Thank you to everybody who read or left kudos on the last chapter. You are so fabulous. Sorry, I meant to upload this chapter yesterday, but I had a partial power outage. It was bizarre the fridge was on, but the stove was off—also, no air conditioning or Internet.

For right now, the stories going on a once every three-week rotation for updates. I have up to chapter 40 in various stages of drafting. See things are already improving. If I get enough chapters ahead I might switch to every two weeks like my other stories. Although this story does not have a proofreader outside a grammar AI at the moment. I would love to have one. I have also removed my guesstimate about how many chapters we will have. I thought we would be more towards the end but it feels like we're in the middle. That's not a bad thing.

This chapter is probably about 90% new material. Very little of it is from the original version of the story, and even what was used was extremely reconceptualized. So you might as well consider this almost an entirely new chapter. I really regret that the original version of the story you don't actually get to see any of Monique's wedding. We had all these chapters leading up to the wedding, and then we just skip over the ceremony. That seems ridiculous, so I'm rectifying that situation now.

I do seem to write a lot of weddings. So much I think Google thinks I'm continually getting married due to all the research I do. I'm still getting emails about engagement rings for men. And I have at least one more wedding planned for this story.

Chapter 33: Note to self: Only Get Married in Vegas (once it's legal)

When this crazy day started, Marc did not think he would be officiating the wedding of his boss to her deli boy with his infant daughter strapped to his chest. That's precisely what happened. Jade was a lovely baby for Monique stepmom, Britney, for about the first two hours before Britney brought her back up for a new diaper and outfit. Apparently, she managed to get milk and poop all over the other one. Marc still wasn't sure how. However, after Amanda's crying jag in the ladies' room off the roof, baby Jade decided it was time to have her own crying jag. She wouldn't stop crying if Amanda was in the vicinity, even if Willie was the one holding her. However, if Marc picked her up, she would just magically stop.

Monique was convinced they were feeding off of each other's energy. Which meant their plan to have Amanda take care of Jade during the service was not happening. This wedding did not need a baby crying the entire time. Since Wilhelmina and Betty were sitting by Amanda, they were also off the list. The divine mommy Windom West of all people was the one that suggested that he just put Jade in the baby carrier and keep baby Jade on stage with him. Thank Gucci, it actually worked.

They were currently at the exchanging of vows portion of the ceremony. Baby Jade was still snuggled against him half-asleep in her designer flower baby dressed with matching diaper cover and booties. He's well aware that West-Hartley has branched into kids close since her daughter was born five years ago. Still, he didn't think she would have a dress that would fit a three-month-old in Monique's blue-and-white color scheme just lying around. Yet she did, and baby Jade looked perfect nonetheless. Marc hoped that Cliff was getting his good side. He wanted lots of baby pictures. He couldn't wait to put them up in his office.

"Monique and Gio have chosen to write their own vows. Monique will begin." Marc said to the group congregated on the roof.

"I met you on one of the worst days of my life. I just found out that my best friend was terminally ill and I couldn't handle it. I was ugly crying in public and didn't care who saw all. Yet, with your grilled cheese and tomato soup for one moment, it made everything feel better. It felt like I could survive because I had you. I don't think I would have survived losing Molly without you." A tear was rolling down Monique's cheek at that point.

"For those of you who are not aware, this is my second marriage because I became a widow way too young due to a drunk driving incident. Molly was my rock then, and you were my rock when I lost her. I thought I would never fall in love again. You can't get struck by lightning twice, and yet I found you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You didn't take away my love for my Daniel, you just made my heart bigger." The whole bridal party had tears at that point, even Daniel M., which was expected because of Molly being discussed. They'll know this was a bad day for him.

Marc is 99.9% sure she heard Mercedes, Monique's older sister mumbled under breath "I hope this marriage lasts longer than last time." Actually, he's now a hundred percent sure that happened because mommy Wyndham West promptly gave her a parental death glare. Maybe it's best that Monique kept Candy as her Best Woman despite the waterworks.

Actually, because of all the wedding chaos and the fact that Amanda and the sister-in-law could throw up at any moment, they decided that only Daniel and Candy would be on stage. Even baby Lexis was sitting between her two moms and her brother.

"So, I solemnly promise to be there for you in good times and bad. We've already gone through some horrendous moments together between me losing Molly and you losing your parents in the matter of a few months. I'm hoping there will be more good to come." Gio smiles at her as she says the words.

"I promise to love you with all my heart, even when it sometimes feels hard to do so, like when you leave your towels on the floor of the bathroom. I promise to be your friend. I also promise not to keep secrets, although I'm may choose a time and place to tell you the secrets." At that moment, Monique's gaze traveled to her sister-in-law. Marc personally considers it a good call to wait for a better time to mention that.

"I vowed to listen more and speak less. I also promise to help you achieve your dreams by whatever means necessary, even if it means getting in bed with the devil herself." Marc noticed Wilhelmina smirking at that point. He feels like he's missing something.

"I give you this ring, not just as a symbol of my love but also as the international symbol of "this one's mine, and I'm never letting go." At that moment, Monique passed the ring to Gino. "I promise never to let go as long as we both live."

"You really know how to make a man cry," Gio told her with tears streaking down his face. Daniel handed him a handkerchief.

"I try." Monique smiled at her almost-husband, also crying. "I can't be the only one doing ugly tears in public again."

"I'm not as good with words as you. I'm better with food as you're aware. Nothing says I love you like my prosciutto grilled cheese. Yes, we really did meet over grilled cheese and tomato soup." Which explains why it's on the wedding menu. Although in this case, a chilled gazpacho shooter with miniature grilled cheese as an appetizer.

"But I fell in love with you when you gave me a chocolate bar from your secret stash when we went to identify my parents' bodies after the crash. And maybe that was the moment I knew I would always be with you. That there would never be anyone else for me." At that moment, Amanda burst into tears, and Betty handed her a chocolate bar, the good sugar-free type. Weirdly, it was relieving to know that Amanda had someone else to watch her back. Everyone knew Betty and Daniel were a team, and they would be there with Amanda every step of the way.

"I promise to love you always in sunshine and rain as well as in tears and in joy. I promise you my heart, my mind, and my grilled cheese recipe. I promise to always listen. I pledge to tell you the truth in everything. To be your friend in all things. I vowed to support you to stand by your side in good times and bad, as long as we both shall draw breath. From this day forward, we are not two, but one and I will always remember that. I vowed to be faithful to you in all things and to trust you more than anyone else in the universe. You are my love and the other half of my heart. Forever will I be with you. Will you accept this ring as a symbol of this commitment?"

"I think you did good," Monique said, taking the ring.

Of course, at that moment, Jade started to scream.

"Okay, somebody probably wants a bottle. So let's just skip over the other non-necessary stuff. By the power invested in me by the state of New York, I now pronounce you spouses. You may kiss." Marc said as he started bouncing Jade around in hopes of getting her to stop screaming.

Unfortunately, the happy couple did not get to do that because Troy rushed the stage to try to get at him or more accurately, Jade. Marc quickly pushed him away and started to make his way towards the stairwell. Wilhelmina was already half on stage at that point with her Taser out. Thankfully, he was carried off the premises by Monique's former temporary assistant before anything could happen. Marc was promptly brought to Monique's office.

"Are you okay?" Monique asked now that they were downstairs sitting in her office.

"Yes, although I'm sorry I ruined your wedding." He told her.

"Look, this wedding began with my boyfriend's ex-girlfriend burning the original wedding venue. There wouldn't have been a ceremony without you." Monique said, trying to reassure him.

"Because he conducted the thing," Wilhelmina remarked, walking into the room.

"I'm not that upset about the gatecrasher. I'm a little bit mad about security letting him get in the building in the first place, but that's not a problem you should concern yourself with."

"Sometimes, you just have to do stuff yourself," Wilhelmina remarked.

"Did you just electrocute the ex-boyfriend?" Monique asked.

"No, but your future head of security did," Wilhelmina smirked. "Obviously, you need better people."

"I'm thinking more like Marc's personal bodyguard. He did go after baby Jade. That guy is a problem." Mark was well aware of that.

"I do not need a bodyguard." Both Monique and Wilhelmina gave him an angry glare.

"Between him hitting you at the State Department and my husband's ex torching my wedding venue this morning, I'm going to disagree. I'm sorry, but I have no choice but to get you a bodyguard. At least when you're at Mode."

"The new Mrs. Rossi is right. Think of Jade. You have to protect her now. You also have to make sure you're around for her." Wilhelmina told him.

"I'm just stunned that you are both in agreement about this." Monique and Wilhelmina never agree about anything.

"I know I set an awful example for you, but your children come first. Do you want Jade to be another Nico?" Marc shook his head at her question. "You can do better."

"Okay, fine, I'll accept the bodyguard." Marc acquiesced. They were right; Marc needed to put Jade first.

"You're also not going back to your apartment tonight," Monique told him.

"Why?"

"Because apparently, Troy is the kid of some wealthy CEO who buys his way out of trouble. I am getting you a hotel room for a couple of weeks." Monique told him.

"Or you can stay in my guest suite." Marc almost wondered if Wilhelmina was offering because she didn't want to be home alone with Renée. He knew the woman was still at Wilhelmina's house.

"I've seen your apartment. It is not baby-friendly. Also, your sister is still there. She's definitely not baby-friendly." Monique shot back.

"Neither is a hotel. We can get Williams old stuff out of storage and have it set up tonight. I was planning to give it all to Marc anyway after finding out about Jade. Regardless that means he would have everything he would need. How is he going to make baby formula in a hotel room? Besides, Renée left yesterday."

"It would be a suite with a kitchen, a kitchen that actually has food in it. I'm not even 100% sure your refrigerator works." Monique remarked.

"I know you both care but stop bickering. You're going to make the baby scream again." He said, pulling baby Jade closer to him. "It's not a problem for tonight. Cliff already invited me for a sleepover because he's watching Jade overnight." Both women smirked at that. "If you could get a hotel room for Amanda tonight, that would be good, and then we can discuss other options tomorrow."

"I'll have Tamika take care of it. Look, it won't be forever. Only until I can get my rich CEO mommy to take care of this. She knows a bunch of judges, so it should be fine."

"Yet she wasn't able to make the murder of your first husband suffer," Wilhelmina scoffed.

"Do you remember the hostile takeover of the murder's family business six months ago? You know the one where they all ended up without any say in the new company. That was mommy getting her vengeance." Monique remarked just as they heard a knock at the door.

"That better be Daniel or the lawyers," Monique told everyone as she got up to open the door.

"Byron, what are you doing here?" Monique asked, surprised to see the man in front of her, especially not dressed as Suzuki.

"I am letting you know that I'm being pulled away from the wedding due to breaking news." Monique seemed worried at that.

"What can be more breaking news than the wedding of a billionaire heiress to her deli boy husband? Especially after the jealous ex-girlfriend committed arson this morning just to keep it from happening." Wilhelmina asked.

"The mother of Mode's brand-new creative director, Marc St. James, secret love child getting arrested on embezzlement and fraud charges. Apparently, the entire Yeti program was a sham." Marc already felt his lungs seizing up. Where the fuck was his inhaler?

"That would be big. Byron and I are going to have a little talk. Marc's emergency inhaler is in the top drawer of my desk. Just give him two puffs." With that, Monique was dragging Byron out of the office.

"What did you do?" Marc asked Wilhelmina a few minutes later now that he was alone with just her and baby Jade. As well as breathing well enough to talk again. That inhaler kicked in quickly. Marc knew Wilhelmina well enough to know her fingerprints were all over this.

"What I had to do. You were forced to have sex with somebody, and you ended up creating a child. She doesn't have the right to keep her. She raped you." Wilhelmina told him forcefully.

"It wasn't like that."

"Did you want to have sex with her?" Wilhelmina asked.

"I wanted something other than an assistant job. Sleeping with Jody was just a means to get it, and I got baby J. I don't regret that." He placed a gentle kiss on Jade's forehead. No matter how it happened, Jade was worth it.

"I'm the one who put you in that position because I kept holding you back. You were manipulated into doing something you didn't want to do because of me." He wanted to say it wouldn't be the first time, but he held his tongue.

"No, Wilhelmina. I don't regret Jade."

"You don't regret your children; you just wish they got here differently. I was 15 when I was raped by a family member." Marc's eyes open wide at her words. "No one believed me even when I got pregnant with Renée. It was my fault, and because my father was a congressman, I disappeared to Honduras with my stepmom. I came back with a baby sister."

"Wilhelmina," Marc didn't know what else to say regarding her confession. So many things made sense now that didn't before. Although some things were still fuzzy. Marc kind of wanted to ask her why she stole Bradford sperm after what happened to her. Actually, he wanted to know why she used a relationship with him in the first place to get what she wanted.

"I couldn't protect myself or Renée, but I can protect you and Jade. What she did wasn't right."

"No, it wasn't, and neither was what happened to you. I couldn't imagine something like that happening to Jade. I would kill the person who did it. Will you hit me if I hug you right now?" Wilhelmina nodded her head.

"It's because you're a good person." She said, accepting the hug.

"I want to write an article about what happened to me." That shocked Marc as he pulled away.

"Why?"

"Renée demanded half the money from the sale of Mode in exchange for keeping quiet about how she came into the world."

"But if you tell the world yourself, she has nothing to use against you."

"Exactly, I want you to help me."

"Okay," Marc said as he pulled out of their hug just in time to avoid Cliff seeing it. Wilhelmina would never forgive him if someone else saw the softer side of her.

"I'm glad I found you. I just got a call from Jody's lawyers. I now have temporary custody of Jade for the foreseeable future because Jodi is surrendering to the police in 20 minutes."

"We were just warned by Suzuki. Why is she giving custody to you? Marc should get custody. He is Jade's father." Wilhelmina said, annoyed.

"But Jade doesn't know me yet, and we haven't even successfully got me on the birth certificate yet." The lawyers were still working on that.

"I completely agree that Jade should be with Marc, and I will help his team with that," Cliff reassured. "Your lawyers are going to meet us in 30 to talk emergency strategy. We need to leave now to get there."

"Why did you two break up?" Wilhelmina asked.

"Because I'm a self-sabotaging moron," Marc said out loud.

"Still better than my last boyfriend. Although because of him, I now have a two-bedroom apartment and no roommate yet. You should stay over not just tonight, but whenever Jade is with me until your lawyers straighten things out."

"I think that's a wonderful idea," Wilhelmina told him. "It will give you time to be with your daughter. She's going to need you." Marc knows that she's right.

To be continued