NATASHA

Two days before the wedding, Petra's daughters—and their nanny—arrive in Banta City. Shari and Vica look like dark-haired versions of their mother. The ten-and eight-year-old girls explain how their father left the country without telling them goodbye.

"He viewed everything as a competition," Petra tells her daughters who cling to her in bed. "And he doesn't like to lose."

Despite Petra's battered body, she's still expected to attend my wedding. From my dressing room, I watch on the security feed as Maks pushes Petra's wheelchair down the aisle while her daughters and son follow.

In the past, I would view such displays as ridiculous. However, I see the benefit of having the world believe you're indestructible. Viktor Kovak's three children should have died that night, yet the wedding goes on.

Roman walks down the aisle with our mother. He is likely heavily medicated to deal with the pain, but he holds his head up and exudes the Kovak determination.

As for me, I'm tired and loopy on my wedding day. There's no way to completely hide my many cuts and bruises, yet a team of makeup artists gets close. From a distance, I look flawless.

As we near the start time, I'm regularly distracted by how adorable the kids are. Hector looks so handsome in his black slacks and shirt. He wears his mini club vest. His blond hair is slicked back.

My son remains bummed about not getting a dress. I can't blame him for feeling shifted. Jacinda is an absolute vision in her pink dress covered in red flowers.

She and Hector keep trying to count them all. When I nearly sit on the floor to help them figure out the number, my mother sends the children to the next room.

"You're a very attentive mother," Katja insists when I frown at her for taking charge. "But you're lousy at multitasking."

Pouty under her criticism, I feel lightheaded and paranoid. My mother wisely distracts me by drawing my focus to the security footage. I smile at the sight of Bear standing on the stage with his club brothers and Leon.

The grand Thibeaux Hall is located on the southside of the property. Many extravagant parties have been thrown here over the last hundred years. My wedding is a small affair in comparison. Only a hundred people are present.

Yet, those strangers are enough to freak out Jacinda and Hector during their walks down the aisle. Yesterday, the kids had a blast at the rehearsal. They loved walking down the aisle and stayed focused.

Now, with so many people watching them, they get confused. First, Jacinda stops walking near the front stage while Deirdre and Kiera finish their journey. When Nat tries to coax Jacinda to walk the rest of the way, my baby starts crying.

I'm nearly out of the door to save her when I notice Leon step down from the stage area and toward Jacinda. He stands next to her and casually wiggles his pinkie. After she grips his finger, they walk to the stage, where she smiles at everyone, now totally calm.

Next up is Hector as the ringbearer. He starts off down the aisle just fine. Laszlo is the one who gets spooked and runs away. Hector looks around, confused about where to go.

Bear calls his name. His grumbly voice calms our boy in the same way it does me. With a destination in mind, Hector gets his confidence back and finishes walking down the aisle. Once Leon takes the pillow with the rings, Bear lifts the boy into his arms.

Siobhan hugs me when I get teary-eyed. "Don't mess up your makeup," she warns. "Just focus on smiling and getting to the finish line in Bear's bed tonight."

Obeying Siobhan, I exhale my drugged-up drama and grab hold of my Kovak cold. I soon stand still while the staff touches up my makeup, steams out any wrinkles in my dress, and attaches my veil.

Despite my calm demeanor, I'm not really here, right now. My mind is already sailing through the wedding.

I see my bridesmaids walking down the aisle with their groomsmen, joining Petra and Leon at the front.

I can feel my arm wrapped around Viktor's. My father will whisper a compliment in my ear, leaving me glowing with pride.

We'll walk down the aisle to where Bear holds our son. I know he'll be a wonderful father. He already pays the kids more attention than Andrew ever did. They make him laugh, and he offers them security.

In my head, Thibeaux Hall won't be filled with strangers. I'll only see Bear and my family and friends. Our wedding might be a business deal between powerful factions, but my heart is all-in with Bear O'Malley.

Before I ever step out of the dressing room to meet my father, I'm floating on a cloud.