Substitute Wife for the Mafia King R18-Chapter 451: Our Victory
I quickly did as he wanted. Bradon wrapped his arms around me from behind before placing a soft kiss against my temple.
"I think you’ve changed as well," Bradon said after a moment of silence.
"Changed how?" I asked, and this time it was my turn to be curious.
"You’re so caring and so supportive," he said before placing a kiss on my shoulder.
"Are you saying that I wasn’t caring and that I was unsupportive before?" I asked teasingly, letting out a laugh to hide my embarrassment.
"You already know that that is not what I meant," he replied with a laugh of his own.
"Thank you for doing this for us," I said before showing him a tight smile.
Despite his words of bravado, I knew that a large part of why he was doing all of this was for us and our future.
"You’re more than worth it. This is the least that you deserve," Bradon replied.
"Let’s do this!" I said enthusiastically.
The way he smiled at me and the way he glowed with confidence and conviction brought so much energy rushing into my veins that I forgot the fatigue of the earlier days.
...
The day of the election finally arrived. Despite it being the big day that would determine our future, not a lot really happened. For the most part, that was because there wasn’t much that we could do.
Thinking positively, perhaps it meant that we had done all that we could have up to that point. Bradon spent some parts of the day delivering his final speeches and giving interviews to the press.
Of course, I asked him so much about what he thought about the poll results and what the outcome of the election was going to be like. I had to say that Bradon did a very good job of not acting overly optimistic that he would win. After all, we weren’t supposed to act like the entire thing was rigged just because we had the King’s support.
I wanted to firmly believe that if Bradon were to win the election, it was because of the hard work that we put in and the belief that the people put in us. Ignoring Desmond’s influence on the people’s choices wasn’t what I intended, but in order to bring about the future that Desmond had in mind, the people truly had to start thinking and choosing for themselves. This felt like a very good start-a fresh new politician with the backing of the King, promising a lot of change for a better future.
Perhaps it was time for a breath of fresh air for this country’s deteriorating political scene. What the people probably could not foresee was that what was supposed to start as simply a breath of fresh air would turn into a tornado that would change their lives-hopefully for the better.
"I guess all we can do is wait now," Bradon said to me and his supporting team.
All voting booths had now closed, and the process of counting the votes had begun. The ballroom of one of the most prestigious hotels in the city had been transformed into something bordering between a small festive gathering and a battlefield. Everybody seemed to be on edge as we watched a large screen showing live news coverage of the votes being counted in the various districts of the country.
I sat by Bradon’s side with his hand clutched tightly in mine. It seemed like I was the one who was more anxious about the result than he was. A silent kind of tension filled the air, and it seemed like people were scared to discuss the outcome.
"We are holding steady in many of the states. Early districts are coming in lower, but the swing regions look like they might be breaking our way," one of Bradon’s team members gave a concise update of the situation.
Everything seemed to be progressing as planned. I could see nothing different from the team’s prior predictions, but that didn’t mean anyone could rest or be at ease until the final vote had been counted and the official result released. A glance at Bradon’s face showed that his expression was as unreadable as always.
"Don’t hold your breath. This is going to take all night. If you’re tired, I can get someone to take you home, or perhaps you can go up to one of the rooms upstairs," Bradon suggested before showing me a caring smile.
"I’m not leaving your side," I replied without the need to think.
The hours blurred by as more and more numbers rolled in. Everybody’s mood swayed back and forth at first, but soon it was quite clear that Bradon’s party was taking the lead and winning most of the states where the vote counting had been completed.
Instead of focusing on the numbers, I just decided to focus on my husband instead. I knew that he needed my silent support, even if he wasn’t outwardly showing it. He was supposed to be the leader, and sometimes that meant he could not openly display his weakness and concern. He needed to be the rock that everyone could believe in.
And then what we had all been waiting and hoping for happened. The final numbers were released on the screen for everyone in the country to see. The final and live result of the election was here.
For us, it only meant one thing-victory.
The room erupted into loud cheers as everyone applauded and hugged each other all at once. People rushed forward to offer Bradon congratulations. They pulled him into hugs and clapped him on the back, while some shook his hand and everyone shouted out his name.
I forgot myself, lost in the moment, watching my husband enjoy a moment of his glory. For a moment, I thought that Bradon looked genuinely happy, and it made me believe that perhaps he had found a new path for himself.
