CHAPTER 359: SAILING INTO MY LIFE

Nick’s POV

Sleep was apparently not part of the wedding plan. I spent the entire night tossing, turning, and checking my phone like a teenager waiting for a reply that never came. I sent Georgia the bridal shower gift I’d prepared—a video that took weeks to put together—and texted her about it. She saw it... She saw it! But no reply. Just "seen."

That woman is going to make me go bald before I even say my vows.

In my desperation, I called Vicky, but she was so drunk she thought I was the resort bartender. She asked me for another bottle of champagne. Twice.

So, here I was at my mom’s house—because apparently, tradition dictates the groom can’t see the bride before the wedding. My mom insisted, saying it was "bad luck." Forcing me to stay here instead of the groom’s suite in the resort was just her way of making sure I didn’t sneak into Georgia’s suite in the middle of the night.

By morning, the place turned into a film set. Stylists, photographers, videographers—everyone was moving in organized chaos. Liam and Oliver were trying to fix their ties while my mom barked orders like a general.

The stylist was fixing my hair while the camera zoomed in on my reflection. I tried to smile naturally, but all I could think was, What if Georgia’s mad at me? Did she hate the video?

Then—

*Knock, knock*

The door opened, and in came Evelyn, radiant and smug, with Steven trailing behind her, carrying a white satin box wrapped and tied with red and gold ribbon.

"Special delivery from the bride!" she announced, her grin so wide it could rival the sun.

The camera instantly shifted to her, the videographer grinning like this was part of some cinematic masterpiece.

"What’s this?" I asked, raising a brow.

"It’s your bride’s gift, obviously," Evelyn said, practically bouncing in excitement. "Now open it before I do."

Everyone gathered around as I carefully untied the ribbon. Inside was a small wooden box.

When I opened the box, I didn’t expect my heart to lurch the way it did. Inside was a round gold object—polished, gleaming, and resting like something sacred. On the lid was an engraved message:

"Thank you for sailing into my life. May you always find your way back to me... Georgia."

Behind the inscription was a delicate engraving of a ship sailing beneath a crescent moon.

My breath hitched. I flipped it open and felt my chest tighten—it was a compass. A vintage one, the kind you’d find in an antique shop you could never afford to walk out of. The edges were lined with small diamonds, and when I turned it over, I froze.

The back of the lid had a laser-engraved picture—us. The one Vicky snapped back on the island when Georgia and I stood under the wedding arch. Around the edge of the picture, engraved in graceful script, were the words:

"Claim me, Captain, I’m addicted to you..."

I felt the air leave my lungs. My throat burned as I smiled through the sudden sting of tears. Claim Me. That was the title of the song I wrote for her—the one she had forgotten, the one I thought she’d never remember.

Did she... remember?

Maybe it was a coincidence. Or maybe Ella and Vicky told her about it. Either way, the thought that she somehow reached for that memory—it broke me in the best possible way.

The room fell silent for a moment before someone muttered an "Aww," and then everyone started clapping, laughing, and making teasing noises like a bunch of teenagers. I quickly wiped the corner of my eyes when I realized the camera was focused on me.

But Georgia—my mischievous, beautiful, heart-wrecking wife—wasn’t done yet.

"There’s more," Evelyn said, stepping forward with a knowing smile and an envelope in hand. "She told me to give you this after you’ve seen her gift. But!"—she pointed a finger at me—"you have to read it aloud, or I’m taking it back. That was her instruction to me."

I groaned, laughing under my breath. "You’re enjoying this way too much."

Evelyn shrugged. "I live for drama."

Everyone was watching, phones out, grins on their faces. I took a few deep breaths, bracing myself. Because knowing Georgia, this letter would either make me laugh, cry—or both at once.

And I was right.

The moment I unfolded the paper and saw her handwriting, my heart started pounding. Her words weren’t just written—they were alive. And before I even started reading, I knew I was doomed.

She’d already made me fall in love with her all over again, and the ceremony hadn’t even started yet.

Dear Captain Nicholas Knight,

What would I do without you?

Losing my memory doesn’t mean my heart has also forgotten you. For me, it felt like you were my past life lover who found me again in this lifetime.

My heart never forgot how it feels to love you. Maybe that’s what love really is—something that survives even when memories don’t.

You’ve always been my compass, Nick. No matter how lost I was, somehow, I always ended up in your arms again. That’s why I gave you one—to remind you that even if storms come, even if the tides pull us apart, we’ll always find our way back to each other.

Thank you for being my anchor, my calm, and sometimes, my favorite chaos. Thank you for fighting for me when I couldn’t even remember what I was fighting for.

So today, when I walk down that aisle, I’m not just walking toward the man I love—I’m walking home.

Always yours,

Your stubborn self-promoted first mate,

Georgia

Evelyn squealed loud enough to wake the entire house, my mother started sobbing uncontrollably, the guys broke into laughter, and my father—ever the stoic chairman—just nodded with misty eyes and said, "Congratulations, son. You’re marrying the right woman."

I chuckled through the lump in my throat and wiped the corners of my eyes with the back of my hand. "Yeah," I said with a crooked grin, "and she’s a feisty one."

The room burst into laughter again.

Then I turned to Steven, who was grinning behind the camera. "Sorry, mate," I added, smirking. "Looks like my bride just promoted herself. Guess that means you’re officially demoted today."

Everyone roared. Even my usually composed father was shaking his head, smiling. The air in the room felt lighter, warmer—like every laugh, every tear, every teasing word was pulling us closer to that moment waiting at the end of the aisle.

******

Thank you for the Golden Tickets!

Edna_R2679

KATHLEEN_COLL