[BL] A Marriage Ruled by Family, Saved by Desire-Chapter 98: The Beginning of Forever

~Alistair’s POV~

It was Alex’s mother, her voice crisp and full of excitement. The invitations were ready, and she said they would be delivered to us the next day.

"Alright, Mother," Alex and I said.

When the call ended, Alex turned to me, his eyes filled with emotion.

"The invitations are out, Alis," he said. "It’s finally happening... our wedding day is close."

We had been through so much, the separation, the family tension, and now, things were finally falling into place.

"It feels more real now, doesn’t it?" I said, leaning closer to him.

Alex reached out, drawing me to stand between his legs as he sat on the edge of the sofa. He wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his forehead against my stomach.

"It feels like we’re finally taking our lives back," he said quietly. "This time... It’s not just a ceremony for them. It’s a statement that we belong together."

The next morning, a courier arrived.

The maid received the package and brought it to us. It was a heavy, cream-colored box, embossed with the Montclair crest.

We opened it together on the kitchen island.

Inside, the invitations were breathtaking, thick vellum paper with gold-leaf edges and elegant calligraphy that read:

The honor of your presence is requested

at the celebration of the union of

Alexander Montclair

&

Alistair Lawrence Montclair

Seeing our names printed together like that, sanctioned by his mother and backed by the family name, sent a shiver down my spine.

"It’s time, Alex," I said, a wide smile breaking across my face. "We need to start calling our friends and getting these out."

We carried the invitations from the kitchen to the living room and settled onto the sofa.

The elegant envelopes were spread out around us, some stacked neatly on the table, others in our hands.

Alex, ever the private man, had only a few names on his list—loyal friends.

My list, on the other hand, was much longer. I went through name after name, my excitement building with each one...

until I reached the one I knew might change the mood.

I paused, looking at Alex cautiously. "Can I... can I invite Andrew?"

Alex didn’t hesitate. He reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear.

"Baby, all your friends are welcome," he said softly. "I trust you, and I want everyone who matters to you to be there with you."

"Alright, baby," I murmured, a sense of relief settling in.

The following days passed in a blur of visits and quiet celebrations. We met with our closest friends, personally delivering the invitations.

My phone was constantly buzzing with congratulatory messages, and even my mother called to say she had invited a few of her own high-profile friends, making sure the wedding would be perfect.

By midweek, our focus shifted to one of the most important parts of the wedding—our attire.

Alex drove us to a private boutique in the heart of the city, a place so exclusive it didn’t even have a sign on the door, reserved only for the elite.

Inside, the world of the ordinary seemed to fade away.

The designer, a man known for dressing royalty, welcomed us with a respectful bow.

Alex didn’t even glance at the price tags. Instead, he simply gestured toward the finest fabrics, silk, velvet, and rare wool, as if choosing them was the easiest decision in the world.

"I want the best for him," Alex said to the designer, his hand resting possessively on my waist. "Whatever my baby wants, whatever makes him look like the king he is, that’s what we’re getting."

He had the shop closed for the entire afternoon just for us.

As I stood on the pedestal, draped in fabrics that cost more than a luxury car, I caught Alex’s reflection in the mirror.

He wasn’t looking at the clothes.

He was looking at me, with an expression that said he would give me the whole world if I only asked.

Every stitch was measured to perfection, and every button was crafted from rare pearl or gold.

Alex insisted on custom-made shoes, hand-stitched leather, and cufflinks that shimmered like fallen stars.

Money meant nothing to him. His only goal was simple, to make sure that when I walked down the aisle, the entire world would see just how much I was cherished.

The planning was exhausting, but with Alex by my side, making sure every single detail was a testament to his love, it felt like a dream I never wanted to wake up from.

After we left the shop and returned home, everything moved quickly.

The wedding was only two weeks away when the invitations went out, and we found ourselves racing against time.

Not only were we finalizing the ceremony, but we were also quietly putting our travel plans in place.

We still carried the weight of our old plan to leave, but with the way things were changing within the family, everything felt different now.

A week before the big day, Alex’s mother came to stay with us.

The guilt of keeping our departure a secret started to weigh on me. I looked at Alex and realized that since she was truly trying, we owed her the truth.

We couldn’t begin our new life with a lie hanging over us.

We sat her down in the living room, the quiet of the evening settling around us.

Alex took the lead, his voice calm and respectful. He knew his mother better than anyone, and he understood exactly how to speak so she wouldn’t feel rejected or attacked.

"Mother," Alex began, holding my hand tightly, "there’s something we need to tell you."

His mother looked at us, her expression calm but curious. "What is it?"

Alex took a breath before continuing.

"We’ve decided that after the wedding, we’ll be moving back to the States."

"Does this have anything to do with me?" his mother asked quietly.

Alex paused for a moment before answering.

"No, Mother, it’s not about running away from you or anyone," he said gently. "It’s about starting a life that’s truly our own. We want to build our future there."

I braced myself for an outburst, rejection, or cold silence.

But none of it came.

She looked at both of us for a long moment, then let out a soft sigh. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"I understand," she said, her voice surprisingly gentle. "As long as you take care of each other, that’s all that matters to me now."

She paused before adding, "If anything ever goes wrong, you call home. If you need anything at all, no matter the time or what it is... you call home."

"I won’t hold you back," she said softly. "Just be happy... and make sure you still reach out. Don’t disappear on me."

"Alright, Mom," we both said. "We promise to check on you from time to time. And you can always come visit us... we’ll visit you too whenever you miss us."

Alex’s mother nodded softly. "That’s fine. I wish you both a lifetime of happiness and a lasting union."

"Thank you, Mother," we said together.

We both stepped forward and pulled her into a warm embrace.

The relief that filled the room was undeniable.

We didn’t have to hide anymore. We didn’t have to keep looking over our shoulders, even at the airport.

His mother had accepted our decision without a single complaint or condition.

With that final weight lifted, everything felt easier.

A few nights before the wedding, Alex and I sat together on the balcony, surrounded by the quiet of the night, trying to decide on one last thing to do before the big day.

"We have two options, baby," Alex said, pulling me into his side. "We could do a traditional bachelor night, or we could host a massive family dinner, your family, my family, and our closest friends all at one table."

Alex didn’t hesitate to share his preference.

"Honestly, I’d choose the dinner," he said. "I want to see our families finally sit together in peace. Not long ago, that would’ve been impossible. I want everyone at the same table, happy and relaxed... before the chaos of the big day."

He looked at me, his gaze softening.

"But I know you have more friends than I do," he said. "If you really want the bachelor night, we can do that."

He paused, then added, "We can always have the big dinner later, before we leave. The choice is yours, Alis."

I thought about it for a moment. A bachelor party sounded fun, but this wedding was about more than just a party; it was about reconciliation.

"I choose the family dinner too," I said, leaning my head against his shoulder. "It’s not like this is our first time getting married... but it is the first time our families are truly on the same side. I want our parents and friends to sit together, talk, and really get to know each other without any tension. I want that memory... before we walk down the aisle."

Alex smiled, looking relieved that we were on the same page. "Then it’s settled. A family dinner it is."

I nodded, smiling. "Yes, love. I choose that too... I think it’ll be more fun."

"Alright, baby," Alex said. "We’ll start making..."