Act Like You Love Me (Jessica) novel Chapter 180

Chapter 180

Aaron’s POV

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I stood at the altar, my hands clasped in front of me to hide the slight tremble I couldn’t quite shake.

The venue was stunning-white drapes cascaded from the ceiling like frozen waves, and the scent of thousands of lilies filled the air.

The afternoon sun filtered through the stained-glass windows, painting the floor in warm, honeyed hues.

But none of it compared to the pressure building in my chest. Today, the girl I used to tease just to see her eyes spark was becoming my wife.

After the trials, the secrets we’d unearthed like buried landmines and the family bonds we’d had to break just to forge them back together-we were finally here.

My throat felt tight with a deep, silent gratitude for this second chance.

The music swelled, the notes rounding out into a grand, welcoming sound, and then the doors opened.

There she was.

Jessica walked in, and it was as if she carried the morning sun with her, pulling the light of the room toward her with every step.

The gown was a masterpiece of white silk and delicate lace, a river of intricate patterns that seemed to glow from within.

It featured a sweetheart neckline that showcased the elegant slope of her shoulders, and the fabric clung to her with a soft grace before trailing behind her in a sweeping, regal train.

She wore a thin platinum necklace, a single pear-shaped diamond resting at the hollow of her throat.

Small, matching studs glinted beneath her updo, but despite the marvelous details of the silk and the jewelry, my eyes couldn’t leave her face.

Her skin looked like it was made of moonlight, glowing with a soft, inner radiance that no highlight could mimic.

And her eyes-those deep, arresting pools of blue-were fixed solely on mine.

In them, I didn’t see fear or the guardedness of our “fake” beginnings. I saw a vast, open sky. I saw peace.

Every time she smiled, the corners of her eyes crinkled in that specific way that had always been my favorite secret, a silent map of every laugh we’d shared over the years.

Seeing her in that dress, walking down the aisle with that smile aimed at me, nearly brought me to my knees. It was a triptych of everything I had fought to protect.

Adrian was beaming with pride that made him look ten feet tall, and David nodded at me, his eyes shining with a brotherly approval that grounded me.

He reached the altar and stood for a heartbeat, looking between us with a gaze that held happiness.

He placed Jessica’s hand in mine with a gentle, lingering pat, as i handing over the most precious thing he’d ever guarded.

“Take care of her, son,” he said, delivering the line with just enough seriousness to make it sound like the traditional line a father would say to a soon-to-be son-in-law,.

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17:14 Wed, Mar 4 .

Chapter 180

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Then, he shot me a smirk, and for a split second, I resisted the urge to pull his ear or smack that look off his face.

Instead, I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding and took Jessica’s hand.

Her skin was soft and warm against my own, a grounding presence that pulled me back from the edge of my nerves.

Adrian hugged us both quickly before scampering to his seat beside Grandma.

She sat in the front row, her face glowing with a joy that seemed to shave twenty years off her age.

The officiant began to speak, but the words were just a distant hum. I was lost in Jessica’s eyes-those warm, blue depths that held every chapter of our shared history.

I felt a surge of love so pure it settled in my bones.

She had been my rock when I was crumbling, the roommate who saw the real me behind the Tyrone mask, the fake date who became my only truth, and my partner through the darkest nights of my life.

She was the one who had taught me that I didn’t have to be a statue to be strong.

When it came time for the vows, I cleared my throat, my voice steadying as I looked only at her.

“Jessica,” I began, a small, sheepish smile tugging at my lips. “It’s funny to think back to how we started. I was a bully who didn’t know how to handle the fact that you were the most interesting person I’d ever met. Then I was the annoying, brooding roommate who ‘conveniently’ had an extra bed, and the guy who convinced you to fake a relationship just to keep you close. I’ve played a lot of roles in your life, but the one I’m most proud of is being the man who gets to love you.”

A soft ripple of laughter went through the crowd, and I saw a tear slip down her cheek.

“You’ve seen me at my absolute worst,” I continued, my voice dropping to a private, gravelly depth.

“You looked at my excesses and my mistakes, and instead of walking away, you gave me a second chance. You believed I could be a better man-you saw that man in me long before I could see him in myself—and you loved me until I finally became the person standing here today. You gave me a son, a home, and a purpose I never thought I deserved. I promise to stand by you, to tease you just enough to keep that spark in your eyes, and to hold you through every storm. You’re my everything, Jess.”

Jessica squeezed my hands, her lashes glistening.

She took a shaky breath and smiled through her tears.

“Aaron,” she started, her voice a tender melody. “You came into my life as a headache I didn’t want, then you became the friend I couldn’t live without. You fought for us when I didn’t think we had a chance. You fought for Adrian, for me, and for the family we’ve built out of the wreckage of the past. I watched you break your own chains just so you could hold my hand in the light.”

She stepped a fraction closer, her eyes locking onto mine.

“I vow to support your dreams, even the ones you’re still afraid to say out loud. I promise to cherish our quiet mornings, boring afternoons, and tired nights. You’re my heart, my partner and the best ‘fake’ boyfriend I ever had. I love you with everything I am.”

The words hung in the air, simple and profound, drawing soft sighs from the aunts and cousins in the pews.

We exchanged the rings-cool metal sliding onto fingers, a final physical seal on the promises we’d just made.

Mine fit perfectly on her hand, a golden circle with no beginning and no end.

The officiant’s voice rang out, clear and celebratory: “By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife.

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17:14 Wed, Mar 4 WW.

Chapter 180

You may now kiss the bride.”

I didn’t wait. I cupped her face gently, my thumbs brushing away her tears, and drew her close.

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Our lips met in a kiss that sealed it all-tender, passionate, and filled with the journey of two people who had finally found their way home.

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