Millionaire Girlfriend

Chapter 80: Chapter 80 - Our Marriage, Our Forever

The bachelorette party was in full swing.

Ashley and her friends were already completely drunk. Clara had called Ashley several times, but they had all put their phones on silent.

Then the door to the VIP room opened, and several handsome men with incredibly fit physiques walked in.

"Ooh! The dancers are finally here!" Chloé shouted. She was clearly the most excited of all the girls, especially since she was the one who had organized the party.

"Where’s the bride?" one of the men asked.

Ashley shyly raised her hand, putting on an innocent expression despite not actually being shy.

The man walked over, took her by the hand, and led her to the same chair where Sarah had been sitting earlier when Ashley had performed her little dance.

"Come on, Ashley! Enjoy yourself. This might be the last pair of pecs you get to touch!" Chloé shouted, encouraging her.

The two dancers began dancing around Ashley, moving their bodies and showing off physiques that looked as though they had been sculpted by the hands of a god.

Eventually, one of them climbed onto Ashley’s lap, rubbing his body against hers without the slightest hint of hesitation.

Ashley, enjoying the moment, ran her hand across his muscular chest.

"Oh... that’s pretty firm," she said, clearly not used to touching a man’s chest.

The other girls cheered loudly, enjoying the spectacle.

Suddenly, the door opened again.

It was Clara, accompanied by her cousins and several other women.

"Wow... now that’s a bachelorette party," Carla said, her voice making it obvious that she was already drunk.

"What the fuck?" Clara blurted out, genuinely surprised by the scene.

Before coming here, she had imagined all kinds of things, but for some reason, she had never expected to find half-naked male dancers performing on her future wife’s lap.

"Hey, babe. What are you doing here?" Ashley asked while the dancer continued dancing on her lap.

"I came to get you. The party’s over," Clara replied.

"What? No! It’s not even midnight yet. You should join us for some drinks instead," Ashley protested.

She was having the time of her life and didn’t want the night to end.

"First of all, it’s already two in the morning. And you know what they say—nothing good happens after two a.m. Second, you always get a horrible hangover after every night like this, so we’re stopping here. We can continue celebrating after the wedding ceremony," Clara explained.

Honestly, Clara hated seeing Ashley having so much fun without her, but she had to admit that she had a point about Ashley’s terrible hangovers.

"Give me fifteen more minutes, and then I’ll be yours for the rest of my life," Ashley said, still rubbing the dancer’s chest.

"And you, get away from my fiancée," Clara ordered, her patience finally running out.

The man immediately stepped away. He clearly didn’t want to cause any trouble between the couple.

Clara grabbed Ashley by the hand and started leading her out of the room.

"Wait, okay. I’ll go to bed, but we still have to sleep in separate rooms tonight," Ashley said.

She was already so drunk that she was struggling to keep her balance, but she was still remembering the tradition of couples sleeping apart the night before their wedding.

"That’s ridiculous," Clara replied.

She bent her knees, grabbed Ashley, and effortlessly lifted her over her shoulder.

Unlike Ashley, Clara couldn’t care less about the tradition of spending the night apart before the wedding.

"My dress is too short! Everyone’s going to see my underwear!" Ashley complained.

"It’s already two in the morning. There’s barely anyone left in the hallways," Clara replied as she carried Ashley away, her feet sticking out in front of her.

Clara was already a little drunk herself, but she had no trouble carrying Ashley. She was used to lifting her, and despite not having much visible muscle, Clara was surprisingly strong.

"Put me down. I feel like I’m going to throw up if I stay like this any longer," Ashley warned.

Her stomach was full of alcohol, and being pressed against Clara’s shoulder with every step was making her increasingly nauseous.

Clara immediately put her back on her feet but kept a hand on Ashley’s shoulder to steady her.

"Come on," Clara said, taking her hand.

A few seconds later, Ashley suddenly spoke.

"Are you mad at me?"

Her voice trembled, and tears began welling up in her eyes.

Clara wasn’t speaking to her in the warm, affectionate tone she normally used, and Ashley immediately thought she had done something wrong.

"What? No. Of course not," Clara reassured her.

"I’m happy that you’re having so much fun. I’m just a little jealous that you’re having fun without me," Clara admitted as she gently wiped the tears from Ashley’s face.

"I promise this is the last time I’ll have fun without you," Ashley promised, her smile returning.

After all, enjoying life one last time without her partner was kind of the whole point of a bachelorette party.

When they finally reached their room, Ashley and Clara took a cold shower to clear their heads before going to bed.

In just a few hours, they were finally going to get married and seal their love.

"Are you nervous? Because I’m so nervous right now," Ashley admitted.

"I am, but I’m also incredibly excited because I’m finally going to marry the most amazing person I know," Clara replied, looking into her eyes.

At that moment, Ashley was glad that Clara was by her side. If they had slept in separate rooms that night, Ashley was certain she wouldn’t have been able to fall asleep because of the stress.

She didn’t realize it at the time, but that was probably why she had drunk so much.

---

Ashley took a deep breath in front of the chapel doors.

Clara was already waiting for her inside the chapel.

Ashley wore a long white wedding dress that elegantly hugged her figure. The delicate fabric shimmered softly beneath the lights, while a long train followed behind her with every step.

Her hair had been carefully styled, with a few loose strands framing her face. A delicate veil fell gracefully over her shoulders, adding a touch of softness to her appearance.

Her makeup was subtle but perfectly done, highlighting her natural beauty.

She looked absolutely stunning.

"Are you okay, Aunt Ashley?" asked the sweet voice of little Ashley, Chloé’s daughter, who was serving as the ring bearer.

"Yes, everything’s fine, sweetheart," Ashley replied with a smile.

Then the doors opened.

The music began to play.

The guests stood.

The bridesmaids began walking down the aisle.

"Are you ready?" Regina, Clara’s mother, asked.

She was the one who would accompany Ashley down the aisle.

To Ashley, Regina had become something of a parental figure in her life, which was why she had asked her to accompany her to the altar.

"Yes. I’m ready," Ashley replied before taking Regina’s arm.

Holding her future mother-in-law’s arm, Ashley slowly walked down the aisle with a gentle smile on her lips.

At that moment, every eye in the room was turned toward her.

Especially Clara’s.

Clara was wearing an elegant black suit, a pristine white shirt, and a black tie.

Her perfectly fitted outfit gave her a sophisticated and elegant appearance.

A huge smile appeared on her face because, after today, Ashley would be hers forever.

"You look beautiful," Clara said when Ashley finally reached her.

"So do you," Ashley replied, returning the compliment.

Standing before them was a licensed civil marriage officiant.

He was none other than the captain of the ship, who had been authorized to officiate their wedding.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of Clara Turner and Ashley Gresham.

"As a civil marriage officiant, it is my honor to accompany them on this important day of their lives.

"Clara, Ashley, today you stand before your loved ones to commit yourselves to one another and begin a new Chapter of your lives together.

"Clara, Ashley... are you ready to begin?"

Clara exchanged a look with Ashley before smiling.

"Yes."

"Yes," Ashley replied as well.

The captain nodded before continuing.

"Very well. Before we proceed with the exchange of rings, I would like to remind you of something. Marriage is not only a promise made during the good times. It is also a promise to remain by each other’s side when things become difficult."

Clara’s smile faded slightly.

She looked at Ashley tenderly.

They both knew just how true those words were.

They had experienced good times, but they had also endured arguments, separations, regrets, pain, and tragedy.

Yet despite everything they had been through, they were still here.

Together.

The captain turned toward Clara.

"Clara Turner, do you accept Ashley Gresham as your wife, to love her, respect her, and remain by her side for as long as you both shall live?"

Clara didn’t take her eyes off Ashley.

"I do."

A few emotional laughs could be heard among the guests.

The captain smiled.

Clara had once told Ashley that she would never cry during their wedding ceremony, but her emotions had ultimately gotten the better of her.

The captain then turned toward Ashley.

"Ashley Gresham, do you accept Clara Turner as your wife, to love her, respect her, and remain by her side for as long as you both shall live?"

Ashley took a deep breath.

Her heart was beating wildly.

Every kind of emotion seemed to be rushing through her body at once, and she didn’t know which one to focus on.

"I do," she answered with a smile, her voice breaking slightly as tears of joy began to fall, just as they had for Clara.

Behind them, several guests applauded softly.

The captain then gestured for the ring bearer to come forward.

Little Ashley walked toward them carrying the wedding rings.

Clara gently took the ring meant for Ashley.

For a moment, she looked at the ring in her hand.

She thought about everything they had been through to get to this moment.

Then she took Ashley’s hand.

"Ashley..."

Her voice trembled slightly.

"From the moment I saw you, I thought to myself, ’One day, I’m going to marry this girl.’ I know we’ve been through some really difficult times, but I’m grateful that our love for each other has remained so strong."

Clara took a breath.

"I hope that from now on, everything will only get better, and that we will never be separated again, not even for a single day."

"I love you."

A huge smile appeared on Ashley’s face despite the tears in her eyes.

Clara gently slipped the ring onto Ashley’s finger.

Clara smiled back at her.

Then Ashley took the other ring.

"Clara..."

She paused for a moment.

"For a long time, I was always alone, without parents, without a family, and without anyone I could rely on."

Clara remained silent, completely absorbed in her words.

"But the moment you came into my life, all that loneliness and lack of love disappeared, and I became the most fulfilled person in the world. For that, I will devote myself to you for the rest of my life and beyond.

"I will never be able to thank you enough for loving me, but I will do everything I can to make you the happiest person in the world by my side, just as happy as I am by yours."

Ashley slipped the ring onto Clara’s finger.

"I love you. And I choose you, today and for the rest of my life."

Several guests discreetly wiped away their tears, including Clara’s mother.

She hoped nobody would notice, but she was simply too emotional seeing her baby so happy.

The captain looked at the two women before speaking.

"Clara Turner and Ashley Gresham, after hearing your vows and receiving your consent, it is time to officially pronounce your union."

He paused for a moment.

"By the authority vested in me as a civil marriage officiant, I now pronounce you officially married."

A second of silence followed.

Then the captain smiled.

"You may kiss."

Clara didn’t wait a second.

She gently placed her hands on Ashley’s face and kissed her passionately.

The guests immediately erupted into applause and cheers.

Ashley returned her kiss with a smile as the lights of the ship illuminated the scene behind them.

When they finally pulled apart, Clara rested her forehead against Ashley’s.

"My wife," she whispered with a huge smile.

Ashley looked at her for a few seconds before replying.

"My wife."

They both burst into laughter.

The captain stepped back to give them some space as the music began to play.

The guests stood and applauded even louder.

Clara took Ashley’s hand and squeezed it tightly.

After everything they had been through, after all the times they had thought their story was over, they had finally made it here.

They were married.

And this time, they intended to write the rest of their story together.

On a magnificent cruise ship in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by the people they loved, Clara Turner and Ashley Gresham had officially begun their new life together.

For better.

And for worse.

Together.

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