The Lies Behind Her Marriage novel Chapter 286

This Time, I Won’t Fail You.

The sapphire glow of the hall reflected in Serena’s eyes as she stood at the altar. The crystals above shimmered like frozen stars, and the air felt still, as if the entire room was holding its breath.

And in the center of it all stood her now husband.

“Serena, I know what it means to lose you. And it nearly broke me,” Nathaniel started his vows. “It wasn’t just the distance nor the silence. It was not knowing if you were out there, safe and well.”

Serena watched as Nathaniel relived the pain of the past. His brows furrowed, and he could not look her in the eye at first. But after taking a deep breath, he lifted his gaze to meet hers. “For four years, I stood in the dark, asking for one more chance, promising I would give everything if I could just have you back.”

Nathaniel's features softened, making him look even more devastatingly handsome. “Today, I don’t stand here as someone who deserves you. I stand here as someone who will spend the rest of his life proving he is worthy of you.”

“I vow to never let you feel alone again. To choose you without hesitation. To love you the way I should have from the very beginning.”

He tightened his hold on her hands. “As your husband, I will stand beside you in everything—your strength, your fears, and every step we take from here.”

Briefly, Nathaniel glanced at the twins. He smiled at them before returning his attention to Serena. “As a father, I will be present for our children, for the years I lost, and for every moment ahead. I will guide them, protect them, and make sure they grow up knowing they are loved.”

His gaze shifted to her stomach. “And to the life we are about to welcome… I promise you a home filled with love, with both of us standing together.”

Nathaniel looked back into Serena’s eyes. “This time, I won’t fail you. Not as your husband. Not as the father of our children.”

“I love you so much,” he closed.

Serena could barely contain herself as she listened to Nathaniel. Still, it helped to hear the soft applause from the crowd, many praising his vows. At least, she was able to hold back the tears.

When she returned her attention to him, Serena said, “Nathan, you really are unfair.”

A soft breath left her, her eyes already glistening.

“Even after everything… after all the hurt, the distance, and the years we lost, you still found your way back to me.” She gave a small, knowing shake of her head. “You were persistent. Unreasonably so.”

A faint smile touched her lips. “And I would like to say I stood a chance against that… but with that face of yours?”

She shook her head, and everyone in the venue laughed.

“Let’s just say, you were blessed with the right weapon,” she added, and more laughter erupted.

Nathaniel smirked. He turned to the crowd with a confident smile. When he focused on her again, Serena resumed, “I told myself I would be stronger this time. That I wouldn’t let my heart choose so quickly.”

She shook her head faintly. “But it’s still you.”

Serena glanced toward their children before looking back at him. “You knew how to be there for Ali and Sebastian in ways I didn’t even know how to ask for. You understood Ali—how to reach her, how to guide her, how to make her feel safe.”

“You taught Sebastian with patience, protected them without hesitation… and you were proud of them every step of the way.”

Her expression grew more serious. “And when I was taken…”

She swallowed.

“You found me.”

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