*Lake Como – San Filippo Cathedral, Minutes Later*
The pews were still full, but the ceremony was over.
The flowers wilted faster than they had been arranged. The choirboys had vanished. Guests whispered like insects under glass.
At the altar, armed guards on both sides stood poised.
Moretti men with sidearms tucked into holsters.
Ashford operatives with comms and cold stares.
The air vibrated.
One wrong move and the cathedral would be bathed in more than candlelight.
Edward stood between the lines, calm and crisp. At his side, Claire's fingers remained laced through his.
The court officer stepped forward, holding a red leather folder. “This is the full annulment decree. Signed, witnessed, and processed through both Vatican and international channels."
He placed it on the altar l
