look good." Caio says to me.

I chuckle before looking at Ralph. "Of course. Sorry, Ralph."

Ralph smiles at me as he hands me my camera.

"But maybe he can take one with the three of us." Johna says to me.

"I certainly can, Master Rodriguez." Ralph says to them.

Caio looks at me, "Does he have to do that? It sounds weird."

I smile as I choose the best setting on my camera. "It's a British thing. All boys younger than 18 get called Master." I explain and lift the camera. "Ready?"

Caio and Johna nod before smiling into camera. I make sure to catch the statue as much as possible. It's glowing in shades of pink, lilac, orange and red. It looks beautiful. "Perfect!" I say as I take a few more of the brothers. Johna has beautiful curly dark brown hair and mocha coloured eyes, while his brother has straight and glossy black hair and hazel eyes. They share the same features with Oliver, yet they all look quite different. I notice that none of Oliver's family members are blonde and then remember that Oliver told me he's the only one of them that looks like their father Carlos. Perhaps it was God making sure they will never forget him.

"Can we have a look?" Caio asks me.

I nod before scrolling through the photos that I just took of them. By accident, I scroll too far behind and notice the photos that Ralph took of Oliver and me just before his family arrived. Beautiful images of us standing next to the statue, staring into each other's eyes and smiling like crazy. There are a few that catch the sun as it's setting behind the Corcovado. We look so in love with each other. Our wedding rings are sparkling in the sunset as we cup each other's faces and rest our foreheads against one another. The crisp white of Oliver's shirt and my lacy dress reflect the colour play of the setting sun perfectly. It looks so magical! The photos make me smile. They look like we posed for them when we really had no idea they were being taken.

"Wow those look really good!" Caio says as his mocha brown eyes look at us.

They do. I'll frame them when we're at home. I scroll further until the photos that I just took of Caio and Johna appear. "I think they turned out quite good."

Johna nods in approval. "I look better than Caio!"

"You do not!"

I chuckle. The two brothers remind me of my seven siblings. We're just the same. "How was the beach?"

"So much fun! We'll take you tomorrow." Johnathan says. "You can surf with us."

"I don't know how to surf." I admit. It's something I always wanted to learn but never did.

"Oliver will teach you. He taught Johna and me as well." Caio promises me.

"Okay. I'm looking forward to it."

Suddenly, Johna and Cairo's eyes notice the sapphire wedding band on my left ring finger. With the sparkling it's kind of hard to miss.

"Did you guys get married?" Caio asks me with confusion in his eyes.

It was more of signing a paper, a marriage certificate. "Yes."

"You're married to Oli?" Johna asks me again.

"Yes."

"Really?"

Okay, I know they didn't expect this to happen and I certainly either but... it has, so now they all just have to better deal with it. I nod before holding up my left hand. "Oliver's wearing one as well."

"Also blue and sparkly?" Johna asks me.

I chuckle, "No. It's platinum."

"Platinum?"

"It's a metal that's silver coloured."

"So, that means we're family?" Caio asks me.

"I guess it does."

"She's a Rodriguez." Johna says to his older brother.

"No, actually Oliver's a Bolton now." I correct him.

"What does that mean?"

"It means he now has a different surname."

"You didn't want to become a Rodriguez?"

No and I couldn't. "It's... it's a tradition in my family. The women who marry don't give up their last name unless they marry into Royalty." I lie to them. It's a teeny tiny white lie. It won't hurt anyone.

"Yeah, Oliver mentioned something like that." Caio says before sitting down on the edge of the marbled fence that surrounds the Cristo Redentor. "How many Royals are there in your family?"

"Ten, no wait eleven. There's my older sister, Anastasia but we call her Ana, who is married to Sasha, the Prince of Romanov. They have just gotten a son, Valentin. They're the Romanovs. There's my little sister, Lorelai or Rory, who is married to George, the future King of England. They're titled The Duke and Duchess of Oxford. They have three triplet girls, Alexandria, Eleanor and Grace, known as the Princesses of Oxford. Finally, we have my triplet brother Nathanial or Nate. He is married to my best friend and George's little sister Charlotte. They're the Duke and Duchess of Windsors. They have twin girls named Eliana and Evangelina, the Princesses of Windsor." I explain the Royal side of my family.

"Wow, and do we have to curtsy to all of them?"

I chuckle, "No, only in public and on special events. But you guys will rarely meet them in public, you will know them just by their nicknames."

Oliver

"Are you nuts?!" My Mama hisses at me as soon as we're alone.

"No, I'm still seeing things very clearly-"

"Oliver, you can't marry her!"

"I already did. It's the only way to get us out of here and to London."

"She can even say that she loves you!"

"She doesn't have to. You can see how madly in love she is with me and so can Caio and Johna. I don't need to hear it to believe it."

"I know, but-"

"We're married. I'm a Bolton now. Suck it up!"

"A Bolton?! You had to give up your last name?!" She asks me shocked.

I did but I don't know why yet. It was the only condition Josephine voiced. "Yes, that was part of the prenup."

"Prenup? Of course she had you sign a prenup!" My Mama rolls her chocolate brown eyes at me. "Does that mean we're rich?"

"Yes. And rich people call that wealthy or privileged."

"But if you get divorced-"

"We won't."

"But if you do, does that mean we'd be poor again?"

"No." I answer. I didn't understand a lot of what I signed but I understood this much. "Josephine and I will have a combined bank account with about 10% of her money and my money whenever I start making enough money to have it put into a bank account. The rest 90% she has on a separate bank account. If we get divorced, those 10% would go to me."

"And how much is that in numbers?"

Half a million pounds but I decide to not tell her this. "I'm not sure but Josephine is very wealthy. She has one foot in the Royal Family of the UK. The Boltons are the second wealthiest family in the whole world."

My mother's eyes widen, "She's that rich?"

"Wealthy or privileged." I correct her again.

"Whatever. So... either way, we will never be poor?"

"No. I can easily afford a flat in London. Actually, I already own one. Josephine gifted me one when I turned 27 last year."

"She gifted you a flat?" My Mama asks me shocked.

I shrug, "It was her way to make sure I'd be alright no matter what would have happened with us. But before I could move in the Feds caught me and I was sent back. So I never used it. It's in the same building Josephine lives in, just six floors lower."

"I don't understand this woman."

I didn't understand Josephine in the beginning as well. But then I understood that her actions mean way more than what she says. I also understood that promises are sacred to her - and she did promise me to get me and my family to London. "You will. She needs time to open up towards people."

My Mama looks at Josephine behind me. I turn around and watch how she sits on the edge of the marbled stairs with Caio and Johna. She's explaining something to them with a smile on her lips. Johna and Caio listen with wide eyes and ears.

"I love this woman." I say to my mother. "And now I'm married to her."

"I just hope she won't break your heart."

"She won't. Not again."

"I pray for that." She says with a sigh.

I didn't expect my Mama to congratulate us and be all happy about it, but I thought she would see what I see: the love of my life. "You said you'd give her a chance. Get to know her. Throw away your prejudices."

"I know, it's just so hard for me."

"She's my wife whether you like that or not. And I'm not planning on divorcing her - ever."

To my surprise my Mama grabs my hand. "You sound just like your father."

"He would be happy for me."

She nods, "He'd be over the moon. He was always the romantic type, he never worried... he trusted God like no other."

"And now I'm asking you to do the same." I say and look back at my Mama. "She's my soulmate. Just like Daddy was yours."

My Mama inhales deeply before nodding. "Okay."

"Good."

"But I don't like that you took on her last name. It's unusual. Unconventional."

I smile, of course she thinks that way. "Mama, it's perfectly normal for men to take on the surname of their wives."

"In Europe yes, but not here in South America."

"Well, good thing we will be living in Europe then."

"We're really moving then?"

"Yes." I tell her. "In fact, I gave Josephine our birth certificates so we could get passports done. They should be done within 24 hours." There's nothing you can't buy with enough money and Josephine has more than she will ever be able to spend.

"So, we're leaving in 24 hours then?"

"We can if you want to. Otherwise, we will stay for twelve days."

She looks at the stunning view that shows whole Rio in the glowing sunset. "I need more than 24 hours to say goodbye to this town."

My eyes move back to my wife and my brothers. Ralph is taking photos of them. They're grinning and giggling. The image makes me smile and my heart nearly burst with love. My wife is so beautiful... I nod, "Okay. Then we'll stay."

"Caio and Johna really like her."

I knew Johna liked her, but Caio has been a little quite in the last days. "Caio is okay with this?"

"He's afraid he's going to wake up tomorrow morning and realise that this was all a dream." My Mama mumbles, "And to be honest, I'm feeling the same."

I know exactly how they feel like because I felt like the same way when I started dating Josephine. I look back at her, "This is not a dream."

"I know but I also know that fairytales don't exist. This is too good to be true."

I lick my lips, "I know, a lot has happened in very little time. But to be honest, this is how Josephine and I are together. We move fast because we know how precious our time on this earth is."

"Do you really think she thinks this?"

"Yes. Maybe not in the past but definitely now. She has evolved a lot in the last 14 months. She has grown and I have grown as well. We're on the same page."

"But the page doesn't have the headline I love you."

I narrow my eyes at her, "Mama,"

She holds up her hands, "I'm giving her a chance."

"She won't let us down. Josephine doesn't break her promise."

"How do you know?"

"Because she promised she'd break my heart and I didn't believe her. But in the end she did exactly that."

"That's not a good starting point."

I pinch the bridge of my nose. "I didn't mean to say that I just... She's unlike any other person I ever met. And once you get to know her, you will see it too. She's wonderful and altruistic. She's the kind of person you would call angel."

"She's certainly dressed like one, that's for sure."

I sigh, "Mama..." Do I really have to defend her all the time now? I'd do it for the rest of my life but it's completely unnecessary.

"I'm stopping... I promise."

Josephine

I don't know what Oliver said to his Mum but by the time we're back in the hotel, Maria is smiling at me. I'm not sure how much of that smile is forced or real, but for the moment I am just grateful she's trying. I know, I am probably not the daughter-in-law she envisioned but she's stuck with me for the rest of my life. Because I won't let go of her son.

Never. Ever. Again.

"What's that?" Caio asks as they notice the red boxes on the coffee table in the living room.

"We bought you some gifts." Oliver says.

"See it as a thank-you gift. For accepting me." I add and look at Maria. "I am a part of your family now but you're also a part of mine."

She gulps at my words as Caio and Johna remove the red bows and red wrapping paper from their red boxes from Cartier.

I watch how Caio and Johna open the lid of the boxes. Their mocha brown eyes sparkle as they see their necklaces platinum necklaces with the Holy Maria and the Ballon Bleu de Cartier watches. "Wow!"

"It's a tradition in my family to choose one piece of jewellery and never ever take it off." I tell my brother-in-laws. I leave the part out that the jewellery has a GPS tracker and it's for your own safety because I don't want to scare them.

"Really?"

"Yes. The women in my family all wear rings. Either it's the wedding ring or another ring specially made for them." I hold up my right hand and show them my red gold Maillon Panthére with 12 brilliant-cut diamonds. "I was given that ring when I was 13 and up to this day, I have never ever taken it off." The ring is 13 years old but it's still sparkling as much as on day one. "And the men in my family either wear watches or their wedding rings."

"And I thought perhaps you would prefer a necklace or a watch." Oliver tells them. "But it's your choice."

"Can we wear both?" Caio asks us.

"Of course." I say with a smile on my lips.

"Cool!"

"But you should start with the necklace." Oliver tells them. I think he's afraid they're going to loose the watch.

Maria unwraps her Cartier box as well. She gasps when she sees the golden necklace with a cross and the Cartier tank solo watch. "Oh, wow! They're beautiful!" She says as she touches the necklace and watch. Then she looks up at me. "Thank you."

"Thank your son. He chose the items. I just had the idea."

She looks at her son with warmth and gratitude in her eyes. Then she reaches out and grabs his free hand. She doesn't say a word but her eyes tell everything.

"When will we fly to London?" Johna asks.

"Well your guys' passports should be done tomorrow." I explain to him. "But I suggest we stay here for a few days so you guys can show me your hometown a little more and then we can fly home."

Suddenly, there's a knock on the door. I walk over to the front door and look through the bullseye before opening the door. Ralph's standing across me with a bag in his hand. I don't know why he's here. I gave him off for the rest of the day.

"See it as a wedding gift." Ralph says before handing me the bag.

"You said that at the Cristo." I mumble before looking inside. It's a rectangular gift wrapped in red wrapping paper. "I don't need a gift from you."

"I know but you will like it."

"Just like I liked the Cristo?"

"Even more." He says with a smirk on his lips.

"Okay. Do I have to open it right now?"

"No. Open it with Oliver when the rest is fast asleep."

I frown. "Why? It's not something kinky, is it?"

"No. It's just something very personal... something that wraps up your guys' relationship."

I have no idea what that means. "Alright, thank you. And now enjoy the night. Get some beer. Go out dancing. Enjoy it."

"I will. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." I say before closing the door.

"Who was that?" Oliver asks me.

"Ralph." I say before placing the bag on the ottoman in the foyer.

"What's in there?" Johna asks.

"A gift for Oliver and me."

"Can we unwrap it?" Caio asks with a grin on his lips.

"Caio, it's not yours. Oli and Josephine will unwrap it whenever they want." Maria tells her son.

"But we'll tell you what it is afterwards." Oliver promises them.

---

I take a sip of my tea as Oliver and I enjoy the rest of our evening together on the couch. Maria and her boys went to bed but I'm still to excited about today. So much has happened yet I feel as free as ever. I feel calm and peaceful.

I feel like I'm home.

I look at Oliver - my husband - and feel how my heart is so full of warmth that it nearly bursts. This is a kind of happiness I never felt before.

"How are Rory and Charlotte?"

"Very well. Rory's girls are walking already, can you believe it? They visited me here two weeks ago for my birthday. The whole family came. Charlotte gave birth to twin girls, Eliana and Evangelina. We call them Lana and Eva. Beautiful girls. Nate's in 7th heaven."

Oliver smiles at me, "How's he adjusting to being a royal?"

"Better than I thought. Charles is sending them away almost every weekend. To Leeds where he gifted them a house called Harewood House. It was pretty old and had to be renovated but even new floors, tubes and furniture didn't make it better for Char. During the week they're doing lots of engagements around Great Britain but he has never sent them away for a Royal tour. It's a tradition to have the first official tour to Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific but not so for Char and Nate."

"Well, they have their girls as an excuse."

I forgot how well Oliver knew the games that are played behind the closed doors of the palaces. "Yeah, that's also why the press hasn't eaten them alive yet. Nate and Char are releasing new photos of them regularly so everyone stays happy."

He nods, "And Rory and George?"

"They found a nanny but they prefer for family members to watch the girls. When we're back home, I'm sure we'll spend a few weekends in Frogmore House."

"You're bring me along?"

"Your my husband. Wherever I go, you go and vice versa. Things will be a little tensed in the beginning but my family will all get over themselves eventually and then... then everything will go back to normal behaviour."

"You're worried about telling your parents?"

I shrug, "I'm not looking forward to it. But let's not talk about it today. I want to enjoy this day."

"How's working with Rory and George?"

"A lot of fun actually. We've done a lot of good within the first year of the foundation."

"Do you want to work for both foundations?"

I lick my lips, "For now, yes. But eventually, maybe in the next few months, I'll work solemnly for the Bolton Foundation. Simply because Rory and George are now standing on their own feet and I can move on."

"But you won't work with Nate and Char?"

"No. Their beef with the King is... it's nothing I want to get in between. They pissed him off with this pregnancy and he's still letting out his anger on them by sending them to Harewood Park in Leeds during the weekends and around the UK during the week. Plus he forbid them to get patronages in the first three years of the marriage. Instead, they shall work in the Royal Foundation with Char's parents. They don't have a Royal website as well and they won't do a tour out of Europe in the first two years."

"Doesn't sound like a fairytale to me."

"No, it's not. But they chose that life and I can't help them. At least not yet."

"Shall we unwrap Ralph's gift?" Oliver asks me.

"Yes, let's see what he got us." I say before getting out the square shaped gift. "I think it's a framed photo of us from earlier."

Oliver tears the wrapping paper apart and revealed a framed DIN A 3 photo in a golden picture frame. "That's not us."

I grin as I read the text underneath the round photo that shows the stars constellation on the morning of our wedding day. It says: When Two Become One. And a little further down it says The Night Sky; Rio de Janeiro, 27th September 2049 and the coordinates to the Cristo Redentor. "No, that's the star constellation this morning taken by a satellite." I don't know much about star constellations but to me it looks pretty epic. I'll ask Nate or Della, they're the experts in the family.

"Oh, that's... very thoughtful of him."

I will ask Ralph where he ordered that and order some for my family with their birthdates and wedding dates. It's such a great gift to capture special moments in life or milestones in a relationship. I take Oliver's hand and squeeze it softly. "It's a wonderful wedding gift."

He nods, "The only one we could need."

Oliver

I'm sitting up against the wooden headboard with my hands resting on her hips. My fingertips are digging into her soft skin as I guid her up and down my length. Her body has definitely changed since I last saw her. She's still in great shape, but her muscles are less defined. I like her body shape even more now, it's a little softer but still defined. She looks healthy with the extra pounds on and she looks stunning with that bronzed tan that she got here in my hometown. My wife's rocking her hips slowly, taking my long length with restrained fluidness. She sheathes me to the balls then slowly rises up again, moving until only my thick head is inside her.

Her gorgeous full tits are in my face, firm with hard nipples. Her petite shoulders lead to a slender neck that has already been lavished with kisses. A quiet moan escapes her lips every time she takes my entire length.

When she makes love to me like this, I'm in heaven.

When she rocks forward, her tits move in my face. I grace them with a kiss before I lean back and watch her fuck me slowly. Her hands glide up my chest to my shoulders, and she uses my body as an anchor so she could grind against me harder.

Goddamn.

My hands move up her thighs, and I grip her cheeks, squeezing the tight muscle in my palms.

Her breathing comes out in short spurts, her moans cutting her off from the air that she needs. Her nails dig into me, and her beautiful sapphire blue eyes become lidded with intoxication. Our writhing bodies fill the room with the smell of sex.

I want to stay like this forever. Entwined with my wife.

She rolls her head back and I bring one nipple into my mouth. I lick and then suck hard, causing her to moan in pleasure. She is slowly slipping away, diving headfirst into an orgasm that will make her toes curl. I'd made love to her enough times to pick up on her shallow breathing, the redness of her chest, and the way she swallowed every few seconds.

My hand moves between her legs, and I press my thumb to her throbbing clit. I rub it vigorously, making her hips buck automatically. I want my wife to enjoy me as much as I'm enjoying her, but my primary focus with Josephine is making her feel good. That feels better than having an orgasm. Instantly, she grounds herself against me before she loses her breath altogether. Her left hand clenches my wrist, and she moans as the climax hits her. I can feel the shape of her wedding ring cutting into my wrist and that's giving me a high like no other. Her pussy tightens around my cock with a gripping force, as she comes all over me, her delicious juice drenching my length. "Goddamn…" I watch every expression she makes, memorising every detail because she is so stunning. It makes me come harder than ever before.

She gradually drifts back down to earth, her hips moving slowly over my length. Her breathing eventually returns to normal, and the redness on her chest fades away. She runs her free hand through her hair, getting it off her sweaty neck. She is so beautiful that it hurts.

Her grip slowly loosens on my wrist, leaving a red mark behind. She presses her forehead against mine and for a moment we just breath together. I run my hands down her back and feel how her muscles vibrate from my touch. She's right. Sex is something magical. "More." She whispers and I can feel her lips moving against mine. "I want to break our record tonight."

Her words touch me at my core. "Say it."

She shows me a sweaty grin, "I want your come, my husband."

She makes me feel like the king of the world. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

Her laughter makes her chest vibrate against mine. She runs her fingers through my beach blonde hair. "I missed you so much, Oliver."

I kiss her full lips. "I missed you, too." More than she will ever know.

She embraces me and just holds me tight for minutes without saying a word. This is even more intimate that the sexual intercourse we just had. I return her embrace and breathe with her.

Maybe she missed me just as much as I missed her.

Josephine

I'm drawing circles on his chiselled torso as the sunrise coats the bedroom in stunning lightning. We're both sweaty but full of endorphins. We've definitely broken our record.

Oliver's running his fingers up and down my back, following the curve of my spine. We should be tired, but we feel the opposite.

"Why did you choose to change the diamonds into sapphires?" He asks me after a while.

I lift my left hand and look at my wedding band. The infinite twists are covered in sparkling sapphires. It's a stunning rich deep blue colour, absolutely perfect for me. "My Mum was given a sapphire engagement ring by my Dad. I always loved that ring and it was passed on to Della when she got engaged to Wlad. It's a single sapphire stone that's surrounded by a halo of diamonds. Della's very lucky to have it, though I would have chosen a pavé-set diamond band to go with. My Mum designed her wedding ring herself. She chose a thin three rowed eternity ring that was filled with a row of diamonds and two rows of sapphires. It matched the engagement ring very well." But now both are gone, yet my Mum doesn't seem very sad about it. Money doesn't buy you happiness but it does buy you stunning rings.

"But she wasn't wearing that a year ago when I met them at Luigi's."

I forgot that he had already seen them. "That's because that ring got stolen by monkeys on Bali."

My husband laughs and I can feel his chest vibrating underneath my head. "No way! You're serious?"

"Yes. My Mum was devastated! It was shortly before Rory got married. My Mum chose a simpler wedding band then. Now it has baguette shaped diamonds. But she still has the emerald eternity ring that she had been given on her 30th wedding anniversary with Dad."

"And why did you choose the twists?"

I turn around to look him in the eyes and hold up my left hand. "Because that's what we are. We're entwined in one another. I can't cut you out of me, no matter how much I wanted to. You are part of me and I'm part of you. We're one. We've formed our own world."

His sea foam coloured eyes soften at my words, "Josephine..."

"And I chose the platinum band for you because it's a great contrast against your skin colour. I could have chosen yellow gold, but that would have blended in with your skin and I didn't want that. I want people to notice you're taken. Just like people will notice I'm taken." I wiggle with my left finger and watch how the sapphires sparkle.

He grabs my left hand and kisses the ring. I don't know why but the gesture makes me blush and my heart fill with warmth. I intertwine my fingers with his and stare at his wedding band. The platinum is shining as it's freshly polished.

I finally have my heart back.

---

Thank you for taking the time to read this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it!

So, Jo and Oliver got married but are they going to stay married? Or are they going to get divorced in two years?

How are Jo's parents going to react to the news?

Please review.

In gratitude,

Nicole