Chapter 13（Part 1）
The wrought-iron gates of the Reeves Estate looked less like the entrance to a home and more like the entrance to a fortress.
Yes the Reeves estate
An official invitation was sent to us from the Reeves for Lunch and to discuss wedding preparations
As our car slowly drove up the massive, winding driveway, I pressed my hands against my lap to stop them from shaking.
"Holy..." Mia whispered from the backseat, her face practically pressed against the window.
"Grace, you aren't marrying a man. You're marrying a kingdom."
My dad chuckled from the front passenger seat.
"Behave yourself, Mia. Don't go touching their expensive vases."
"I make no promises, papa Zane," Mia grinned, leaning forward to rest her chin on my shoulder.
"Besides, as Grace's unofficial sister, it is my duty to inspect the premises." Dad smiled warmly at that.
Since my mom passed away, Mia had practically lived most times at our house.
Dad had always treated her like his second daughter, which was why he had insisted she come along today for the official wedding preparations.
I, on the other hand, felt like I was going to throw up.
The car came to a halt in front of a grand, white-pillared mansion.
It was breathtaking. Elegant, perfectly manicured, and terrifyingly silent.
The heavy front doors opened before we even reached the top of the stone steps.
Richard Reeves, Alexander's father, stood waiting for us with a warm, welcoming smile that completely contradicted the intimidating size of his house.
"Daniel," Richard greeted my dad, shaking his hand firmly.
"It is so good to see you looking well."
"Thank you, Richard. The rest has done wonders."
Richard turned to me, his smile softening.
"Grace. Welcome to your future home."
A fresh wave of heat rushed to my cheeks. "Thank you, Mr. Reeves."
"And this must be the famous Mia," Richard added, his eyes twinkling.
"Daniel tells me you keep this family on its toes."
Mia beamed, entirely unfazed by the wealth around her. "Someone has to, sir."
Richard laughed, a rich, booming sound. "Come in, come in,My mother has been driving the staff crazy all morning waiting for you."
We followed him through a grand foyer with marble floors and a sweeping staircase that looked like it belonged in a movie.
The house was beautiful, but it felt... empty. Like it was missing something.
I knew Alexander's mother had passed away when he was young, just like mine.
The similarity in our pasts was a quiet bond we shared, even if we had never spoken about it.
Richard led us into a bright, sunlit drawing room overlooking a massive garden.
Sitting on a velvet armchair, holding a porcelain teacup, was the most elegant woman I had ever seen.
Grandmother Eleanor.
She had silver hair pinned up perfectly, sharp, intelligent gray eyes-the exact same shade as Alexander's-and a posture that commanded instant respect.
The moment she saw me, she set her teacup down with a soft *clink*.
"Oh, my word," she breathed, standing up.
I froze, suddenly feeling very small in my simple floral dress.
She walked past my dad. Past Richard. Past Mia. She stopped right in front of me and took both of my hands in her warm, soft ones.
"You have the kindest eyes," she said softly, her voice filled with a profound, sudden affection.
"Alex did not do you justice."
"Thank you, ma'am," I whispered, my heart melting instantly.
"Ma'am? Nonsense. You will call me Eleanor, or Grandmother. Whichever you prefer."
She squeezed my hands, then looked over at my dad. "Daniel, you have raised an absolute angel. Since both these children's lovely mothers are watching from heaven, I will gladly take on the role of the overbearing grandmother for this wedding."
My dad smiled softly, his eyes a little shiny. "I would be honored, Eleanor."
"Good." She turned her sharp gaze to Mia.
"And you are the best friend. The one who will help me force this stubborn family into doing things right."
Mia's eyes lit up. She had found her absolute soulmate. "Grandmother Eleanor, I am entirely at your service."
"I like her," Eleanor declared to Richard.
"Keep her fed." We all laughed, the heavy tension in my chest finally loosening.
We sat down, and the staff immediately served tea and pastries.
The discussion about the wedding began.
True to our agreement, it was to be completely private.
"A closed-door registry," Richard confirmed, looking over the documents.
"Followed by a private dinner here at the estate. Only immediate family and close friends."
"What about the dress?" Eleanor asked, leaning toward me. "Have you chosen one, my dear?"
"Um, not yet," I admitted shyly.
"Perfect. I have designers flying in tomorrow. You and Mia will have your pick."
"Designers?" I choked slightly on my tea. "Oh, no, that's too much-"
"Nonsense," Eleanor waved her hand dismissively.
"You are marrying a Reeves. You will look like a queen."
"A very shy queen," Mia teased, bumping my shoulder. "But I'll make sure she picks something that makes the General lose his mind."
My face burned entirely red. "Mia!" The adults chuckled, but before anyone could add to my misery, the atmosphere in the room suddenly shifted.
The temperature seemed to drop. The relaxed, airy feel of the room vanished, replaced by a heavy, suffocating weight.
Footsteps echoed from the marble hallway.
Heavy.
Precise.
Demanding.
Every head in the room turned toward the doorway.
Alexander stepped into the room.
He was in full military uniform. Dark green, perfectly tailored, with medals gleaming on his chest.
He looked so incredibly powerful, so intensely dominant, that my breath physically caught in my throat.
He didn't just walk into a room. He commanded it.
Even his father and grandmother seemed to straighten up slightly in his presence.
Standing half a step behind him was a younger man,strong looking and also in uniform, holding a sleek briefcase.
Alexander's sharp gray eyes scanned the room, acknowledging his father, my father, and Mia, before landing heavily on me.
"Apologies for the delay," Alexander said.
His deep voice resonated through the large room, vibrating right down to my toes. "The security briefing ran late."
"We survived, Alex," Eleanor said, though her eyes held deep affection.
"Come sit." Alexander didn't sit immediately.
He walked over to his grandmother first,kissing her hands then my father. "Mr. Zane. I hope the journey was comfortable for you."
"Very comfortable, Alexander. Thank you," my dad smiled.
Alexander finally took the empty seat directly across from me after exchanging nods with his father.
He sat perfectly straight, his broad shoulders making the armchair look small.
The man beside him stepped forward with a crisp, polite bow. "Good afternoon, everyone. I am Colonel Ethan Brooks, General Reeves's chief assistant."
Ethan had a pleasant face and a sharp, calculating look in his eyes, but his posture toward Alexander was one of absolute, unquestioning loyalty.
"Ethan, put the briefcase down and have some tea," Eleanor ordered.
"With respect, ma'am, I am on duty," Ethan replied smoothly. "But I am glad to see you looking so well."
Eleanor rolled her eyes. "Military men. So boring."
Mia leaned over to me and whispered entirely too loudly, "I don't know, I think the uniform is working for them."
Ethan blinked, a tiny, amused smirk fighting its way onto his professional face.
Alexander, however, did not smile.
He looked at me. "Have you discussed the arrangements?"
"We have," Richard answered for me.
"Registry on Saturday at 10 AM. Dinner here at 6 PM. Grace and Mia will handle the attire with Mother."
Alexander nodded once. "Acceptable."
"Oh, stop treating this like a military deployment," Eleanor scolded him, tapping her cane on the floor. "This is a wedding. The girl needs romance, Alexander. Have you even gotten her a ring?"
The entire room went dead silent. I stared at my lap, wishing the floor would open up and swallow me.
We hadn't discussed rings. It was a contract marriage. I didn't expect one.
Alexander didn't blink. He calmly reached into the inner pocket of his uniform jacket.
He pulled out a small, square velvet box. He placed it on the coffee table and slid it across the glass until it stopped right in front of me.
"Open it," he commanded quietly. I hesitated, my hands trembling slightly as I reached for the box.
I popped the lid open. Mia literally gasped beside me. Resting on the black velvet was a stunning, flawless diamond ring.
It wasn't overly massive or flashy, but it was incredibly elegant. An emerald-cut diamond set on a delicate platinum band.
"Alexander," Eleanor whispered, her eyes wide.
"That is..."
"Custom," Alexander finished, his eyes never leaving my face.
"I had it commissioned last week."
"You... you bought this for me?" I asked, my voice barely a squeak.
"You are my fiancée, Grace," he said, his tone flat, as if stating a universal fact. "I provide for what is mine."
The sheer dominance in his words made my heart do a wild, frantic dance against my ribs.
"Oh my God," Mia whispered, clutching her chest. "Papa Zane, I think I need my blood pressure checked."
My dad threw his head back and laughed, and even Ethan let out a quiet cough to cover a chuckle.
But Alexander just watched me, completely unfazed by the teasing.
"Does it fit?" he asked.
"I... I haven't tried it on," I stammered.
Alexander stood up. The room went quiet again as he walked around the low coffee table and stopped right in front of me. He reached down, taking the ring from the box.
Then, with a gentleness that completely contradicted his terrifying aura, he took my left hand.
His fingers were rough. Calloused. Warm.
He slid the ring onto my fourth finger.
It fit perfectly.
I looked up at him, my neck craning because he was so incredibly tall.
"Thank you," I breathed.
"It belongs to you," he replied simply.
He let go of my hand and returned to his seat, effortlessly slipping back into his stoic, unreadable demeanor.
For the rest of the afternoon, the adults finalized the logistics.
Ethan took notes with terrifying speed, occasionally chiming in to confirm security protocols for my dad's and grandma eleanors medical needs.
I sat quietly, twisting the beautiful ring on my finger, listening to Mia and Eleanor plot my wedding dress.
Every so often, I would look up. And every single time, I would find Alexander's intense gray eyes already resting on me.
He didn't smile. He didn't speak unnecessarily.
But as I sat in the grand, intimidating Reeves Estate, surrounded by this strange, wonderful mix of our two families... I realized something terrifying. I was twenty-two years old, timid, and entirely out of my depth.
But I was going to be General Alexander Reeves's wife for a year.
And heaven help me... I was actually looking forward to it.