"Yeah," I say, my voice barely above a whisper, as I raise to my feet.

Spencer walks in and shuts the door behind himself.

I can't tell why my heart is beating so fast, feeling like a stupid teenage girl meeting the boyfriend everyone forbade her from dating.

His gaze bores into me as he stands a pace away from the door, looking like a lost child. "You look gorgeous," he utters hoarsely and I try to smile but end up grimacing.

He draws a sharp breath. His frantic eyes sweep across the place, pausing on the wedding dress on my bed before latching back on me. Shoving his fingers through his already messy hair, he appears so unlike his usual composed self.

He strides to me and halts midway, pushing his glasses up before clasping his hands together, then holding them apart, his palms facing up. "I am a mess." His mouth opens and closes a few times as I frown at him. "But you already know that."

I blink with confusion tilting my head slightly as I watch him.

"I screw things up because I'm stupid. But you already know that too." He rubs his chin and shrugs. "I might be the biggest idiot out there, but-" he stops, his gaze jumping from one point to another as he pushes his glasses up again with jerky fingers. "This is me, all of me... but it's yours." He shakes his head. "As shitty as I am, as awful as a person I am, I have one ruined soul and one torn and broken heart, and it's yours."

"Spencer," I whimper, tears springing up to my eyes. The back of my throat closes in, making it hard to breathe.

"I can't see myself with anyone but you. I can't see you with anyone but me... I don't have much to offer you, except me and my heart. I know it's nothing, but it's all I have. And it's yours." He runs his hand through his hair, cursing under his breath as a film of tears forms before his eyes.

"I love you. Gracie, I love you so fucking much I can't—I don't want to live without you. And I'm so sorry it took me so long. I'm sorry I'm coming now, and I know it might be late... but loving you gives me the dare to try. Loving you has made me brave enough to stand here in front of you and ask you to choose me, even though I have no right to do this."

In long strides, he crosses the room and stops in front of me.

I crane my neck to meet his gaze as he grasps my hands in his. His touch still soothing as ever. 

"I love you, Gracie... you have no reason to trust me though, I know, but I'm willing to spend the rest of my life earning back your trust. If your love can make me brave enough to come here, say the things I never would've thought I'd be able to say, it shows me as long as you're with me there's nothing I can't do, and there's nothing I won't do for you."

He lifts up his shoulders and he looks away from me. "I don't have William's money nor his power, in fact, I don't come anywhere near him, but I know I'll do anything to make you happy. I can't move mountains, but for you, for us, I want to try. For us, I want to become a better man. A man who can always keep you happy. I know I said I won't come between you and your goals, but please let me stand by your side, and we'll overcome them together."

"Spencer, please." My voice breaks and he leans down to me. He's asking for the impossible.

Though, after everything we've been through, not for a second can I bring myself to doubt his words.

Surprisingly, from the bottom of my heart, I know if I give him the chance, he'll do everything he can for me.

Yet, I fear it won't be enough... and the price for the following consequences is too heavy. 

"We're talking about five years, Gracie! Anything can happen during this time. Even if you decide to go through with this wedding, I know after five years, I'll still love you the way I do now, and I'll wait for you, as long as you want me to... but you'd be my stepbrother's ex, a-and I can't put you through that. The people you hang out with, I-I don't want you to be cast aside because of me... and I don't want to live another five years without you." His voice wavers as he talks quickly. A tear rolls down his cheek and my aching heart breaks again.

"I know what I'm offering is not good, but my heart and love for you are all I have and I'm giving it to you. Please, Gracie, please, don't do this. Choose me this once, don't leave me." His voice cracks and tears stream down his face.

I choke on my sob and he cups my face.

"Don't leave me, I beg you. Choose me, please. I'll do everything I can for you, I promise."

"Spencer," I cry and cling to his hands. "It's too late." My insides shredding to pieces. "It's too late," I whimper again, barely standing upright.

He squeezes his eyes shut as more tears spill down his face. He nods, his bottom lip quivering before he sucks in a sharp breath and opens his eyes, nodding again.

"You're right," he mumbles hoarsely and it only makes me cry harder. Gently he wipes away my tears. "I-I had t-to try though," he whispers, forcing on a smile. "I-I couldn't have lived with myself if I hadn't."

An iron fist tightens around my heart, a weight presses down on my chest, and my lungs constrict and burn.

"Please don't cry," he softly says, bringing his face closer to mine. "It's okay," he murmurs and kisses my forehead, his hot lips lingering, searing my skin. I clutch his shirt, tears freely falling down. "You're the only one I've ever loved, and you'll be the only one I'll ever love, Gracie," he whispers against my skin.

I press my lips tightly together to hold back my sob.

A distant clicking sound of a door opening comes, but neither of us pays it any heed. Spencer enfolds me and I hug him like my life depends on it.

For the first time, the urge to tell him what I feel for him rises in me. The three words—these damn three words that turn lives upside down—dance on the tip of my tongue but never make it out.

He kisses the top of my head before his bloodshot eyes find mine. "I can't stay, Gracie," he mumbles.

I freeze and gape at him. What!

He shakes his head. "I'm sorry. I can't stand in the corner and watch you become someone else's... say all thoughts oaths and everything, it's too much. Please don't make me stay through that."

"W-what do you mean?"

"I have a flight, I'll be leaving in a few hours, less than an hour from the ceremony."

My mouth hangs open as I stare at him. I want him to stay, but I stop myself from voicing it out... if our places would've changed, I wouldn't have been able to see him become someone else's either.

Solemnly I nod. "When will I see you again?" I ask quietly.

"Anytime you want me to, I'll always be a call away."

Fresh tears sting my eyes as I nod again, the lump in my throat growing painfully.

He kisses my forehead. "I'll be waiting for you if you change your mind," he feebly says before kissing me again.

I bite my bottom lip and hug him, flushing myself against him and squeezing my eyes shut. Though silent tears stream down my face, I focus on the feel of his body against mine, his scent, the way his arms wrap around me, the way our bodies so perfectly mold together.

"Gracie," Mom's soft voice snaps us out of our fragile bubble. We step away from each other and I glimpse Mom standing next to the door. She folds her arms and heaves a sigh. "A lot still needs to get done," she says.

I nod and Spencer retreats another step from me. I blink away my tears.

With one final glance, Spencer leaves and Mom shuts the door behind him.

I look away before my knees give out and I fall back onto the chair. "He said he's leaving."

"I figured that much," Mom mumbles as she comes to me and helps me fix my makeup.

Once it's restored to its original state, Mom quietly says, "You still have time to change your mind and not do this."

At that very moment, the door bursts open, Amanda saunters inside, with the stylists and Savannah tailing her.

Wordlessly I get to my feet as Amanda starts shouting orders, setting everyone back in motion.

Time goes by too quickly and before I know it, I'm standing in the middle of the room with the veil pinned down to my hair, and my wedding dress smoothed out to perfection.

The dress is embellished with Swarovski crystals creating swirling flowers across the modified A-line skirt and a chapel trail. The cathedral veil is laid out behind me. Three twenty-carat diamonds decorate the off-the-shoulder neckline.

Anxiously, I glance at the mirror, my heart drumming and the tips of my fingers getting icy.

This is it.

Uneasily, I gulp, my mouth too dry from my nerves. I glance at the clock and dread pools in my stomach. It's time.

Not a second later, my suite's door flings open I'm led outside. It's a five-minute drive from the hotel to the church.

With every step I take, my heels clicking against the mosaic floor of the hotel, my heart pounds harder.

Everyone is already in the church, ready and waiting for me.

I stand the furthest away from the door, with Mom on my right as the bride's maids climb into the vehicles ready to take them there.

Their car is different from mine. I'll be going with a Rolls Royce alongside Mom.

My fingers fidget uncontrollably. Despite my best efforts, my mind keeps reeling back to Spencer. The way he kept saying he loves me. The way he promised to do anything. All the things I've been yearning to hear for over five years.

I glance at Mom.

I can't risk it. Aside from the extremely high possibility of bankruptcy, Benjamin is on the loose and if anything happens to either Mom or Mason, I won't ever be able to forgive myself. With all these rumors about me and Spencer going around, no one will even agree to help us out... we'll fall back to the place we started from over five years ago.

Too lost in my thoughts, I don't notice when everyone in front of me is already in the car that's driving away.

I clutch the bouquet in my hands tighter.

With immense effort, I force my legs to take me forward, but Mom grabs my arm, stopping me. Confused I turn to her.

"Gracie, I understand you worked really hard to get where you are, and I know you feel responsible for both me and your brother. But I need you to know, no matter what, I'll always support you, and you don't need to worry about the contract, we'll face it together-"

"But Mom-"

She sternly looks at me, raising her index finger and silencing me. "All I want for you is to be happy. Money will always come and go, and it's not more valuable than your future, your life."

"But Benjamin-" I start but she interrupts me.

"The police will take care of him, we're safe, he can't do anything to us." She steps to me and grabs one of my hands, cradling it. "I want you to be happy. If Spencer is the one who makes you happy, then I'll gladly put up with living a normal life, even a hard one, as long as I know my children are safe and content, there's nothing else I want. Sure, a life of luxury is nice, but it's not everything. At least it's not for me and neither is for your brother."

I nibble my bottom lip and look away.

"You said you loved him... and he loves you... I'm sure your dad would've agreed with me if he was here. This might be your last chance to be with the man you love."

She's right. It can be the last chance. Just like Spencer said, we don't know what's going to happen in the future... then I'll be his stepbrother's ex... everything will become even more complicated.

Spencer's voice echoes in my head as he pleaded with me to choose him over money... unlike the last time that I chose the solution over him.

Conflicted, I gaze out of the door, with the car ready to take me to the church.

The two paths before lead down to two very different outcomes. Each is scary in its own means.

I don't know what to do.

❦ ♥︎ ❦

Which path do you think Gracie will choose? And which one do you want her to choose? =)

I'd love to hear your thoughts on Spencer showing up in her room again.

Any thoughts on Gracie's hesitance =)

Aaahhh this chapter was so tricky to write, I hope I got the emotions right :')

Did you guys know that some rich people (in real life) use actual diamonds on their wedding dresses?! I didn't... I found out when I was writing this chapter through the brief search I had :') Also there's a wedding dress worth 30 million dollars... yeah... I'm still in shock :')

Anyway, thanks for reading this chapter, hit that star button if you enjoyed it and comment your thoughts.

Spoiler alert: I just noticed we're less than a week away from the ending of this story [if I keep up with my update plans]... aahhh I'm so excited! :D

Stay safe, lots of love, happy reading ♡