Ashley was the best girl in the world — Arthur’s one and only love. She deserved nothing but the very best. If it were possible, Arthur would have moved the entire world to lay at her feet. Since that was unrealistic, he had chosen only the rarest and most precious treasures, handpicking them until they filled half the open space of the palace. The scale of wealth was staggering — even a head of state might not be able to match it. It was yet another display of the power of Heaven’s Cult. Many of the priceless items were things people could never hope to buy, no matter the price — yet today, here they all were, at the wedding of Arthur and Ashley. It was as close as one could get to moving the whole world in front of her. Even for Heaven’s Cult, presenting this much at once felt like emptying half their coffers. Benjamin, however, was all smiles and didn’t mind in the least. Money could be earned again, but a grandson’s wedding came only once. It had to be grand. Arthur even treated the clouds in the sky as if they could be a gift to her. Because she had lost the ability to walk for his sake, he wanted to give her more and more, to make her feel secure. If Ashley felt secure, her heart would naturally be lighter and happier — and her happiness would be his own. Only then could their relationship and marriage last. For a marriage to remain happy and enduring, there had to be balance. If only one person moved forward while the other lagged behind, the gap would grow, their perspectives and values would drift apart, and soon they’d have nothing left to talk about. Without shared ground, they’d become strangers, with silence and misunderstanding replacing closeness — and the marriage would fade. He had seen it happen too often in the upper circles. John and Raelynn had been one such couple — he consumed by his career, she occupied with raising their child.Once the daughter of a wealthy family, Raelynn had stopped growing alongside him, becoming someone who looked up to him, feared him, and tried to please him. From there, disdain and resentment had grown, until their marriage soured beyond repair. Arthur would never let that happen to them. If Ashley wanted it, he would place everything in her hands — giving her purpose, keeping her mind from straying into worries. Ashley understood him perfectly and was grateful for his thoughtfulness. She also knew how lucky she was. People might preach equality, but once a family was formed, the old pattern of men outside, women inside still prevailed. There was nothing wrong with that in itself, but too often the woman’s work went unseen and unappreciated, reducing her to what looked like a burden in need of keeping. Few understood that without someone to guard the home and raise the children, the man could hardly go out and achieve success while still keeping a harmonious family. Effort and consideration had to be mutual — when the man cared for the woman, she and the family would return it in abundance. During the past month and a half, Ashley had not been idle. While Arthur was busy preparing the wedding and their new home, she worked tirelessly on her rehabilitation. She not only kept up with her therapy but also brought in the best doctors to treat her. The process was grueling and painful — so painful she sometimes gritted her teeth and broke into a sweat — but she never thought of giving up. Arthur had become her faith, the strength that carried her through hardship. After six weeks of relentless effort, her legs were already much improved from the start. She was beginning to feel sensation again. At the same time, under Nina’s constant cheerful chatter, Taylor’s eyes had started to show faint signs of movement. But everyone’s attention was fixed on the stage or their companions, and no one noticed him. Nina was still happily talking away, endlessly describing the scene to Taylor.