The entire wedding hall had fallen silent.

No one had expected Her Majesty the Queen to rise at this moment and walk toward the stage, just as Prince Li Ke had. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Although no one spoke a word, everyone couldn’t help but wonder the same thing: Why had Her Majesty the Queen stood up? And why had she also gone onto the stage after Prince Li Ke?

’Could it be that Her Majesty the Queen is really Vice Admiral Ares’s mother?’

Many people couldn’t stop themselves from having this thought, but no one dared to say it out loud.

Supported by an elderly female attendant, Her Majesty the Queen came to stand beside Prince Li Ke.

Buck nodded at her as a greeting, and that was it.

Even standing together now, the two of them looked like strangers.

Everyone could see the clear distance between them.

No one would have guessed that the most shocking part of attending Lu Xiao and Ares’s wedding today wouldn’t be the wedding itself, but the relationship between Her Majesty the Queen, Prince Li Ke, and Vice Admiral Ares.

Her Majesty the Queen smiled and said, "I’m sure everyone is surprised to see me here and wondering why. I also believe you already have the answer in your hearts. Yes, that’s right. Ares is my son. Today, I am not here as your Queen. I am here as a mother attending her child’s wedding. I am overjoyed that he has found Lu Xiao, and that Lu Xiao was willing to give him a wedding like this. I am also grateful for Lu Xiao’s existence. She has shown me that as long as you hold fast to your beliefs, you can shape your life into what you want it to be. In that, I am not her equal."

"Today, here at Ares and Lu Xiao’s wedding, I want to say I’m sorry to Prince Li Ke, whom I have wronged. Whether you accept it or even care, I must apologize to you. I did not fulfill my promise. I broke my word, and I am deeply sorry!"

Prince Li Ke watched as Her Majesty the Queen bowed in apology. He did not refuse it. He stood his ground, his gaze calm, and a faint smile even touched his lips. "I have never blamed you. You need not reproach yourself. We are both of a certain age now; let’s look to the future. Today is Lu Xiao and Ares’s wedding. As their Father and mother, let us witness it together."

Those words were exactly what one would expect from Prince Li Ke. Those who knew him or were familiar with him were all reminded of the Prince Li Ke from long ago. They never imagined that after so many years, he would still have such a magnanimous heart and continue to live such a brilliant life.

At that moment, someone suddenly began to clap, shattering the hall’s original tranquility. It was like a starting signal, and soon, the applause became a thunderous wave.

Her Majesty the Queen’s eyes reddened, but she kept a smile on her face. She wasn’t surprised by Prince Li Ke’s words; she had expected him to say as much and knew he was telling the truth.

’He never blamed me, because he had already let me go. I was a part of his past. Was she sad? Of course, she was sad.’

’Did she have regrets? Of course, she did. But she knew with absolute clarity that there were no more chances. Her only comfort was that Prince Li Ke was still alive, and they could at least exchange a peaceful greeting when they met.’

’That was all she could ask for.’

’She was the one who hadn’t cherished what she had. She deserved this punishment. There was nothing to be bitter about.’

It was at this moment that Ares opened the main doors. Dressed in his Vice Admiral’s uniform, he walked tall and straight to the stage, came to Prince Li Ke’s side, and embraced him. Then, he moved to Her Majesty the Queen’s side and was pulled into her arms.

He didn’t pull away, even though Her Majesty the Queen’s embrace felt completely unfamiliar to him.

This scene unfolded before the eyes of the guests, filling many with envy—

"Gods, I’m so envious of Vice Admiral Ares. His father is a Prince, his mother is the Queen, and he has a partner, Lord Lu Xiao, who is devoted only to him and willing to throw him a wedding. This is the definition of winning at life for a male!"

"This is what other people’s happiness looks like. I’m envious, but I can’t bring myself to be jealous at all!"

"I mean, you can’t just stack all the buffs like that, can you? Vice Admiral Ares is a role model for every male in the Empire. He’s outstanding in his own right, too!"

"Ahhh! Why hasn’t the wedding started yet? I can’t wait any longer!"

...

As the crowd’s chatter continued, the slightly ajar doors opened once more. This time, it was Lu Xiao, dressed in a white gown and escorted by Admiral Clan.

The young female’s face was alight with a happy and radiant smile. In her white wedding gown, she looked like a fairy.

At that instant, everyone’s gaze was completely captivated. A collective gasp of admiration rippled through the hall: "So beautiful!"

The eyes of many females began to sparkle. They, too, longed to have a wedding—not for the sake of a male, but simply to wear a wedding gown and be as lovely and beautiful as Lu Xiao.

The males, on the other hand, were thinking, ’Lord Lu Xiao is not only kind-hearted but also breathtakingly beautiful. How could the Empire produce such a perfect female?’

’Unfortunately, she didn’t belong to them; she was devoted to only one person.’

’They couldn’t yet understand this kind of devotion, but that didn’t mean they didn’t envy or desire it!’

Many males couldn’t help but speak out: "If I could experience that kind of exclusive love just once in my life, I could die without regrets!"

"If I hadn’t witnessed this with my own eyes, I would never have dared to even dream of it in my lifetime!"

"I still don’t get it. How did Lord Lu Xiao manage to be so devoted, loving only one person? What trick did Vice Admiral Ares use? He should write a book and teach us!"

...

Ares had no idea that many of the guests attending the wedding today were already thinking he should write a book. At this moment, his eyes were fixed solely on Lu Xiao as she walked toward him.

The noisy chatter faded away, and everyone else in his sight disappeared. It was as if Lu Xiao was the only person left in the universe, and she was the only one he could see.

’His beautiful female master, the one who loved him with her entire being, was walking toward him.’

At that moment, Ares’s eyes reddened, and a smile broke across his face. He opened his arms and went to meet her, unwilling to make Lu Xiao take even a few extra steps toward him.

’His female master only needed to take one step; he would walk the other ninety-nine.’

Their hands clasped tightly. Lu Xiao saw Ares’s reddened eyes, and with a smile, she reached out to wipe the moisture from their corners. Then, she naturally linked her arm with his and walked to the front of the stage.

Once they were in place, applause erupted!

Lu Xiao smiled and began to speak. "Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend my and Ares’s wedding today, and for being witnesses on our journey to happiness. Thank you, everyone."

"I know many of you are probably curious why I wanted to hold a wedding like this. The reason is actually very simple. I just wanted everyone to know that I have married my love, my partner, Vice Admiral Ares. It’s not just about signing a certificate; the ceremony is also very important. I hope that for the rest of our lives, our love will be complete, without a single regret. What I want to say is, if you love someone, please express that love out loud. Don’t be afraid of loss, don’t be afraid of rejection. Your courage will lead to a good outcome. And if that outcome is good, please cherish it, because it is precious."

"Our lives aren’t long, and we meet many people along the way. But that one person who is right for us, the one who meets us halfway, is incredibly rare. They are a treasure you can hope for but never demand. So please cherish them. Don’t let down the beauty of that first meeting. I hope that after today, all of you can find your own complete happiness. Thank you again for attending my and Vice Admiral Ares’s wedding. Thank you!"