Chasing the Anchor

Chapter 13: The Monaco Wedding

The warm Mediterranean breeze rustled gently through the white linen canopies, carrying the crisp, salty scent of the sea up the rocky cliffs of the French Riviera. Below the private villa’s estate, the deep blue waters of the Monaco coastline sparkled under a flawless afternoon sun. There were no flashing paparazzi drones overhead, no shouting reporters at the gates, and no corporate sponsor banners cluttering the view. We had built an ironclad wall of security around this day, ensuring that our promises to each other would be made in absolute sanctuary.

I stood inside the villa’s arched dressing room, smoothing down the front of my wedding gown. It was a masterpiece of minimalist elegance—a sleek, ivory silk column dress with a structured square neckline and a dramatic, sweeping train that pooled around my heels. My hair was swept up into a sophisticated, polished twist, leaving my neck bare except for a delicate diamond pendant Lewis had gifted me the night before.

I looked at the emerald-cut diamond ring glittering on my finger, a serene smile settling onto my lips. For a long time, I had believed that true independence meant standing entirely alone. But looking at my reflection today, I realized that marrying Lewis didn't diminish my world—it gave my anchor a permanent place to rest.A soft knock sounded against the heavy oak door. Angela stepped into the room, her eyes instantly welling with tears as she caught sight of me.

"Oh, Eliana," she whispered, her voice tight with an immense, maternal pride.

"You look absolutely breathtaking. Pure elegance." She stepped forward, gently straightening the edge of my silk train.

"The guests are all seated. Everything is perfectly secure outside. No press slipped through the perimeter."

"Thank you for managing the lines today, Angela," I said smoothly, offering her a calm, grounding smile.

"How is the groom holding up?" Angela let out a soft, affectionate chuckle.

"He’s been pacing the terrace for an hour. Charles and Pierre are trying to distract him by debating tire compounds for next season, but he isn't listening to a word they say. He’s just staring at the aisle waiting for you."

Ten minutes later, the strings of a live cello ensemble began to play a soft, classical melody that floated through the ocean air. The heavy glass doors opened, and I stepped out onto the sun-drenched stone terrace. Sitting on the simple white chairs were the few people who formed our true inner circle—my close family who had flown in from Singapore, Lewis’s family who had welcomed me with open arms, and the small handful of drivers from the F1 grid who had become our paddock family.

But the moment I looked down the aisle, the rest of the world completely dissolved.Lewis stood at the end of the altar, silhouetted against the brilliant blue expanse of the Mediterranean Sea. He looked exceptionally handsome in a tailored, sharp black double-breasted tuxedo. His shoulders were squared, but the absolute stillness in his dark eyes vanished the moment his gaze locked onto mine. I watched his chest take a sudden, deep, and shuddering breath as a look of pure, raw reverence washed over his features.

A tear shone at the corner of his eye, but a radiant, beautiful smile broke across his face as I closed the distance between us. When I reached his side, he didn't wait for the officiant to prompt him. He reached out instantly, his large, warm hands sliding firmly over mine, his fingers weaving between mine with a grounding grip that instantly melted the last traces of my nerves.

"You are so beautiful," Lewis whispered, his raspy voice thick with an emotion so deep it made my chest ache. "You took my breath away entirely."

"Focus on your breathing, husband-to-be," I murmured back with a playful challenge, my eyes shining with joy.

"We have a contract to sign." The ceremony was intimate, simple, and entirely devoid of the celebrity pomp the world expected from a global icon. We didn't read traditional, rigid vows. Instead, we spoke directly from the heart.

"Eliana," Lewis spoke, his voice steadying as he looked deeply into my eyes, his hands holding mine like I was the only thing keeping him attached to the earth.

"For my entire life, I lived in a world where everything was fast, loud, and fleeting. I thought my purpose was just to win, to fight, and to protect my heart behind walls. But you showed me that true strength isn't about running the fastest—it’s about having a safe place to stop. You became my sanctuary, my logic, and my peace. Today, I promise to protect your boundaries, to champion your independent spirit, and to chase you across every time zone for the rest of our days. You are my anchor, and I am finally home." A soft murmur of emotion swept through our small group of guests. I saw Pierre wiping his eyes from the front row, while Charles smiled with a deep, quiet respect.

"Lewis," I responded, my voice smooth, confident, and entirely unshakeable as I slid the simple, elegant platinum band onto his finger.

"I spent my life constructing perfect lines on a page, believing that control was the only way to survive. But you showed me that love isn't a restriction—it’s a freedom. You dropped your armor to show me the tired, beautiful man beneath the champion, and I fell in love with both. I promise to hold the line for you when the world gets too loud, to give you a safe haven where you can just be a regular human being, and to stand beside you as your true equal. Our partnership is unwritten, but it is unbreakable."

"I now pronounce you husband and wife," the officiant smiled.

"Lewis, you may kiss your bride."Lewis didn't hesitate for a fraction of a second. He stepped deep into my space, his powerful arms wrapping fiercely around my waist as he pulled me hard against his chest. He tilted his head down and sealed our marriage with a deep, slow, and devastatingly tender kiss that shut out the rest of the universe. The guests erupted into a joyful, roaring cheer, white flower petals raining down over our shoulders under the bright Monaco sun.

I tangled my fingers into the soft fabric of his tuxedo jacket, letting out a breathless, giddy laugh against his mouth as he lifted me slightly off the stone floor. The lines on his track had officially become the foundation of our shared page. As we turned hand-in-hand to face our family, our fingers locked tightly together, I knew that out of all the trophies and titles he had secured across the globe, chasing this anchor was the ultimate victory of his life—and our real journey was just beginning.