The vows were not the familiar ones—"for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, I will always love you." Instead, Natalie and Cassian had rewritten them. "Eternal love defies human nature, for humans are not made for constancy. "But I will go against that nature, restrain every selfish instinct and desire, stay by your side forever, and love you above all else." The audience stared, mouths open, then shut, then open again. Who on earth says something like "eternal love defies human nature" at a wedding ceremony? That sounded more like something said at a divorce hearing. Still, the next part struck a chord. Maybe everlasting love was just a fairy tale, and fickleness was the truth of life. But they vowed to resist that nature, to defy instinct itself, and to love each other first and always. It was, undeniably, more honest than any standard vow. From his seat, Bruno watched Natalie and Cassian clasp hands, lost in thought. Black tuxedo, white gown—the image of happiness he had once dreamed of for himself. But the woman who had been the leading lady of his life was gone. Beside him, Iris noticed something off. She turned to look—and froze. Bruno was crying. She blinked, rubbed her eyes, looked again. No mistake. The six-foot-three wall of muscle beside her was sobbing like a child, his broad shoulders shaking, face lifted toward the ceiling. The toughness of his build only made his heartbreak look more raw.Iris hesitated, half-raising a hand to pat his shoulder, then thought better of it. Instead, she dug a tissue from her pocket and held it out. He didn't take it. His hands were clenched tight around a small silver bracelet, his knuckles white, gasping between sobs. A few rows away, Ghania frowned at the sight of the burly man weeping toward the newlyweds. "Who's that? Nat's ex-boyfriend?" Olivia's lips twitched. "No. Nat never had an ex." Afraid of causing misunderstanding, Iris quickly added, embarrassed, "We're neighbors from the villa district. His family went through something. He's just … emotional. Sorry." "Oh, I see." Ghania waved it off kindly. "Poor thing, he looks heartbroken." She figured that anyone invited by Natalie and Cassian must be decent enough, so her tone was warm and friendly. "Never mind. Just pour him some wine later—nothing cures sorrow like a good drink." These days, even the villa crowd had long run out of alcohol at home. Drinking to forget had become a luxury. But today was Natalie and Cassian's big day, and they'd stocked plenty of good wine. Everyone was free to drink their fill. By now, the couple had finished their nuptial wine, and the ceremony was drawing to a close. The final act was a special performance by the three little ones. Cash and Baron, under Lucky's direction, had prepared a show as a wedding gift for Natalie—their beloved family member.The audience was stunned all over again. Forget the usual animal tricks—jumping through hoops, balancing on balls, riding bikes—those were child's play. These three staged an entire family skit. And though none of them spoke, everyone understood perfectly what they were doing. It was like watching a pantomime: every exaggerated gesture, every vivid expression had the guests roaring with laughter. Roderick laughed so hard he had tears in his eyes as he filmed, determined to capture every second for the wedding video. Celina clutched Dave's arm, whispering, "This is unbelievable! Tell me the truth—our son didn't create those high-IQ animals, did he?" Dave shook his head. "No. His projects never reached this level." After a pause, he added quietly, "But … " Celina looked at him. "But what?" Dave huffed a laugh. "I think I finally know why he's gone crazy again." Celina caught his meaning, sighing as she watched the lively trio onstage. "He's brilliant, but that competitive streak of his—he can't stand being outdone by anyone." Getting older made her more sentimental. Watching the young couple marry, she couldn't help but sigh again. "Mr. Holland's already settled down, and Theo's still acting like a kid. I wonder when he'll finally grow up." Since Theodore had left home, she had lived in constant worry, praying every day for his safety and return. After everything that had happened recently, Celina had come to understand one truth: the world had changed. The age of powerful family dynasties was over. One wrong step against the wrong people—a single ruthless gang—and even the mighty Mervyns could be wiped out overnight. So she no longer cared about noble lineage or proper matches. If her son could just come home and live peacefully, even if it meant staying with that Raven girl, she would have no objections at all.