From Substitute To Queen novel Chapter 143

Chapter 143

The car pulled onto a private road I didn’t recognize. Through the windows, I caught glimpses of ocean waves and setting sun.

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When we stopped, Caelan was waiting beside the car, devastating in a white suit that brought out the blue of his eyes. He opened my door and took my hand.

“You look absolutely breathtaking.”

“Caelan, what is this?”

He smiled, leading me along a winding path. “You’ll see.”

He led me down to the beach, I gasped.

The private beach had been transformed into something from a fairy tale. Hundreds of white candles lined the shore in the shape of a giant heart. Rose petals covered the sand in intricate patterns that caught the dying light. A white pavilion stood at the center of it all, its flowing curtains dancing in the ocean breeze.

String musicians played softly from a discrete distance, their melody weaving through the sound of waves.

“Caelan…” I pressed my hand to my mouth. “This is incredible.”

“Come with me.”

We stopped in the center of the heart-shaped arrangement. Caelan turned to face me, his hands trembling slightly as he took mine.

“Sabi. Do you remember that stone you showed me when you were ten?”

I nodded, not trusting my voice.

“I was so young, so foolish. I told you it was just an ordinary rock.” His thumb brushed across my knuckles. “But I was wrong. It wasn’t ordinary at all. It was a reflection of your beautiful heart-the way you see magic and wonder in everything around you, including a broken boy who didn’t know how to love.”

Tears were already burning my eyes.

“Fifteen years, Sabi. Fifteen years I’ve watched you grow from that sweet little girl into this amazing, strong, compassionate woman.” His voice grew husky. “You survived losing your mother. You became a doctor to heal others.”

He dropped to one knee, and my heart stopped.

I swore I would protect you, care for you the way Isabella would have wanted. But somewhere along the way, my feelings changed. You weren’t my little girl to protect anymore-you became the woman I couldn’t live without.”

He reached into his jacket and pulled out a blue velvet box. He withdrew something else that made me gasp.

Mom’s sapphire necklace. Perfectly restored, the chain gleaming silver, the blue stone catching the candlelight like captured ocean depths.

“My mother’s necklace,” I whispered, tears spilling over. You fixed it.

“Isabella’s love for you will always be part of your story. He stood carefully, fastening the necklace around my throat. “But now I

want to add my love to that story too.”

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11:52 Fri, 22 Aug 6 PN.

Chapter 143

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He knelt again, opening the ring box. A stunning central diamond surrounded by smaller sapphires that echoed the necklace perfectly.

Sable Crawford, my heart, my miracle, my everything. His voice broke completely. I know I’m not perfect. I can be cold, demanding, sometimes dangerous. But I promise you with everything I am, everything I have, everything I’ll ever be–I will love you, protect you, and cherish you for the rest of my life.”

The tears were falling freely now.

“Will you marry me? Will you be my wife, my queen, my forever? Will you let me spend the rest of my life showing you how

precious you are?”

I dropped to my knees in the sand, framing his face with my hands. “Yes, Caelan. Yes, I’ll marry you. I love you more than anything.”

His answering smile was brilliant as sunshine. He slipped the ring onto my finger. It fit perfectly.

Then his arms were around me and his lips were on mine, and we were kissing as fireworks exploded overhead in brilliant bursts of color and light.

When we finally broke apart, I was laughing and crying at the same time. “Fireworks too?”

“Only the best for my queen. Look,”

In the sky above us, the fireworks spelled out “Caelan

Sable” in glittering letters against the star-filled darkness.

1 leaned against his chest, feeling the weight of the necklace at my throat and the ring on my finger. “This is the most perfect night of my life. Mom would be so happy.”

“I love you, my beautiful Sabi.” He pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead. “Forever and always.”

We walked along the water’s edge, his jacket draped around my shoulders. The waves lapped at our feet as we talked about the future-where we’d live, when we’d have the wedding, how many children we wanted.

“At least three,’ I declared, making him laugh.

“Three sounds perfect. As long as they all have your eyes.”

And your stubborn streak?”

“God help us all if they do.”

We were still laughing when we reached his car hours later. The ride back to the city passed in comfortable silence, my hand clasped in his as soft music played from the radio.

I couldn’t stop looking at my ring, watching how the diamonds caught the passing streetlights. Every few minutes, Caelan would glance over at me with this expression of pure contentment.

I need to stop for gas, he said as we reached the city outskirts.

The station was well-lit but relatively isolated, with a small convenience store attached. Caelan pulled up to the pump and began filling the tank.

“I want some coffee, I announced. “You must be exhausted after orchestrating this whole day.”

“I’ll come with you.”

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Chapter 143

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We walked into the bright store together. I selected two large coffees and some snacks for the rest of the drive. We settled at a small table near the large windows, still giddy from the night’s events.

Suddenly, blinding headlights flooded through the glass, so bright I had to squeeze my eyes shut.

“Sable, move!” Caelan lunged across the table, grabbing me just as the massive black SUV accelerated straight toward us.

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11:53 Fri, 22 Aug

From Substitute To Queen