CHAPTER 386: PARADISE (5)

Georgia’s POV

"I still can’t believe your parents actually got married here... just like us. Well—not exactly like us..." I laughed as Nick and I waved both arms high, watching everyone board the seaplane Benjamin and Liam brought for the trip.

As the salty breeze brushed against my cheeks, the whole group waved back at us from the open door. Katie blowing flying kisses, Ella forming a heart with her hands, Prudence still wearing her flower necklace because she refused to take it off, and Benjamin getting emotional again, even though they were just going home and not migrating to another universe.

The last forty-eight hours felt like a dream—sunsets, laughter, dancing on sand, s’mores, jet skis, their surprise wedding...

Pure, unfiltered happiness.

I never imagined this island would become such a huge part of our lives. Back then, it was just a place where nightmares ended, and survival began. But now, with the people we love filling it with new memories, it feels like a sanctuary. A home.

But they were gone now, heading back to the mainland one by one, and as the plane lifted from the sea and the aircraft glided across the dusky sky...

My eyes shifted to the only person who mattered most.

My loving, frustrating, handsome-as-sin husband.

Nick chuckled beside me. "Yeah... never got to finish the ceremony here, and I had to forge your signature just to make you mine."

I smacked his chest lightly. He pretended to stumble as if I had punched a hole through his ribs.

"Hey! Don’t make it sound like you forced me to marry you," I scolded dramatically. "I would’ve said yes if you had told me your plans." I grinned at him. "But in fairness to your parents, they got the full experience. Ceremony, celebration... the happiness inside me is just—ugh." I clutched my chest dramatically. "Overflowing."

Nick’s smile softened. "We can get married here again, if you want."

I snapped my head toward him. "Absolutely not!"

His eyes widened.

"Our expenses these past few weeks are off the charts," I continued. "Let’s renew our vows, maybe after... I don’t know... twenty or thirty years? Definitely not anytime soon. Wedding preparations are exhausting. And after our honeymoon, I want to focus on our family—Katie, the baby..." My voice softened. "And I want to help Ella with the business. That girl needs a break before she burns herself out."

Nick wrapped an arm around me, kissing my forehead softly. The type of kiss that said he was listening, really listening.

"You’re right," he murmured. "We’ll do it later. When the kids are grown so they can join the entourage. I’m just... happy." His voice thickened a little. "Seeing my parents finally get married after everything they went through... and here of all places..." He exhaled a small laugh. "Makes me cherish this island even more."

"Speaking of," I said, nudging him gently, "tell me, what’s your plan here? You’ve told me what’s already done, but not what the big picture looks like."

Nick’s eyes sparkled—the kind of spark he only had when he was about to unveil some crazy project or grand vision.

He took my hand. "You remember the highest peak we used to climb to?"

"The one from the cave?" I raised a brow. "Of course."

Nick squeezed my hand and smiled that secretive smile that always made my heart flutter. "Good. Then let’s go there."

He tugged me gently toward the stone pathway leading into the trees—toward the cliffs, toward the sky, toward whatever surprise he had prepared.

And with our hands intertwined, we walked forward together.

Nick and I followed the stone path deeper into the forest, the trees swaying gently as if they remembered us—two reckless, terrified strangers who once ran through these woods searching for safety. When the familiar shape of the cave came into view, I couldn’t help but smile.

"Our first home," I whispered.

Nick chuckled softly behind me. "Technically, yes. Romantic, in a very danger-survival-trauma-bond kind of way."

I nudged him with my elbow, laughing. "Hey, it saved us."

"And now," Nick said, brushing a stray leaf off my shoulder, "I want this place to give us more than memories of running for our lives."

We continued the climb up the narrow path. The sky was turning orange, the sun beginning its slow descent into the ocean. When we reached the top of the cliff, I stopped walking.

There, standing proudly against the sky, was a small lighthouse.

Still unfinished, but undeniably beautiful.

The circular walls were fully built, smooth and sturdy, but there was no roof yet, no windows or doors, just an opening waiting to be finished.

Nick stood beside me, smiling like a man who had been dying to show his wife this exact moment.

"It’ll be done once the materials I ordered arrive," he said, his voice gentle. "Not just for aesthetics, though. This will help our staff and guests find their way to the reception area at night, which is below this cliff.

And honestly... ships and fishermen passing by will benefit, too. The waters around this island get tricky in the dark."

I turned to him, unable to hide the awe on my face. "This is... incredible, Nick."

He shrugged a little, shy despite the pride flickering in his eyes. "Come on. Let’s take a look inside."

He guided me in through the open doorway. Construction materials were already cleared, the stone floor swept clean. The space was wide, airy, and surprisingly warm even with the evening breeze drifting in.

But what caught my eye was the huge wooden table in the center.

A massive island stood on it.

Not the real one, the miniature version.

My breath caught. Every curve, every slope, every shoreline was carved meticulously. Even the trees were represented with small clusters of carved wood, and the streams were lined with blue resin. Tiny pathways and dots marked the future villas, trails, and amenities.

"Oh my god," I whispered. "Nick... this is beautiful. The original one."

The light outside dimmed further. Nick quietly turned on his phone’s flashlight and placed it above the model, letting its warm glow spill over the tiny world he built.

Then he stepped behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, holding me close as we looked down at the island in miniature.

"This picture, I want to preserve it. This is how the island looked when we first arrived here, before everything else was built," he murmured against my ear. "This was what I saw when I started to imagine our future..."

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Thank you for the Golden Tickets!

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