Chapter 51 The Promise Before Forever

• Sandra woke to the soft hum of Phoenix just outside the glass balcony doors, the city awash in a gold-tinted sunrise. Her chest felt tight—not from fear, but from the weight of everything this moment meant. Two years ago, she had been the chauffeur’s daughter, slipping quietly through the halls of Lancaster Global, invisible to the empire her father served. Now, she was days away from marrying its king.
• She slid out of bed and padded across the room, pulling the curtains wider. Behind her, she heard movement, the familiar sound of Steve’s steps, deliberate and sure.
• “Couldn’t sleep?” His voice was still rough from the night.