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Chapter Text

Walking up towards a post box, a young woman with dark hair and half Asian heritage, holding huge envelopes in her hands.

“I have a dream, a song to sing,” the girls sighed with nervousness, and her hands were shaking with the envelopes 

“To help me cope with anything, if you see the wonder of a fairy tale.” The young woman gleamed with hope at the possibility that maybe her father would be part of the wedding. 

“You can take the future, even if you fail.” The young woman was holding three envelopes she had in her hands were addressed to three brothers.

Anthony Bridgerton 

Benedict Bridgerton 

Colin Bridgerton

She put them in the box, one by one and blessing all of them with a kiss and praying that they reached their destination and that they would come to her wedding. 

Chapter Text

Screaming at each other at full capacity and running at each other at full speed of velocity, was Vivian Baek from one side of the dock and from the other side of the dock were her two best friends and shenanigan pals of crime, Phoebe Yang and Lilah McLeod.

Vivian leapt into the arms of Phoebe and Lilah and was knocked to the ground like bowling pins. Helping them up, Phobe and Lilah couldn’t help but be bedazzled by the ring on Vivian’s finger.

“Oh, my Aphrodite, is he treating you right.” Phoebe is holding Vivian’s hand.

“Oh, I want one.” Lilah, whinged playfully, putting one hand head, sighing dramatically.

“If you want one, buy one yourself. Closest ring you’ll get a ring is if…” Phoebe was cut off by Lilah pinching her ear lobe, then kissed her cheek.

Vivian was still getting used to her best friends being in a relationship, though she’s known about their crushes on each other for quite a long time. Seeing them all, PDA was still new for them, but she was happy for them.

“So, I have a surprise.” Vivian is playing coy with them.

Phoebe and Lilah looked at each other, then at Vivian’s stomach. Vivian noticed that they were staring at her stomach, covered her stomach with her hands.

“No, no, I’m not pregnant. It’s too soon. I invited my father to my wedding.” Vivian started being coy again.

Phoebe and Lilah looked puzzled. “I thought you didn’t know who your father is.”

“Well, yes. That was until a few weeks ago when I cleaned up or old store space, did I came across this bad boy.” Vivian pulled out a silver sparkling diary for bag. “This diary belongs to my mother and was the year that she had me, and holds the information about my biological father.”

Vivian opens to a page of the diary, of when it all started. “July 20^th, what a night.”

“I don’t think I want to hear about Sophie’s love life.” Lilah crossed her arms in discomfort.

“Well, I do.” Phoebe went, next up to Vivian reading, where she was on the Diary.

Continuing to read the diary with glee, “I met Benedict Bridgerton at a masquerade ball that I snuck into, and he taught me how to dance. He was so kind and gentlemanly like. He spontaneously invited me to a trip to an island in Greece. And I accepted his offer and dot, dot, dot.”

Phoebe and Lilah looked at each other, confused. “Dot, dot, dot?” Lilah asked, going to Vivian’s other side.

“Yeah, that’s what they did back then. Dot, dot, dot. Benedict’s the one. I’ve never felt this way before.” Vivian felt a sense of fulfilment to a question that she’s been wondering her whole life.

“Honey, honey, how you thrill me, aha, honey honey” Vivian felt excited knowing more about her father.

“Honey, honey, nearly kill me, aha, honey honey” Vivian dramatically plunged an imaginary dagger into her heart.

“I'd heard about you before, I wanted to know some more, and now I know what they mean, you're a love machine. Oh, you make me dizzy” Vivian was just too excited at the prospect of meeting her father that a burst of energy burst through her body and she started running towards home, while signalling to Phoebe and Lilah to follow and become her back-up singers.

“Honey, honey, let me feel it, aha, honey honey” Vivian felt emotions of excitement and joy over flooded her emotions.

“Honey, honey, don't conceal it, aha, honey honey” Vivian wanted to know more about Benedict, as he could be her potential father.

“The way that you kiss goodnight”, Vivian continued, reading the diary, feeling a tug at her heart from the affection that her potential father had for her mother.

“(The way that you kiss me goodnight)” Phoebe and Lilah repeated dramatically, swooning over this sweet scene between Sophie and Benedict.

“The way that you hold me tight”, Vivian reads another line from the diary, swooning over the potential father that she could have had.

“(The way that you're holding me tight)” Phoebe and Lilah repeated in a romantic gesture, where Phoebe shoots a pretend arrow and Lilah is shot in the heart.

Vivian reading, her mother’s diary entry “I feel like I wanna sing when you do your THING!”

“So, this guy Benedict is your father?” Phoebe is taking a seat on a rock.

“The plot thickens. August 18^th, all this time, when Benedict tells me that he loves me, he announces that he is engaged and has gone back to marry. I'm never going to see him again.”

“Poor Sophie,” Lilah said.

“August 23^rd, what a night. Colin rented a motorboat and so took him on a tour of the island.”

“Colin?” Lilah questioned if this was the potential father of Vivian, but with that diary excerpt entry read out, leaving her best friends intrigued and wanting more, as Vivian took off running towards the hotel.

“Though I’m still intrinsically in love with Benedict. However, Colin is such a funny guy, one thing led to another and dot, dot, dot.” Vivian went to another diary entry where there was another potential suitor in; he could possibly be her father.

“August 29^th, Anthony turned up out of the blue, so I showed him the island. He’s so sweet and understanding and couldn’t help it and dot, dot, dot.” The three of them were laughing out of pure joy and amusement at Sophie’s wild journey when she was young. If Vivian could have met the younger version of her mother, she would have gotten along with her.

Though their laughter was briefly paused as Sophie let out an ‘ahem’ and opened her arms out as an invitation for hugs, making Phoebe and Lilah turn their heads towards her and walk towards Sophie’s warm presence.

Sophie had watched Vivian grow up with her two friends. She saw their fights, shenanigans, wins, lows and all the in-between. She has been there for them and basically was like their second set of children.

“Come here, you two.” After a brief reunion, with a loving exchange of hugs and kisses between Sophie and Vivian’s two friends. “It says like you lot are having fun already. I used to have fun back in my days.” Sophie reminisced over that summer, thankful that it was all behind, and the only good thing that came out of it was Vivian.

“Oh, we know,” Lilah remarked, earning a whack from her girlfriend and a suspicious look from Sophie.

“We’d love to chat, but we gotta go, mum. I love you.” Vivian hugged and kissed her mum.

“Remember, bachelorette party at 9 am tonight, dear. I’ve got a special treat for you.” Sophie, smirking she was picking up the goods at the loading dock later on in the day.

“And I know that it will be the most amazing thing ever. Bye, mum.” Vivian started pulling her friend's arms.

“Bye, Sophie.” Phoebe and Lilah say their little goodbyes.

Sophie waved them off as Vivian, Phoebe, and Lilah ran off towards Vivian’s place. When they were far distance from Sophie’s earshot and arrived in Vivian’s bedroom, she quickly ushered them in and closed the door quickly behind them.

“So, which one did you invite? Benedict, Colin or Anthony?” Phoebe asked.

With a devious grin that spread across Vivian’s face, her friends were gobsmacked by how manic their friend was. There was no backing out now, they had to support their friend’s mad plans and hope that he doesn’t fall flat on her face if it all backfires.

“When you ask a total stranger, please come to my wedding, you might be my father, you’re guaranteed no response. However, you send a letter under the guise of my mother, no surprise they all said yes.” Even more terrified by how much their friend was a conniving and mad genius, all they could do was celebrate that Vivian was going to meet her potential fathers.

“Honey, honey, how you thrill me, aha, honey honey” Vivian can just see how close the possibility was, meeting her father.

“Honey, honey, nearly kill me, aha, honey honey” As they all pretend to kill themselves dramatically in different ways.

Perched outside of her balcony, looking out into the ocean, “I heard about you before”, looking at the diary as it was a crucial piece of information that was withheld from her all these years.

When Vivian was asked about her mother, she would reply with “It was a fun and heartbreaking experience, but you were the best thing that came out of it.” And would move on to another topic and avoid the conversation altogether.

“I wanted to know some more” Vivian traced the outside glitter pattern that was on the cover of the diary.

“And now I’m about to see what you mean to me.” She was going to see what kind of man her father was.

---

Two taxis were racing to a dock, so that they were able to board a ferry that would take them to a little island in Greece. Unfortunately, they both missed the ferry as it was setting sail, as Benedict and Anthony were both waving for the ferry to come back. However, they were not expecting to see each other.

Huffing and holding his ribs from the sprinting, “Brother, what are you doing here?” Anthony asked, surprised to see his younger brother here.

In the same position as his brother, “I can ask you the same question.” As Benedict placed down one of his luggage, he breathed more easily.

“More important, what does the sign say?” Anthony was pointing towards a sign that was written in a foreign language that he didn’t recognise.

Benedict pulled down his sunglasses to see the writing clearly: “Monday, the next ferry arrives on Monday.”

“Then how on earth am I going to get on that island?” Anthony was scratching his head and figuring out how to get there, but his thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice that was on top of a sailboat.

“You two need a ride?” The two brothers cranked their heads up to see that it was their younger brother Colin.

“Well, yes, don’t mind if I do.” Benedict is placing his luggage on the boat.

“This is absurd, if you think that I am going on that boat”, Anthony stood in defiance.

“Suit yourself, guess you’ll have to find another way to the island.” Benedict is teasing his brother.

“Fine, but if we sink, I’m blaming you.” Anthony pointed his finger accusingly at Benedict, and he put up his hands in surrender.

“So, which side? Bride or Groom?” Colin asked.

“Brideside, though to admit I don’t know the bride, only the bride’s mother, Sophie.” Benedict, recollecting when he received the invitation in the mailbox from Sophie, he leapt at the chance to see Sophie again, the one that got away from him.

“Same here.” Anthony raised his hand.

“Me as well. Is it possible that we all know Sophie?” Colin asked.

“You could say that”, Benedict rubbing the back of his neck. Braving the lion’s den to see for a chance to see Sophie and perhaps make an amendment or second chance.

---

“Coming through, coming through. I’ve got a senior citizen with me.” Kate said with a loving but sarcastic tone.

“Shut up, Kate, I’m not that old and even if I was, you’re more senior than me.” Penelope teased back.

On the ferry that the Bridgerton brothers missed, Kate and Penelope were walking through the crowded boat for a place to sit, which was kindly offered to them by a kind old man and a woman scooting over for room.

Kate and Penelope have known Sophie since high school, forming a singing group called Sophie and the Sopranos. They have been there for Sophie through the thick and thin and were just glad to see their friend again after so many years, as Kate went off to be a successful lawyer and Penelope became a successful romance writer across the globe.

The woman who scooted over for room handed Penelope a novel which was written by her, and she was given a pen alongside the book. The woman said in broken English, “Please, sign. I’m a big fan.” Penelope opened the book with much delight, seeing a fan and started signing it, while the woman was explaining with passion, how much she loves Penelope’s writing, with a limited amount of English, but was made up with their big movement and shaking Penelope back and forth.

Meanwhile, Kate’s attention was pulled over to a group of men playing poker, laughing and having beer. Striding over to the group, “Hey boys, got room for one more?” She threw a few hundred bucks in the middle of the group. The men all looked at her for a brief moment before continuing their rowdy behaviour and leaving space for Kate to join in.

---

Trying to sneak through the door unnoticed and failing, wanted to take a sneak peek at their bride-to-be and retrieving some props for his bachelor’s party is Vivian’s fiancé, Jesse. The man had dirty blonde hair, with wavy hair that was at shoulder length and spoke with an Australian accent.

Vivian, spotting her fiancé at the door, “So what do you think of the bridesmaid dresses?” showing off the dresses that Lilah and Phoebe are in.

“They’re alright.” The man said in an innocent tone, knowing that he’ll get a reactional response from her, discreetly hiding his grin from her.

“Alright!” Vivian pouted, “If you were to plan this wedding, it would be t-shirt and jeans with beer stains on them.”

“You smear my image, my love?” Jesse acted all accused, “Why don’t you just plunge a dagger into my heart, while you’re at it?” Pretending to place a dagger to his heart and fainting on the bed.

Joining him on the bed, Vivian jumped on top of him, repositioned herself to place a gentle and tender kiss upon his lips, and only held his jaw with her thumb and index finger. “What are you doing here?” Vivan asked in a sultry tone.

“To see you.” Vivian playfully rolled her eyes at his remark. “And to get some props for the party, tonight.” Jesse smiled fully, showing his dimples, which Vivian couldn’t resist looking at.

“If you must.” Vivian releasing and getting off her fiancé.

Retrieving the props from the box, “It’s nice to see you ladies and beautiful day.” And with that, he left the room.

When Phoebe hears that Jesse is a far distance away, she shot a look at Vivian and asked in a serious tone. “He doesn’t know, doesn’t he?”

Crashing into the bed again, “Yes, actually. He was the one who suggested inviting them.” Vivian smiled, looking at the ring and reminding herself just how lucky she was to meet and fall in love with Jesse.

Phoebe and Lilah looked at each other with concern, then at Vivian. “How will you know which is your dad?” Lilah said.

“It’ll be a pretty wide aisle if you don’t,” Phoebe commented in a snarky remark. This was immediately responded to with a pillow being thrown at her face.

“I’ll know my father when I see him, and when I do, everything will fall into place.” Vivian smiles, thinking about the situation she had planned in her head for weeks now with Jesse’s help; however, she did not know the chaos that was waiting to unfold.

Chapter Text

Coming off the ferry, Kate was grinning with a bunch of cash earnings that were stuffed in pockets or any storage space on her person, from wiping the table clean of all earnings. Penelope, on the other hand, was energised from talking to the fan and was ready to take on the world.

On the other side of the dock was Sophie posing confidently like a superstar holding a microphone at a world tour concert. “Well, look at what the tidal wave washed in.”

When Kate and Penelope saw her, they immediately struck a pose with their back against each other.

“FOR ONE NIGHT!” Penelope yelled from across the dock.

“AND ONE NIGHT ONLY!” Kate joined in.

“SOPHIE AND THE SOPRANOS!” As they both came running towards each other like a pack of hyenas, laughing madly and manically.

When they were physically met, all of them started to chant their band's motto, “Sopranos, Sopranos, when they go low, we go lower.”

“We need to fix that chant; it contradicts who we are,” Kate said.

Penelope chimed, “We always do, but then we forget.” Making them all burst into laughter.

As they got all their chaotic greeting energy wrapped up, Sophie showed them to her convertible car to place their luggage, with Kate having only one suitcase with the purpose of lasting her for the weekend. Penelope, on the other hand, looked like she was bringing a whole house with her with the crazy amount of luggage she had on her, though Sophie and Kate teased her relentlessly that it was an unnecessary amount, but she insisted that it was an appropriate amount, considering that she was going to be there longer than Kate.

Riding uphill in the car towards the hotel, with the wind blowing against their face and trying to avoid and dodge the dust and debris that is going towards their facility.

“It’s a beautiful island, full of gorgeous people…” Penelope innocently comments on the charisma and charm of the island.

“Here we go, the wheels are turning. Book number 27, coming to your local Barnes and Noble in a few months.” Kate teased, interrupting Penelope’s train of thought.

“No, no.” Lightly whacking Kate’s shoulder. “My publisher told and begged me to go on a holiday because I’ve been overwhelming them with the amount, I’ve been churning them out,” Penelope explained.

“You think that would be a good thing.” Sophie was puzzled.

“They still have ten books to process and publish, and I’m in a bit of writer’s block.” Penelope was trying to sound modest and humble, but in the end, they ended up sounding a little bit like a brag.

“Well, there’s no stopping this writing machine.” Kate is trying to lift Penelope’s spirit.

“Who knows, maybe when you place the pen down, you’ll find someone who fancies you.” Sophie shimmering her shoulders and raising her eyebrows. “And you can get over the crush that you have.” Sophie was trying her best to console her friend and see the best outcome of this writing situation, knowing that it was her passion.

“Yeah, perhaps.” Penelope’s voice dropped at the end, and she picked at her fingers.

Though she’s told the pair about the long-time crush she had, she hadn’t revealed the fact that the man had rejected her confession of love that she had been building for years. Though the rejection was dealt with in a sensitive manner, he essentially told her that he sees her as a little sister.

“What about you, Kate?” Penelope is trying to shift the focus over to Kate.

“What about me?” Kate is trying to act all innocent.

“You met anyone yet?” Sophie asked and was intrigued, though she knew the answer she’d get from Kate.

“It’s… complicated,” Kate replied.

Sophie and Penelope glanced at each other for a brief second before Sophie's eyes were back on the road. This was more of a response they usually get from her; usually Kate doesn’t open up about relationships, but today was once in a blue moon opportunity for the girls to question Kate if they played their cards right... with alcohol.

“Alright, if you say so.” Penelope, immediately on the defensive because they knew if they were going to get something out of her by just asking, she would quickly close herself like a clam, they would need alcohol.

With idle chatter and catch-up over lost time that was spent on driving uphill, and the hike up the steep and continuous stairs. When they reached the top, they were greeted by Vivian with a warm smile and lots of hugs.

“Aunt Pen, Aunt Kate!” Vivian is embracing these two important women, who essentially helped raise Vivian and saw her blossom into the young woman that they see before them.

“It’s been so long since I’ve seen you, and you just get more gorgeous every time I see you.” Penelope embraces Vivian back, suppressing the urge to pinch the cheek of this young woman before her.

“Leave some beauty for the rest of the island.” Kate opened her arms and waved her hands as a signal to come to her, waiting for her turn to be embraced by the young woman.  

“Alright, enough spoiling her.” Sophie comes right up to her daughter and gently places her hand on her forehead. “She gets enough from me and that lucky fiancé of hers.” Now replacing her hand with a gentle kiss.

“Now, your place shouldn’t be that far from here. It’s just a little bit of walk.” Sophie gestured to Kate and Penelope to follow her through the maze of clothes and sheets on drying lines.

During their weaving in and out of the laundry maze, they were met with Jesse, who introduced themselves to Kate and Penelope, showing off his chivalrous manner, making them swoon and Vivian a tad bit jealous, dragging him off to have a ‘discussion’.

“Use protection, hon!” Sophie shouted out, teasing and embarrassing her daughter.

Vivian playfully flipped off her mother and sarcastically replied, “Love you too, mum.”

When they finally reached their destination, they all fell onto the couch, which then collapsed underneath from their collective weight and jump, putting them all in a giggling fit.

“That couch has been sturdy for 20-plus years, and I decided today was the day. Welp, I’ll just put that on my long list to do.” Sophie laughed tiredly at the never-ending list of jobs that she had to do.

“So, um. Just a few things about the living situation. If the toilet doesn’t flush immediately, just leave it for a while, then come back and flush it again, because this place is broken. The whole hotel is broken, except for me.” Hearing the frustration in her voice, Kate and Penelope were a bit concerned that Sophie was overworking herself to exhaustion and burnout.

“Hey Sophie, why don’t you relax for a bit? You deserve a bit of it; we all do with that journey back there.” Kate was trying to get Sophie to sit back down on the broken couch, but was distracted by the closed window panel and wanted to bring light and air into the room.

 “Been running this hotel for 15 years and I have never had a day off in my life…” As she opened the window panels, one of the panels broke off and fell, nearly hitting the people below.

“Oh my god.” Sophie covered her mouth in shock then then realised another broken thing to the list, and one of her hands moved up to pinch the bridge of her nose. She tried to take a deep breath, but Sophie exploded with frustration, as if that was the last straw that broke the camel’s back.

“I work all night, I work all day to pay the bills I have to pay.” Sophie feels an overwhelming sense of tiredness from the endless work with very little pay, blaming capitalism as a blanket blame for all her issues.

“Ain't it sad?” A choir of people below her, where the window panel fell, sympathised with her situation.

“And still there never seems to be a single penny left for me.” And even if Sophie did save up, she was a selfless woman and would spend the money elsewhere, like on the hotel and or her daughter, never herself.

“That's too bad.” Penelope and Kate are growing more concerned for their friend.

“In my dreams I have a plan, if I got me a wealthy man.” Though Sophie was opposed to the stupid patriarchal society, she did often ponder if her issues would resolve if a rich man whisked her away.

“I wouldn't have to work at all, I'd fool around and have a ball,” Sophie sighed and laughed cruelly at that fleeting thought of luxurious life, it beats working. Though the thought burst when she realised that she had to pick up the window panel that had fallen.

Walking down an alleyway, crowded by people who have either jobs that were minor or took Sophie a while to fix, “Money, money, money, must be funny, In the rich man's world.” Though there were tons, Sophie’s eyes were B lining for the window panel.

“Money, money, money, always sunny, in the rich man's world.” Picking up the window panel, looking up where it came, and then continuing to walk forward through the crowded alleyway.

Sophie, belting out a run that was full of tiredness and whinging, looked up to see Penelope and Kate holding up a line of debit and credit cards. They really want to help Sophie in her situation, but she doesn’t want any pity money; she wants money that was earned with her time and effort.

“All the things I could do, if I had a little money.” Sophie had a ray of false hope, just thinking about whether she had money and how it could benefit the hotel and her life a bit, though she realised that it was…

“It's a rich man's world,” Sophie rolled her eyes at the hypocrisy of high-class society.

“A man like that is hard to find,” Kate explained

“But I can't get him off my mind” An image of Benedict appeared in her head but was instantly swatted away, too painful to think of him.

“Ain't it sad?” A choir of people, who were familiar with Sophie’s love story.

“And if he happens to be free, I bet he wouldn't fancy me” Though the thought of Benedict appeared again, Sophie thought that if he wasn’t married and still single would he still be interested in her, but she swatted that thought away again because if she thought to much about it, a sense of hope and delusion would develop and she did not want that and especially right now with the wedding.

“That's too bad” A choir of people cheekily chimed. Sophie laughed a bit.

Sophie thinking of another hypothetical situation “So I must leave, I'll have to go to Las Vegas or Monaco and win a fortune in a game, my life will never be the same.” Then she realises that she has the worse luck in history so that plan wouldn’t work as well.  

“Money, money, money, must be funny in the rich man's world” Going off to get her utility belt with all of her tools as she was going to work again.

“Money, money, money always sunny in the rich man's world” Going through the maze of laundry again because Sophie left something in the car and her next was towards that direction.

“All the things I could do If I had a little money, It's a rich man's world” Sophie and all the women that she was passing, all thinking about what that little extra money would benefit them.

“It’s a rich man’s world” All the women all agreed with Sophie’s statement, making the village burst full of feminine laughter and camaraderie.

While Sophie was focused on fixing the hotel, on the other side of the island Sophie’s problems is now rearing its head on the other side of the island, as they just arrived.

Oh boy.

Chapter Text

“We have to walk up there?” Anthony was gobsmacked at the distance that they must traverse. Anthony has been on many occasional hikes, but none that were as steep and long as this.

“What's the matter, princess, worried your feet will be tired?” Benedict mocking his older with much love and a cheeky grin.

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Pushing Benedict away from his area, and started walking forward, however.

“You’re going the wrong way, idiot.” Colin is pointing towards the other direction, both brothers trying to cover up their snickering at his brash behaviour.

“I knew that I was just testing you.” Now walking the other direction

Benedict turned to Colin and, clasping his hands together like a prayer, “God help us.”

Colin clasping their hands together as well, “And make it sooner rather than later.” Colin’s eyes drifted up to the sky, hoping that the big man would hear them.

Not even a quarter way up the hill did Anthony start complaining, “How far are we to the top?”

Benedict looked behind them, seeing the little progress that they’d made because they had to stop for Anthony multiple times, as he had a stone in his shoe and it felt uncomfortably wedged between his foot and sole, resulting in him falling into a bush.

Another reason why they had to stop was because Anthony felt a bug crawl up his spine (probably from the fall in the bush), freaking out and wanting his brothers to get it off him. The last reason they stopped because well… natural urges called, and Anthony wanted his privacy behind the bush. Benedict knew that this was going to be a long walk.

Benedict didn’t know how long they were going to take to traverse the hill at the rate they were going. Though their prayers were answered for easier convenience up the hill, as an old convertible car with a young woman driving slowly approached them.

“Need a ride?” The young woman asked.

“We’re just fine, thanks.” Anthony politely declined.

Benedict approached the car and the young woman, “Actually, we would love to, if you don’t mind.”

“Benedict, get away from her, we don’t know the first thing about her. For all we know, she could be a murderer.” Anthony trying to warn his brother.

“My name is Vivian Baek…”

“You must be the bride of the wedding?” Benedict asked

“Yes, I am. And you are?” Vivian replied.

Benedict turned towards his brother, “See completely harmless,” turning towards Vivian again, “My name is Benedict, the frazzled and paranoid but harmless one is my older brother Anthony, and the one with good hair,” both brothers placed their hands to adjust their hair, “is my younger brother Colin.”

Vivian stared at the three of them, feeling a sense of star-struck from reading about them from her mother’s diary to now standing in front of her. The infamous Benedict, who broke her mother’s heart, Colin, the brother she had fun with, and Anthony, the kind and understanding brother. Vivian sees an opportunity that is presented right in front and now is the time to seize it.

“My offer still stands.” Vivian was patting the seat beside her.

“She can be a suicidal maniac! I’ve read an article…” Anthony’s voice was filled with paranoia.

Benedict was already putting one of his luggage in the back of the car, “Fine, suit yourself. Don’t go complaining to me if your feet get sore and swollen from walking up the hill.” Benedict was already in the car, with Colin following behind.

“Sorry, brother, as much as I love a long walk, I rather much prefer a car ride. Especially on a foreign island.” Colin was already placing his luggage in the back of the car. The two brothers looked at Anthony with smug looks, but with Anthony being as stubborn as a mule, he wasn’t going down without a fight.

“Well, have been murdered.” Anthony was standing firm with his arms crossed and still on the hill.

“Hit the gas, Vivian.” Benedict winked at Vivian, making Vivian giggle a little. She knew he was bluffing, so to make it convincing, she made the car make a revving loud sound that made Anthony flinch and drove a little bit forward, making Anthony run to the car and the brothers laughing their heads off.

As Vivian drove the three brothers up to the hotel, she realises that they had no place to stay, so she dove into her head about places that were available but would hide the three brothers from her mum.

She first thought about placing them in her place, but her mother would instantly spot them, then thought about one of the vacant places, but remembered that all the rooms are occupied because of the wedding.

There was only one place that she could have thought of, which was the old goat house. It was a bit of a risk as it was a storage place where Sophie would get her tools from, but with the right precautions, she could hide them long enough until the wedding.

Benedict put Vivian out of her detailed thought process, “Do you have an idea when we get to see Sophie?” Benedict had a look of pleading and redemption that was easily read to anyone within a ten-mile radius.

Vivian looked away; she didn’t counter them wanting to see Sophie right away, though it had been a long time since they’d seen each other, she thought. She’ll have to deflect and stall their questions about Sophie for a little bit until she can think of something sufficient.

Now arriving at the top of the hill, Vivian led the brothers through a secret passage to the old goat house, with Anthony’s complaints being the soundtrack of their espionage travel. When they arrived, Vivian opened the trapdoor from the roof and a ladder that fell and led them up.

As the three brothers stood in the storage area of the goat house, Anthony stood with his hands on his hips, fed up with being in the dark, “So where is our place of lodging?” Anthony asked with his nose flaring up.

“Don't hold your breath, brother, think you're looking at it.” Colin patted Anthony’s back with the kindest regards to his well-being and ego.

Benedict turning to Vivian, “Can please we please see Sophie?” Pleading with Vivian to give him a glimpse of the one he yearns for and regrets every night.

Vivian looked at Benedict, realising that it’s going to be hard to keep up a lie about her mother to this poor man in front of her, so instead she ripped the band-aid off.

Taking a deep breath and sighing in stress. “I lied. I wrote those invitations to you, not my mother.”

Benedict’s voice rose about two octaves high. “What!?”

“When I reached out to you, I thought there was no possibility that I would get a reply, but the fact that three of you are standing here must count for something. Maybe like a siren call?” Vivian is trying to spin something positive out of the lie she has created.

“You really are your mother’s daughter, aren’t you?” Colin was laughing hysterically.

“Vivian, I can’t be here. Your mother has a vendetta against me and would want to wring my neck. I have to go.” Benedict’s body temperature began to rise, and his collar became uncomfortable.

“Wait, please don’t go. I wanted to surprise my mother because you know, because she talks about the good ole days and how she misses you guys.”  Vivian was lying through her teeth like it was a professional sport because she knew that it was completely bullshit, and the only way she knew about them was through going into a personal diary without her prior knowledge.

She needed them to stay, be now that she’s seen them, she’s confused about which is her biological father, and she needs their answers, no matter what she must do, wel,l except harming her mother, which was the last thing that she wanted to do.

“I have to go, but please stay,” Vivian begged the three brothers.

“Look, I’m down, I have nothing better to do.” Colin had already committed to a cause he probably knew would create havoc, which he was going to have fun with.

Benedict is already falling for Vivian’s charm already “Fine, but if Sophie spots me, I’m off the island already.”

All of them were looking at Anthony, looking at the built-up cobweb in the corner. Benedict coughed to get his attention, he whipped his head around.

“I mean, it’s not the best conditions to stay in, but I’ll do it.” Anthony lightly pinched his ears to distract himself from the dust surrounding him.

Before Vivian left, she blocked a window with a pin board that had memories and momentos, and had the brothers place a heavy object on top of the trap door so that no one could enter easily.

---

Sophie, coming back to check on Kate and Penelope, entered the room and saw the many open suitcases that belonged to Penelope just lying out and taking up quite a lot of table space.

“Penelope, hon. Can I move some of your clothes?” Sophie shouted out, hoping that Penelope was still around.

Coming out of the bath in a robe and a towel that held her hair in. “Sure, let me just grab these,” grabbing a few articles of clothing in one hand, “and I’ll be out of your hair.”

Kate, who was in the corner, reading her book with one hand and fanning herself with the other, looked up and patted a spot next to her for Sophie to sit next to her.

“Ah, no thanks.” Sophie politely declined.

Kate lifted one of her brows and narrowed her eyes toward Sophie, “That wasn’t a request, sit next to me for the next 5 minutes, you deserve a little rest, you’ve been moving non-stop since we’ve arrived.”

Admitting defeat instantly because it was easier to give up than to put up a fight against Kate, Sophie weaved herself through the labyrinth of suitcases and plopped herself down next to Kate and completely deflated into the seat.

“See, it looks like you need it. Now answer me honestly, Sophie, how are you holding up with the wedding and all?” Kate pushes a strand of hair out of Sophie’s face.

“Honestly, I’m doing just fine. Yes, my little girl is getting married, and that’s something I probably won’t achieve in my lifetime. I am in my mid-40s, and I don’t want to do that bullcrap that goes with dating. I’m just tired. I’ve already done the fooling around and boy trouble in my early 20s, and look where it led me to, a beautiful daughter and a broken hotel.” Sophie sank more into the seat.

“Move.” Penelope patting Sophie’s thigh to scooch over a bit, “Look, just remember that we’re always there for you. You can lean on us for anything, please depend on us.” Penelope started pleading.

“I’ll try, but I’ll make no promises.” Sophie instantly surrendered to Penelope’s antics.

Sophie looked at the time on her watch and started to get up, but was instantly denied as Kate and Penelope dragged her back down.

“It hasn’t been five minutes yet. You've got 2 minutes left.” Kate is getting a bit annoyed at Sophie's all work and no play ethic that she puts upon herself.

Trying to stand up again but were pulled down by Kate and Penelope, “Well, that’s two minutes that could be spent on something valuable like the wedding or fixing the hotel…” Sophie’s rambling was silenced by Penelope placing a pillow on her face, then by Kate putting her body weight on Sophie to keep her down.

“Silence, when the two minutes are over, we’ll let you go; until then, you’re going to rest. Are we at an agreement?” Penelope still covering Sophie’s face, Sophie replied with a muffled sound that resembled a yes. Though as the two minutes passed by, when Penelope and Kate released Sophie, she was already asleep. The two of them quietly got up, left a note on the table, and left Sophie be.

---

Waking up after a 45-minute nap and being completely bewildered by the time, Sophie immediately launched herself out of the chair to find a note from Kate and Penelope at her feet, putting her mind at ease. Though the nap was peaceful, she had to continue working because the hotel wasn’t going to fix itself up, but first, she had to stop at the old goat house to pick up a few things.

While walking towards the old goat house, Sophie had a few eyes on her, looking at her with pity and sorrow, which she just ignored, but she couldn’t ignore her gut reaction as it was telling her that a bad omen was about to make an appearance and make her life a living hell.

When Sophie was grabbing stuff from the old goat house, she her voices and furniture moving above in the level above her. She was sure that they didn’t have anyone hire the room because she hadn’t even started on renovations, which was on the back burner like most of her projects.

Sophie decided to investigate, but she armed herself with the end of a mop and began to climb the ladder that was already down. Sophie definitely thought it was some phrogging there, and if that was the case, she would have easily given them the space; she just wished they’d asked.

However, what Sophie thought was the least of her worries as the trap door was only able to be opened ajar, but the sight of her three exes rang alarm bells, and they were all here in the same place; she couldn’t believe the sight she was beholden to.

Sophie immediately lowered herself down from the ladder because her heart was about to burst with overwhelming years of suppressing her heartbreak for the Bridgerton boy from all those years ago.

“I was cheated by you and I think you know when.” Sophie felt a sting of betrayal when she thought of Benedict.

“So I made up my mind, it must come to an end.” Trying to reassure her decision that she made all those years ago was the right decision and that she wasn’t missing out on anything.

“Look at me now, will I ever learn?” However, that reassurance didn’t last as she had an urge to peek again to see if it was the Bridgerton brothers in the old goat house.

“I don't know how, but I suddenly lose control there's a fire within my soul” Sophie felt like there was a spark of youth and passion that came coursing down her veins as it was once lost through the continuous years of running the hotel but somehow was, she reunited, was reacquainted like old friends telling stories over drinks.

“Just one look, I can hear a bell ring, one more look and I forget everything, whoa.” A flow of blood rushed surging through, but Sophie knew exactly why, and this was not the time to be giddy, but she thought that couldn’t hurt to feel a little giddy now and then.

“Mamma mia, here I go again, my, my, how can I resist you?” Sophie opened up a window panel that led into the second story of the old goat house, as it was the closest to the ground floor, but was met with a board of momentos from her days with Sophie and the Sopranos and other fun momentos.

“Mamma mia, does it show again? My, my, just how much I've missed you?” Completely bamboozled, Sophie was determined to get a clearer look at the Bridgerton brothers.

Sophie, with that passion lit within her, decided to climb up the top of the building; she was more determined than ever. “Yes, I've been brokenhearted blue since the day we parted why, why did I ever let you go?”

“Mamma mia, now I really know why, why, I could never let you go.” Climbing up the old goat house, Sophie felt her heart pounding louder and louder; she never thought she was doing something this incredibly risky, especially at her age.

Reaching the top of the building, “I’ve been angry and sad when I knew we were through.” Memories of Benedict flooded her head, making her more conflicted about whether she wants to see the brothers, but she persists.

“I can't count all the times I’ve cried over you.” Now trying to look through the window upside down, by anchoring herself on the ledge of the roof of the Old Goat house, but it was useless. She only got one option, the trapdoor on the rooftop.

“Look at me now, will I ever learn, I don’t know how, but I suddenly lose control.” Crawling over to the trapdoor and deciding whether or not to open the trapdoor.

“There’s a fire with my soul.” Sophie’s body surged with passion again, overrode the logic within her mind telling her to go away and never look back. She reached her arm out to the trapdoor.

“Just one look and I can hear a bell ring, one more look and I forget everything, whoa.” Sophie softly grabbed the hook of the trapdoor and caressed along the door frame, stalling for time. She was really scared to see what was on the other side.

Pulling the door open, she saw them. “Mamma mia, here I go again, why, why did I ever let you go?” A gust of strong wind pushed Sophie into the trapdoor, and fallen landed on a blown-up mattress that Colin had just finished blowing up.

Sophie couldn’t believe her eyes. It was really them, the Bridgerton brothers. In the flesh. They all look more mature aged like fine wine, especially Benedict. Dammit, why couldn’t he look awful? Why couldn’t he be spoiled like fresh milk, but instead, here he was, daring to be devilishly handsome as ever as the day they first met.

She looked over to Anthony and Colin, standing beside him; they also aged well. Sophie must have thought it was a genetic reason why they were still good.

Benedict, on the other hand, seeing Sophie drop from heaven before them, was mesmerised by Sophie’s beauty and grace that was sculpted by the hands of time, and how she still looks beautiful, if not more beautiful since the day they met, his stomach began to fill with butterflies like a schoolboy with a crush.

Sophie had to snap herself out of complimenting Benedict’s fine features. “What are you three doing here?” Her head snapped at Anthony first.

Making up a rubbish lie on the spot, “Spontaneous holiday.” Anthony is making jazzy hands to emphasise. Sophie’s head turned towards Colin's direction.

Also making a rubbish excuse, “On an adventure.” Colin smiled widely, with his teeth showing. Sophie’s head turned towards Benedict, taking a big gulp before questioning him.

“And you, what are you doing here?” Sophie’s heart sped up a bit. She wanted something out of him; she didn’t know what exactly, but she wanted an answer that would satiate this heartache she had been holding on to for too long.

“I just wanted to say, Hi.” Benedict was as earnest as he could be.

Sophie’s heart skipped a beat for Benedict, but she realised that she had to get rid of them, because she was not going to deal with the three of them on top of taking care of the hotel and the wedding.

Getting up from the blown-up mattress, “Who said that you could stay here?” Sophie asked them with quite a lot of restrained anger that the brothers could feel behind it.

“The old lady said that we could stay… or did she say that we couldn’t?” Colin fabricated a lie that saved Vivian’s ass from her mother’s wrath.

“The latter, you can’t be here, because I’m booked and full for the wedding, and you guys aren’t invited.” Sophie moved the heavy object blocking the way of the trapdoor that led them out.

“I have a boat.” Colin is trying to think of a game plan for the brothers.

“Oh, you do, get it on it!” Sophie is pulling the trapdoor and about to exit.

“And Sophie.” Benedict grinned.

“What?” Sophie looked at him.

“Nice to see you.” The brothers said in unison.

Sophie, getting out of the nightmare of a situation, never thought that she would find herself in ever, running looking for Penelope and Kate, but the question that ran through her mind was:

Why, of all God’s name, did Vivian’s father arrive now of all times?

Chapter Text

Sprinting at a high velocity, towards Kate and Penelope, who were sitting at a min bar being served drinks and having lovely banter with a delightful bartender named Alfred.

Sophie wanted that situation to be fake she wanted the whole interaction with the Bridgerton brothers to be a bad dream she just woke up from, but instead it was reality and Sophie felt like she couldn’t hold in the overflowing emotion that is overtaking her, but she had to make sure that it wasn’t in front of her daughter, she had to be strong and be there for her especially now.

“Pen, Kate, do you know where Vivian is?  Is she around here?” With a panic instilled in her voice.

People and Kate looked at each other with concern. “No,” Kate replied.

“Good.” With that information granted, Sophie was granted permission to break down, but she couldn’t do it out in public, so Sophie shifted her feet and sprinted towards the toilet stall, but tears already came leaking out of her eyes as she sprinted across.

“Sophie, come back!” Penelope yelled out, but it was already too late as Sophie locked herself in the stall.

Rushing over to Sophie with their drink in their hand, trying not to spill. Penelope knocked on the stall.

“Honey, are you alright?” Penelope asked.

“Go away! I need some alone time.” Penelope and Kate could hear Sophie gasping for air between each word and tears running down.

Kate and Penelope looked at each other, knowing what they had to do to get Sophie to open up to them.

Penelope started them off, “Chiquitita, tell me what’s wrong?” Penelope looked over to Kate, as she was supposed to be next. Penelope just once wanted Sophie to be vulnerable in front of them, but always remember that she is quite like Sophie in that she hides her pain from others and has a vault door protecting her heart.

“I have never seen such sorrow.” Kate expressed immense worry for Sophie. Kate hadn’t seen Sophie like this since…  A penny dropped for Kate; she’ll deal with that problem later, but for now, she must be here for Sophie.

“In your eyes, and the wedding is tomorrow.” Penelope and Kate realise that they must get Sophie out of the depressing state as quickly as possible, or Sophie is not going to be in the right headspace for tonight.

Kate climbed onto Penelope to make herself peer over the toilet stall door, “How I hate to see you like this.” Kate is trying her best to console Sophie in the uncomfortable situation she has put herself in.

Penelope peered under the gap between the floor and the toilet stall door. “There is no way you can deny it.” Penelope is trying her best in the uncomfortable position.

“I can see that you’re all so sad and so quiet.” Sophie, not in the mood for their antics, pushed the door hard with all the force in her body, resulting in Kate hanging on the door and Penelope rolling on the ground, and Sophie getting out of the stall.

“Chiquitita, tell me the truth.” Regaining their posture from the push back, they’ve achieved their first goal. Now, it’s time for Kate and Penelope to enact phase two of the love and support package.

“I’m a shoulder you can cry on.” Kate and Penelope are standing on both sides of Sophie, giving her gentle touches of affection and support and hugging Sophie as she tries to compose herself in front of a mirror.

“Your best friends, I’m the one you must rely on.” Kate and Penelope remind Sophie that she doesn’t have to burden all her problems herself, that she can lean on the pair of them for support.

“You were always sure of yourself.” Reminding and affirming Sophie’s immense strength that she possesses within herself.

“Now I see you’ve broken a feather.” Sophie lowered her guard and placed herself in the hands of Kate and Penelope as she let the emotions within her take their course.

“I hope we can patch it up together.” Kate and Penelope helped Sophie by sitting her down and getting her comfortable.

“Chiquitita, you and I know how the heartache comes, and they go and the scars they’re leaving.” Assuring that Sophie will be alright, Penelope started to pull out all the tissues that were beside them, and Kate grabbed the tissues and wiped Sophie’s tears and the residue of tears off her face.

“You'll be dancing once again, and the pain will end; you would have no time for grieving.” Comforting Sophie and encouraging her that the pain and emotion that she’s feeling currently is only temporary, and she’ll be better soon.

“Chiquitita, you and I cry, but the sun is still in the sky and shining above you.” Penelope placed a plastic flower that was in a vase, bundled with other plastic flowers, into Sophie’s hair and pushed away a strand of hair that was in Sophie’s face.

“Let me hear you sing once more like you did before, sing a new song, Chiquitita” Kate picked up her drink that she had placed down before climbing up the door and gave it to Sophie so that she could relax a bit.

Sophie’s final guard fell down and finally confessed what was wrong, “Try once more like you did before, sing a new song… It’s her dad.”

“Who’s dad?” Penelope questioned.

“Vivian’s dad,” Sophie replied. Kate’s posture was straightened, remembering that dirtbag of a man that wronged her friend; however, Penelope was a little confused as she had forgotten the identity of Vivian’s father.

“Remember when I said that it was Benedict, Benedict the artist, that had to go home to get married… well, the thing is, I’m not sure if it is him because there were two other guys around at the same time.” Triggering a reminder of why Penelope had a personal grudge against Benedict and gave him the side eye every time they were in the same vicinity of each other.

“Sophie Baek, you sly fox.” Kate playfully teased; she was happy that Sophie at least got to connect with other men who weren’t just Benedict.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Penelope was a bit concerned and shocked at the revelation, but was happy for Sophie as well.

“Well, I never knew that ever had to. ESPECIALLY seeing all three of them in my old goat house. The day before my daughter’s wedding.” Sophie is finally airing all her secrets that she has been holding in for a long time.

Kate and Penelope shared a singular thought when they turned and faced towards each other, “The old goat house.” And they started sprinting towards the building. Startling Sophie as she was in the middle of drinking the drink Kate gave to her, and she chased after them.

They ended up all with their heads peeking out of the trap door that connected the ground level and the level above, seeing the room vacant and tidy making which made Sophie feel confused about whether to be glad that they moved or worried that they could still potentially be on the island.

“There’s no one here.” Penelope looked around the room.

“Are you sure?” Kate was also looking around and maybe thought that Sophie wasn’t getting enough sleep, but if she had an emotional breakdown over that man, she was sure that he was here.

“Of course, I’m sure. I know the faces of Vivian’s dad… s.”  Adding plural to remind herself that there were two others. “They were all physically here, in this very room, Benedict Bridgerton, Anthony Bridgerton.” Kate’s head whipped towards Sophie's direction. She couldn’t believe that she slept with that insolent of a man that made her heart pound for no reason.

 “And Colin Bridgerton.” Penelope’s eyes opened wide in a shocking revelation. How was Penelope ever going to reveal the identity of the one she harboured love for but got rejected? Well, I guess she’s going to keep concealed for a little while longer.

With no sign of the Bridgerton brothers, Sophie retreated to her house. It was all too much for her to handle right now.

“They must have gone back to their boat, and I hope that they drown.” Yelling out in frustration as the sadness and heartache that Sophie was previously feeling turned into boiling fury and hatred.

“What are they even doing here? It’s like the universe is playing a pin the hubris on the donkey blindfolded, and they managed to pin it on my ass and now I’m paying for the consequences.” Blasting blasphemy and damnation towards the sky.

“Do they know about Vivian?” Penelope followed Sophie up the stairs.

“Absolutely not, I haven’t told a soul, and me telling you five minutes ago was the only time I’ve even said it out loud to anyone, not even my own daughter knows.” Charging straight into her bedroom, closing her bedroom’s window and doors so that no one else knows, especially her daughter.

“Sophie keeping that secret for that many years must have done a number on your mental health, honey.” Kate is growing more concerned and weary about Sophie’s mental capacity.

“I don’t care about that right now; all I care about is that Vivian never finds out.” Sophie is feeling an urge to be more protective of her daughter now.

“Maybe Vivian would be cool with it?” Penelope suggested.

Sophie looked at Penelope, trying not to be offended by the words that came out of Penelope’s mouth and trying not to lash out at her because she is not the problem that she is focusing all of her energy on right now.

Sounding eerily calm, “Hehe, no. This, this would be like a bombshell to her.” Stating it like it was a fact.

“Hang on, Sophie, you just said a while ago that they’ve gone back to their boat.” Trying to be reasonable and calm down, Sophie, a bit.

“I don’t know that, for all I know, they could still be on this island. I don’t why they why they are here? And I have bought this upon myself because I was some stupid, reckless little slut that couldn’t tell the difference between love and lust.” Sophie redirected her anger onto herself, which Kate and Penelope were not going to have.

“Don’t sound like your stepmother.” Kate was teasing her to immediately try to get out of that self-wallowing hole that Sophie began to dig.

Sophie’s head whipped around to face Kate with such shock and offence to ever have her stepmother mentioned and or even being compared in similarity to that horrible woman who kicked her out at 18.

“I do not!” Sophie is taking a stance against that statement.

Penelope catches onto what Kate is trying to do with Sophie and plays along with Kate’s antagonistic teasing to get Sophie out of the self-wallowing party.

“Whatever happened to our fun and bright Sophia, the life of the party and lights up the whole room with a smile? Our rocking chick with an attitude,” Kate just couldn’t hold themselves back with Penelope joining her, so they decided to go into Sophie’s costume box and dress up Sophie.

“Well, I grew up.” Sophie is trying to be serious with them.

Penelope, laughing at how much fun she’s having, “Well then, grow back down again.”

“Screw them if they can’t take a joke.” Kate and Penelope said in unison.

“You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life.” Kate and Penelope are pointing at Sophie and trying to get her to join in their fun.

“See that girl, watch that scene, diggin' the dancing queen.” Kate and Penelope went up towards Sophie with tickles, making her retreat to the bed. Sophie was trying hard to resist their antics; she just wanted to be left alone, but Kate and Penelope were having none of that.

“Friday night and the lights are low, looking out for the place to go.” Kate and Penelope gathered items and costumes around the room to enhance their funny shenanigans, to try and put a smile on Sophie’s face as she watches from behind her bed sheets.

“Where they play the right music, getting in the swing.” Kate is singing confidently into a mini hair blower.

“You come in to look for a king.” Penelope flirted with Sophie, making her smile and blush a little.

“Anybody could be that guy, night is young and the music's high.” Kate and Penelope mocked every 20-something-year-old who was immature and still developing their prefrontal cortex.

“With a bit of rock music, everything is fine, you're in the mood for a dance and when you get the chance...” Sophie is giving a little more and more into their antics, lowering the bed sheets as Penelope and Kate completely raid Sophie’s costume box, pulling out and putting on costumes that mismatch and are placed on the wrong way.

“You are the dancing queen, young and sweet, only seventeen.” Sophie finally gave up and completely gave in and joined in their shenanigans of fun as she began singing along and jumping on her bed.

“Dancing queen, feel the beat from the tambourine.” Sophie pulled Kate and Penelope onto the bed to join her, jumping on the bed and making them all laugh.

“You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life.” Sophie pulled a piece of costume from the box and pointed at the reflection with a big grin on her face, followed by Penelope pointing at the mirror, feeling confident when she saw her reflection, and then Kate pointed at the mirror, looking gorgeous.

“See that girl, watch that scene, diggin' the dancing queen.” They all came sliding down the stair railing with grace and style, went out into the village bursting with energy and dance, and Sophie felt compelled to share with everyone around her.

“You're a teaser, you turn 'em on, leave them burning, and then you're gone.” Sophie went up to a group of women who were working, showing them how to have a good time and left, resulting in the women following Sophie, Kate and Penelope and abandoning whatever they were currently doing.

“Looking out for another, anyone will do, you're in the mood for a dance and when you get the chance...” A chain reaction was being enacted as each woman who saw Sophie leading the charge of women having a good and fun time abandoned what they were doing.

“You are the dancing queen, young and sweet, only seventeen.

Dancing queen, feel the beat from the tambourine.

You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life.

See that girl, watch that scene, diggin' the dancing queen.”

Sophie is leading the charge with generations of women behind her who have lived on the islands for years, even multiple decades, who have forgotten what it’s like to have fun and be free because they’re shackled down by the rules of patriarchy. Every woman that Sophie came passed had the urge to stop their current activity and join her because they felt attracted to the sense of liberation and empowerment that they’ve lost or been missing.

Arriving at the dock, “Diggin' the dancing queen.” Sophie sneakily pushed Kate into the water, then pushed Penelope into the water and then launched herself off the dock and formed into a ball and splashed into the water to join her family.

---

When Sophie, Kate and Penelope left the old goat house after discovering that the Bridgerton brothers were not there. What three didn’t manage to spot was Vivian hiding underneath the pile of haystack upon a barrel standing up.

When the coast was clear enough, Vivian ran off to the bay where her brother’s boat was initially docked, but was now leaving. With no other choice, she stripped down to her swimsuit underneath and swam to the boat as fast as she could.

“Wait. Stop.” Vivian was calling out for anyone on the boat to hear her while battling the currents of the ocean.

Benedict, at the edge of the boat, reached out one of his hands for Vivian to grab and helped her aboard the ship. Colin immediately went to grab a towel and wrapped it around Vivian.

“Why did you leave?” Vivian questioned them, but her train of thought was halted as she spotted Anthony holding her mother’s black mallet. “You stole Mum’s mallet?”

Anthony is already defensive. “I did not. I loaned it to your mother, and now it’s back to its rightful owner.” Anthony started patting the mallet.

“That’s where your mallet of death has been all this time, jeez, and I thought you were just bad.” Colin teased.

“Why did my mother have your mallet anyway?” Vivian asked, curious to get any new information about her potential father.

“Well, when I met your mother. It was when she was rehearsing a number that she was performing with her group in a bar, during the day. I thought she was mesmerising, so I asked her out on a date of croquet, and she said yes, but on the condition that I watched her performance and well, the rest explains itself.”

That night when Sophie performed with the sopranos, his eyes were also caught on Kate, but he was a man of honour and went with Sophie as he originally planned, but his head was always filled with regret, and he wondered if he abandoned Sophie for Kate, where would he be now. Though what he didn’t know that that fate is a bitch that loves drama and that they will meet again, soon enough.

“How about you?” Vivian turned towards Colin.

“Me. Well, I met Sophie when I was stopping on the island to stock up and met your mother at the market, she was very kind and free spirited that mother of yours, helped me negotiate prices, gave me a tour of the island and well because of kind generosity and I had nothing to give her but my gratitude…” Colin was rubbing the back of his neck out of embarrassment as that wasn’t the best move on his behalf.

Hurling a piece of rubbish at Colin, “Brother, have some decorum.” Benedict had a face of disappointment while Anthony had a face of disgust, reacting to Colin’s behaviour.

Though Colin admits that he wasn’t best and mature person back then, he’s feels that he a better person now but still carries a sense of shame because of his ‘immaturity’, as he’s still trying to ‘find his purpose’ as his brothers and sisters have seem to find their cooling and have accomplished huge achievement.

Colin feels that he’s still behind, and that’s why when Penelope confessed her love to him, he felt inadequate to receive love from an amazing woman that he loves and admires, but fate has a way of giving redemption for fools who don’t realise the first time.

Vivian turned to Benedict and asked the same question, “How about you, Benedict?” Vivian had a sparkle in her eyes that he couldn’t resist telling.

“Well, it was during mother’s masquerade ball. When I saw her enter the room with a stunning silver dress and oversized mask staring at the chandelier with immense passion and I’ve seen that chandelier millions of times, but the way she stared at the chandelier made me want her to look at me with the same passion and I fell in love with your mother at that instant.”

Vivian, when she heard Benedict’s answers, wondered why he hadn’t come back to the island and abandoned her mother if he was in love with her mother, but she didn’t dare to press on and question Benedict about his time with her mother and the choices he made because she still wanted him on the island and to come to her wedding.

However, Benedict is still in love with Sophie after 25 years. Though Benedict regretted quite a lot of things in his life, but thing that he regretted the most was not fighting hard enough to see Sophie again. That was going to change tonight, though, as Vivian sparked a fire with Benedict’s soul and decided that he was going to do his best to win her back.

Vivian spent quite a long time hanging out with the Bridgerton brothers, getting to know and banter with them, but their time was cut short as Vivian’s fiancé, Jesse’s called out from the sand he was standing on.

“I have to go to but please stick around for the wedding,” Vivian begged with pleading eyes.

“Alright, kiddo, we’ll come.” Benedict happily complied.

“Thank you so much.” Vivian hugged each brother with a thank you before she dove back into the ocean and swam back to land.

Benedict picked up a portrait sketch of Vivian’s, which was of him, that was left behind. Benedict saw the talent of Vivian’s precision and detailed lines, curves and shading she drew.

He wondered who the identity of Vivian’s father.

Chapter Text

As the goddess Nyx ruled the night sky as Helios retired for the day, the night lights of the little island of Greece made the nightlife come alive.

Cheering and celebrating, as Vivian’s friends gather around her to celebrate a new journey with her man, she loves dearly. When Vivian swam to shore from the Bridgerton boat, Jesse called Vivian’s name out to check on her and to check on how the plan was holding up. Jesse was incredibly supportive of Vivian’s plan, and she wouldn’t want anyone else as her partner.

As everyone was chattering amongst each other, feedback from a microphone got all their attention as they were all trying to find out where the sound came from. However, a familiar voice that Vivian recognised started to speak.

“Ladies and no gentlemen, presenting for one night and one night only…”

“Because these boots are killing me!” Another voice, but without a microphone, interrupted, which Vivian recognised to be Penelope’s.

“Suck it up for five more minutes,” Kate tried to get back on track. “The galaxy’s first girl power band,” Vivian screamed with excitement as she realised what the surprise was, “SOPHIE AND THE SOPRANOS.” As a piano played their theme as Sophie, Kate, and Penelope came bursting out through the doors with fantastic and coordinating outfits with smoke behind them.

Getting into their positions on a small stage. Their synchronicity was a bit rusty, but they got into the groove. Sophie was determined to give her daughter a performance she would never forget and show her overwhelming love that she had.

“I was sick and tired of everything when I called you last night from Glasgow.” Sophie focused all over energy towards Vivian. She didn’t care that there were a dozen or more people around Vivian; all Sophie cared about was Vivian.

“All I do is eat and sleep and sing, wishing every show was the last show.” Reminding Sophie of her early experience raising Vivian at the beginning, when she barely had any funds to cover the daily expenses.

“So, imagine when I hear you coming, suddenly I feel alright.” However, Sophie’s mind was at ease when she remembered who she was doing all for, her precious jewel sitting in front of her.

“And it’s gonna be so different when I’m on the stage tonight.” Motivating Sophie to always put her best foot forward and to always try to do her best.

“Tonight, the Super Trouper lights are gonna find me, shining like the sun.” Sophie winked at her daughter as Vivian laughed and blushed a little.

“Smiling, having fun, feeling like a number one.” As Sophie was enjoying her time performing with Kate and Penelope, her focus would soon be split as the three bumbling Bridgerton brothers came walking up the stairs, searching for something to do on the island as they didn’t like the idea of being cooped up on the boat.

“Tonight, the Super Trouper beams are gonna blind me, but I won’t feel blue.” Reaching the top of the stairs and a bit exhausted from their trek, and Anthony complaining about the steepness of the stairs, the brothers found themselves catching the vibes of a hen’s party.

“Like I always do, cause somewhere in the crowd there’s you.” Sophie pretended to search for Vivian to match the lyric of the song, but instead she accidentally stumbled upon three very familiar faces.

Time stood still for a second as Sophie, Penelope, and Kate saw the Bridgerton brothers standing there in the flesh and full of audacity, as if they didn’t affect each woman that is currently performing on stage.

Sophie, initially taking a double-take to see if it was the brothers, Sophie was right to trust her intuition that the Bridgerton brothers would not stay off the island. This was bad as they were near her daughter; however, she didn’t want to ruin this performance for her daughter, so Sophie decided to try and wrap the performance as fast as she could.

When Penelope found Colin standing by the stairs, her heart became heavy and painful, seeing the man she confessed her love to, only to be rejected and to find out that the same man could be the potential father of Vivian, AND slept with her best friend.

When Penelope found out that Sophie slept with Colin, her initial reaction was to strangle her, but she didn’t know about Colin Bridgerton and her because Penelope never told Sophie about him, so she couldn’t find a reason to be mad at Sophie.

Colin, on the other hand, Penelope currently wants to run far away right now and never look. How could this man stand there to look and act happy, like nothing ever happened to them, but she resisted the temptation and decided to power through the performance because it wasn’t about her right now, it was about Sophie and her daughter.

When Kate looked out and accidentally stumbled upon Benedict and Anthony, her first initial reaction was to dispose of Benedict’s body and to lock Anthony in a tight and confined place where sunlight would not enter, but she thought against it because apparently, it’s a federal crime.

Kate knew about why Benedict was here, but was clueless about why Anthony was here. Kate knew about Sophie’s brief involvement with Anthony from the goat house, but she knew it wasn’t a strong enough bond and motivation to drag himself away from his parameter of comfort zone. There had to be a reason why Anthony was on the island, not knowing that the answer was adjacent to Sophie.

Sophie’s confidence wavered, but was unnoticeable. “So, I’ll be there when you arrive, the sight of you will prove to me I’m still alive, and when you take me in your arms and hold me tight.” Sophie’s focus was pulled between her daughter in front of her and Benedict standing by the stairs.

Why did the sight of Benedict still make her heart flutter? Especially when he looks at Sophie with eyes of yearning and love, even after that massive betrayal after 25 years, was it hope, a redemption, or tiredness? Whatever the case was, Sophie didn’t want to feel it.

Sophie shook it off and just focused purely on her daughter; this is who the performance was dedicated to. “I know it’s gonna mean so much tonight.”

“Tonight, the Super Trouper lights are gonna find me, shining like the sun. Smiling, having fun, feeling like a number one.” Sophie was hyper-focused on getting this performance over and done with that each movement was struck with precision and effort.

“Tonight, the Super Trouper beams are gonna blind me, but I won’t feel blue. Like I always do, cause somewhere in the crowd there’s you.” Sophie admits that performing as she used to do in her prime was exhausting after one song, but was relieved that all the effort and time spent rehearsing this number was worth seeing a smile on Vivian’s face

Vivian leapt off her seat to hug and thank her mother and her aunts, as she was grateful for the performance and gift that her mother and aunts gave to her and would treasure her mother’s efforts.

Kate, seizing the opportunity to get one over Anthony, spoke into the mic. “Excuse me, fellas, this is a hen’s party, women only.” Kate gave a winning smirk over Anthony and gave a death glare to Benedict before vanishing with Sophie and Penelope.

Moving swiftly through the villa to get to Kate and Penelope’s room, “Why are they still on the island?” Sophie's voice rose high in panic and a spiral.

“Sophie, we’ll figure out a plan to get them off the island somehow.” Kate immediately jumped in to play mediator for Sophie again.

“They were so close to discovering Vivian’s existence, I don’t want them ever meeting her because what if she ends up liking them and I lose a piece of my incredible daughter to them. I mean, what did they ever do for their daughter?” Sophie continues to spiral.

“I mean, you’ve never told them about Vivian’s existence, how we’re they ever to contribute?” Penelope is trying to sound logical to Sophie’s spiral.

Seeming to strike a chord with Sophie, she calmed down a little. “I mean you're right, Pen, but I won’t be undone by some ejaculation.” Kate and Penelope immediately went to cover their mouth to try and barely contain their laughter at their friend’s comments.

When Sophie and the Sopranos vanished and were told that they were not allowed, that was the brothers' cue to leave, though Benedict broke off the party to explore the island while Anthony and Colin were off to get some drinks.

As Benedict went strolling through the village, he saw the impact that Sophie created with her own hands on the island from the remodelling of buildings to the plant life that replenished the village, which got him thinking, what if?

What if he didn’t leave the island?

What if he didn’t give up so easily to see Sophie?

What if he fought harder to see Sophie?

Though his thoughts were interrupted by Vivian started to approach.

“Hey.” Vivian warmly greeted Benedict.

“Hey Vivian, I should explain to Sophie that I come in peace,” Benedict explained his intentions.

Vivian immediately opposed the idea, “No, I think that you should wait until she has at least a few drinks in her system.”

“Good idea.” Benedict is thankful for Vivian’s consultation. Benedict pulled out a folded drawing of Benedict’s portrait that was drawn by Vivian out of his pocket. “This is beautiful, the details and intricacies of this drawing. You have a natural talent, kiddo. Why don’t you pursue it?”

Trying to act all coy, as Vivian always had a talent for art, but she knew the risks of being an artist and didn’t want to gamble her chances of stability. If circumstances were different, she’d consider it, but she wanted to help her mother run the hotel because she felt indebted to her mother for raising her by herself with the help of her aunties when there were times when they struggled with hardship and money.

“I have quite a lot to do here.” Vivian simply responded.

“Is that really your dream?” Benedict asked.

“I can’t afford pursuing that dream, I mean, would love to be an artist, but that’s not going to put food on the table and help mum run the villa,” Vivian explained that she’s thought about it.

Benedict, understanding that not everyone has the same privilege as him decided to back off and talk about another subject. “Do you know that building over there?” Benedict pointed out. Vivian looked over at the direction that Benedict was pointing towards.

“That used to belong to me, and it was called My Cottage. I had so many fond memories in that place, and mostly they were about your mother. I’ve had dreams about coming back here.” Benedict started to reminisce.

Now was Vivian’s opportunity. “What kept you away?”

Benedict needed reassurance on whether he was doing the right thing; he needed to ask. “Vivian, what did Sophie really say about me. Be honest.”

Vivian couldn’t lie to him. “She never mentioned you.”

Vivian’s words stung Benedict’s heart. What was the point of coming back to the island if Sophie never brought up Benedict’s name in conversation?

“Vivian, what am I doing here?” Benedict is going straight to the truth.

Vivian didn’t want to immediately tell the truth; she needed him to stay, but revealing why he was here could potentially make him run away. She needed to think of an excuse to tell, but a loud banging sound that was heard from above diverted their attention, and she used that as an opportunity to run away, talk with Anthony and Colin, leaving Benedict alone.

Benedict pondered why Vivian asked him to come to the island if Sophie never mentioned him at all. Benedict’s only thought of one explanation that Vivian could ever come across Benedict was through Sophie’s diary she had written in, as he vividly remembered Sophie carrying around and writing inside a silver diary…

He was Vivian’s father.

---

As Colin and Anthony were innocently drinking and enjoying their time at the mini bar, a group of women of about the size of Vivian’s hen party and more rapidly approached them.

“Is there a man out there? Willing to hear my prayers.” Both brothers turned towards each other, helpless and hopeless at the stampede of women approaching them.

“Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight, won’t somebody help me chase the shadows away.” The women of the hen’s party were strategic in their approach as they placed Colin up on the table to dance for them, as they saw how happy he was being grabbed by them.

However, the women left Anthony where he was as they saw how uncomfortable he was when they touched him and communicated to each other by hand signals to respect his boundaries and circled Colin.

Vivian arrived at the chaotic sight of her hen’s party circling Colin dancing, and saw Anthony sitting by his self and decided to join him.

“Hey there stranger, this seat taken.” Vivian appeared beside Anthony.

“Oh no. Go ahead.” Anthony was taking another sip of his drink, and Vivian was waving at the bartender for a drink.

“I was very much surprised and taken by the fact that Sophie had a fully grown daughter.” Anthony is trying to make small talk with Vivian.

Presented with another opportunity, Vivian must be on Tyche's (the goddess of chance) good side tonight as she went head-on, blazing asked a question. “Do you have any children, Anthony?”

“Well, no. Though my father died when my siblings were children and infants, I basically raised my siblings.” Anthony realises he’s said too much.

“You raised Colin and Benedict?” Vivian asked.

“No, I have seven younger siblings which including Benedict and Colin. Though I suppose if I had my own daughter, I would spoil her.” Vivian is thinking of the possibility that of a world that if Anthony was her father, that it would be nice.

Talking about fatherhood got Anthony thinking about Vivian’s father: “Is your father here?” Anthony asked.

“I don’t know. I don’t know who my father is,” Vivian replied, but before Anthony could ask more questions, Vivian was pulled by Phoebe and Lilah into the circle and placed upon the table next to Colin.

As Vivian left, Anthony was left to mull over Vivian’s vague answer. What did Vivian mean that she didn’t know who her father was? And why did Vivian invite him to her wedding? She barely knew who he was. There had to be an answer why he responded to the invitation, except for the fact that he saw Kate having the same invitation on her work desk. Then it dawned upon him, and he felt the grey hair stick out.

“Is there a man out there, someone to hear my prayer? Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight, won’t somebody chase the shadows away.” The women circling Colin kept chanting the same phrase as Colin was looking up at the sky and having the time of his life dancing and entertaining the women around him.

Getting up on the table, Vivian energetically greeted Colin. “Hey there! Seems like you’re having gay ole time.”

“I’m having a fantastic time.” Colin pulled out a new dance move, and the women around cheered. “Vivian, come dance with me.” Colin extends a handout, and Vivian accepts.

Vivian was pulled in closer to Colin and spun around slowly because of the table’s instability, though in the process of spinning Vivian around slowly, his eyes caught the sight of a familiar birthmark of an upside-down crown with three points on her left back shoulder that every Bridgerton had. Colin has a very strange suspicion about Vivian.

“How old are you, Vivian?” Colin asked.

“24,” Vivian replied. Colin’s suspicions were true, and he had a sudden realisation that this young woman was his daughter. Terrified by the fact the scene was becoming overwhelming for him to deal with.

“I’m sorry, I have to go.” Colin immediately jumped off the table.

“Wait,” Vivian called out and ran after him. She knew something was off when Colin asked about her age. Did he figure out something, if so, Vivian had to know.

Vivian chased Colin to a quieter scene with barely anyone there and caught his breath as Vivian caught up to him.

 “Why did you run away?” Vivian asked.

“Because there is a high possibility that I am your father.” Colin is still catching his breath.

“What makes you think that?” Vivian asked trying to follow his logic.

“You see that birthmark you have on the back of your left shoulder?” Colin is pointing towards Vivian’s shoulder.

“Yeah?” Vivian responded inquisitively.

“Well, that just happens to be the Bridgerton birthmark. Every Bridgerton has an upside-down three-pointed crown on their back shoulder.” Colin strips off his shirt to reveal the same birthmark to Vivian.

“So, your father then?” Vivian confirms Colin’s hypothesis.

Swallowing the fact that the grown woman in front of him was his daughter, confused him because what was one to do with this information? He wasn’t there for any of his life until a few months ago by invitation.

When Colin said yes to the invitation, he thought this would be another adventure instead it turned out to be a reality check of his past decisions and every action he’s taken. Maybe this was the sign for him to become more responsible, but how does one even start? Well maybe the first action is to be present.

“Yes. I think so.” Colin is confirming Vivian’s question.

 “So, you know what happened next, right?” Vivian became sly with her question

“You’re not going to tell me you’re a twin, right?” Colin panicked.

“No.” Vivian smiled.

Vivian had Colin in a vulnerable spot and asked a risky question, “Will you give me away at my wedding tomorrow? It’ll be our little secret.”

“Give you away?” Colin asked. Colin thought to himself that if he could contribute anything to this young woman’s life, he would be honoured to.

“Yes.” Vivian was nervously waiting for his response.

“Yes, I’ll give you away.” Colin cheered. He opened his arms wide for an invitation for Vivian to hug him. They approached each other slowly, but embraced each other awkwardly but warmly.

“I have to get back to my friends, but I’ll see in there when you’re ready.” Vivian rushed off to his bachelorette party, so no one is worried about her sudden disappearance. Colin took a deep breath and processed the information. He had a daughter.

Returning to the hen’s party, seeing them all laughing and dancing, Vivian saw men with half masks on who were from Jesse’s bachelor party, crawling up walls and scaling down buildings, acting all like monkeys. When the girls of the hen’s party spotted them, they were all excited with glee as they knew who they were under the mask.

“People everywhere, a sense of expectation hangin’ in the air. Giving out a spark across the room, your eyes are glowing in the dark.” The girls of the hen’s party ran away, giving the men more of a fight before they eventually gave up to temptation.

“And here we go again, we know the start, we know the end. Masters of the scene. We’ve done it all before, and now we’re back to get some more, you know what I mean.” The men from the bachelor party stand on top of buildings surrounding the women, then swing down on ropes to meet their partner or friend on the ground.

Vivian looked around for Jesse, as he was the one leading the party. He was standing there with a big grin and holding a necklace that he placed upon Vivian’s neck as everyone there joined, forming a dance circle around them, celebrating their marriage union to be.

“Voulez-vous (aha) take it now or leave it (aha)?” Vivian joined Jesse to dance, but then, from the corner of her eyes, she saw Colin smiling at her with pride.

“Now is all we get (aha) nothing promised no regrets (aha)” Continuing to dance with Jesse, Vivian now saw a big problem. She saw her mum and aunts come out and join the dance. Her new task was to get them away from Colin and potentially the other brothers if they were to join the dance.

“Voulez-vous (aha) ain’t no big decision.” Turning her head more to the left, she saw Benedict. She knew she had to create distance between her mum and Benedict, or else he was not going to stay.

“You know what to do (aha) la question c’est voulez- vous.” Turning again to see, Anthony has now joined the dance. Vivian wasn’t that worried about Anthony’s safety and danced towards Benedict’s way.

“Jesse, can you dance with Mum while I try and get distance between the Bridgerton brothers and my mother?” Jesse saluted Vivian and danced towards Sophie. Vivian danced towards Benedict, only to be pulled aside by him.

“Vivian, I know why I’m here.” Benedict had an enthusiastic expression on his face. “How long have you known that I am your father?” Benedict asked.

“Not that long, but listen, Benedict. My mother does not know that I know that you’re my father, so please keep it a secret between us until after the wedding.” Vivian pleaded with Benedict, and of course, he listened, but he wanted to do more for Vivian, discovering that this young woman in front of him was his daughter.

“Who’s giving you away tomorrow?” Benedict asked.

Vivian is caught between lying to him to stay or telling the truth about Colin and causing unnecessary drama and tension before the wedding. Vivian thought there was no harm in lying if Benedict didn’t know.

“No one,” Vivian replied, lying through the skin of teeth.

“Wrong.” Benedict grinned. Vivian's heart skipped a beat. Was she about to be caught lying?

“I will give you away. Our secret till then.” As Benedict danced off into the crowd, Vivian’s heart calmed down, thankful she wasn’t caught.

“Voulez-vous (aha) take it now or leave it (aha)?” Vivian resumed dancing back into the crowd but was caught by Anthony.

“Vivian, I’m your father!” Anthony cried out to Vivian. Vivian was flabbergasted as to how he jumped to that conclusion without giving many clues. Though Vivian wasn’t concerned about how Anthony concluded about being her father, her concerns lay more about what he said next.

“That’s why you sent me the invite. You wanted your own dad to walk you down the aisle. Though I haven’t been there for the entire existence, I’ll be there!” Anthony danced off into the crowd, leaving Vivian stunned.

“Now is all we get (aha) nothing promised no regrets (aha)” Colin dancing in rejoice in the crowd, turned and was met with a surprise as Penelope was in front of him looking so beautiful and dazzling that he wanted to ravish her on the spot, but he stopped himself.

“Penelope, what are you doing here?” Colin asked.

Penelope staggered at Colin’s presence in front of her. Why did he have to be here right now? Of all the times that Colin appeared, why did it have to be now? She wanted to run away immediately, but thought against it as she thought that running away was a cowardly move and would make him think that she was still not over him.

“I’m here for my niece Vivian’s wedding,” Penelope told Colin.

“Oh, that’s nice.” Colin gulped silently as he didn’t want to blabber about being Vivian’s father to the love of his life, I mean, his friend, because their relationship would change, and he didn’t want that to happen.

“Would you dance with me, Penelope?” Colin extended his hand as an invitation.

Penelope seized a little opportunity to get back at Colin. “No, thank you.” And danced away from Colin.

Colin felt heartbroken when Penelope declined and realised that the feeling he had for Penelope intensified, so he had to rectify this feeling and chase after Penelope.

“Voulez-vous (aha) ain’t no big decision.” Kate was dancing in the crowd, having fun and a blast, while keeping an eye out for Benedict as she saw him in the crowd dancing, but had lost him again and wanted him to stay as far away from Sophie as she could.

However, Kate’s eyes came across a familiar pair of eyes she knew all too well, and when their eyes met, Kate froze on the spot like a deer caught in headlights. She saw him approaching her direction and, without thinking, she turned the other way and started sprinting away with Anthony in pursuit.

“You know what to do (aha) la question c’est voulez- vous.” Vivian’s head started spinning as she saw the many familiar faces and voices circling her that which overwhelmed her to the point of fainting.

The last thing Vivian thought of herself before fainting was that Phoebe was right. It was going to be a wide aisle.

Chapter Text

Running towards a place of silence and seclusion place away from all the celebratory dancing and singing, Kate looked around thinking she was safe, caught her breath, and momentarily let her guard down, let her thoughts resume back to when she saw Anthony when she was performing but was interrupted by a sudden familiar presence that coming close to her.

“Kate!” Anthony shouted as he ran towards her. Just as Kate was about to run off again, she realised that there was no other place to run but in the direction of Anthony. She had two options: tackle Anthony down to escape or listen to what he had to say. Though Kate would rather the ladder option, she realised that sooner or later, she had to talk to Anthony instead of avoiding him like she had previously.

“Kate!” Anthony was closing in on her proximity. “Please stop avoiding me.” Anthony’s voice pleaded.

“I have no other route to escape, idiot.” Stubbornly not admitting that she wasn’t carefully observant of her surroundings.

“Just calm down, Kate,” Anthony said without knowing he was adding fuel to the fire.

“Did you just-” Kate gave Anthony a death glare and smacked his shoulder hard

“I’m sorry.” Anthony immediately surrendered.

“What do you want, Anthony, and why are you here?” Ripping off the band-aid that Kate has been avoiding until now. She really didn’t want to face Anthony right now, but what other choice did she have? Be chased forever by this man, or face the issue head-on.

Anthony chose his words very precisely to not warrant a response of flee or anger from Kate. “I came because of you, Kate.”

“Bullshit,” Kate said with venom. She didn’t believe a single word that came out of his mouth.

“But it’s true.” Anthony is trying to plead his case to Kate.

“How’d you know I'd be on this island, Anthony?” Kate questioned. Anthony realised that he had to reveal that he had invaded her privacy, though his original intent was to go into Kate’s office to see her working schedule to see when he could catch her, he came across the invitation by a stroke of luck and followed his absurd plan to talk to Kate.  

“Tell me, Anthony.” Kate was getting impatient waiting for a response from Anthony.

“It’s because I saw your invitation to this wedding on your desk.” Anthony hung his head low and rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.

Kate pinched the bridge of her nose because of how unbelievable Anthony was, and that he never changed after they broke up. However, his immature, childish, and borderline stalkerish tactics were she had to change the subject or they’ll be here all night arguing.

“But that doesn’t explain the ‘what’, Anthony. What do you want, Anthony?” Kate folded her arms and waited for his answer, as she already knew what he was going to say.

“I want you, Kate!” Kate wanted to beat this man to a pulp because he won’t give up on her.

“You have been in my mind, Kate, all night and all day. I cannot live my day without thinking of you, as my first and last thoughts are of you.” Anthony proclaims his love to Kate, hoping that this last effort can convince Kate.

“Then simply stop thinking of me, Anthony.” Kate wanted to wrangle this man. He wanted him to stop.

“I can’t, Kate.”

“Why?”

Anthony couldn’t hold it in any longer. This woman in front always tested the boundaries of his patience; the only way to get through to Kate was to tell her plainly and clearly. 

“Because I love you. Kate.”

“No. Don’t say that.” Kate refused to believe Anthony; she couldn’t. She mustn’t, not after what he did.

“Kate, I love you.” Anthony is still trying to get through to Kate.

“No, you don’t get to say that to me and expect me to say it back after what you did.” Anthony froze. Kate took in a deep breath before she let the dam that she had been constantly building over the years finally break.

“When your father died, I understood that you would put your family first above everyone else, even yourself. Even when you needed space, I understood that you would come back to me. However, when you broke up with me, it came out of left field, and I wanted to know why, but you never said the reason why because you shut me out.”

“Kate-” Anthony tried to apologies, but Kate cut him off.

“No, Anthony, you listen to me. You don’t have to say anything to me, I know that I’m hard to love, it’s why you gave up.”

“Kate, please-” Anthony was still trying to apologies to Kate.  

“How could you love someone who's difficult-” Kate started to spiral into self-loathing. Anthony immediately saw the direction of where Kate’s mind was going and wasn’t going to have it.

“Kate.” Anthony tried to snap Kate out of it by calling out her name, but she kept continuing.

“Stubborn-”

“Stop, Kate.” Anthony’s polite attempts weren’t working on Kate.

“Independent-” Kate continued to spiral.

Having already heard enough, Anthony grabbed both of Kate’s shoulders and shook her to ground her in reality.

“Kate, that is enough. Don’t you dare talk disrespectfully about those traits of yours. They are the reason why I love you, Kate.”

“Stop saying that you love me.” Kate pushes away Anthony’s hands.

“I won’t because that’s the truth. What do I have to do to prove myself to you? To prove that my love for you is true.” Anthony felt a sense of rhythm explode within him as he felt talking wasn’t going to do the job of conveying his message to Kate.

“I’ve seen you twice in a short time. Only a week since we started.” Anthony was thinking of the two times he had seen Kate tonight; she was stunning and took his breath away.

“It seems to me, for every time I’m getting more open-hearted.” Anthony’s heart flutters every time he sees Kate, because she’s the only one who’s capable of doing so.

“Your smile and the sound of your voice and the way you see through me.” Kate is the only person outside of his immediate family who understands him and sees through the facades he usually puts up to make everyone around him happy.

“Got a feeling you give me no choice, and it means a lot to me.” Anthony serenading his voice into Kate’s ear, which she couldn’t stop herself from listen to.

“So, I wanna know, what’s the name of the game?” Anthony pleaded with Kate to tell him what to do to her back.

“Does it mean anything to you? Anthony’s hand reached out towards Kate, but Kate took a step back, wary of Anthony’s charm being dialled up to eleven.

“What’s the name of the game? Can you feel it the way I do?” Anthony is hoping that there’s a second chance for Kate to be in his life.

“Tell me, please, ‘cause I have to know, I’m a dutiful child whose letting go,” Anthony reveals to Kate that he has shed quite a lot of responsibilities to get to where he is now, but even then, that was only the beginning.

“And you make me talk, and you make me feel, and you make me show, what I’m trying to conceal.”Anthony, having time to reflect upon that time that he spent apart, realised that all the responsibilities weren’t worth the trouble if Kate wasn’t his life.

Kate interjected, which surprised Anthony. “If I trust in you, would you let me down?” Kate let her guard down for a moment, letting her desire take over.

“Would you laugh at me?” Kate’s guard lowered as she felt a sense of vulnerability piercing into her skin and clawing at her heart.

“If I said I care for you?” Kate took a step closer to Anthony, closing the gap between them and looking directly into his eyes.

 Anthony stared back into Kate’s eyes and sang softly, “Could you feel the same way too, I wanna know the name of the game.” Kate, realising how close she’s gotten to Anthony, pushed him away and jumped back into her armour, which she feels comfortable hiding behind.  

“I want you off the island!” Kate ran past Anthony and ran off, scared of being vulnerable and being hurt again. The next time they met again, Kate wouldn’t know how to respond.

“Kate!” Anthony called out, but it was too late as she was already gone and was already tired from the long day, and wanted to go to sleep.

---

Colin found himself inside a random building that he followed Penelope into. Looking back on his decision, this wasn’t his best moment, but neither the less he was here for one thing. To talk to Penelope.

“Penelope!” Colin called out.

“Colin, what are you doing here?” Penelope was surprised to see that Colin followed her to this place.

“I came to ask what’s wrong and why you didn’t want to dance with me?” Colin looked innocent in the response he gave to Penelope.

“Is that all, Colin?” Penelope was unimpressed by his response; she had her hopes up, but was disappointed with herself for expecting more from Colin. The constant replay of that night’s rejection in her head, combined with the fact that he could potentially be the father of her best friend’s daughter, whom she’s known all her life, the emotions she kept buried and sealed finally cracked open.

“Yes, Penelope.” Colin was oblivious to what was to come his way.

“Unbelievable,” Penelope muttered to herself. The emotions she kept hidden were now pushed down the hill and gaining momentum.

“What?” Colin is still oblivious.

“You really are so dense.” Penelope raised her voice so that it filled the room and shocked Colin.

“What are you talking about, Penelope?” Colin is trying to calm Penelope down by letting her explain herself and putting on a charming smile to defuse the situation.

“I am still hurt from that rejection, Colin.” Penelope finally released all the built-up anguish that had shackled her down and was drowning her for the past few months.

“Penelope-” Colin, realising how dire the situation was and immediately panicked, but it was already too late.

“I can’t act like how things originally were, not when I loved you for so long.” Penelope let the emotions she’s buried wash over every inch of her body. In the process, Penelope came to a decision that wasn’t easy but would be the best for her.

“Penelope-” Colin didn’t want this to be true; he didn’t want their relationship to change; he wanted Penelope.

“I can’t be friends with you anymore.” Penelope’s heart stung, but she felt like she had made the right choice and started moving on without him.

“Penelope, no. We can still be friends-” Colin clung desperately to what was still left of their relationship.

“No more carefree laughter, silence ever after.” Penelope is thinking about her future without Colin and how she’s going to miss him.

“Walking through an empty house, tears in my eyes.” Penelope is thinking about all the precious and fond memories she has with Colin from childhood to now.

“Here is where the story ends, this is goodbye.” Penelope looked at Colin in the eyes with sorrow because she didn’t want to go through with this decision, but it was the best option she had.

“Knowing me, knowing you. There is nothing we can do.” Penelope felt cynical that she could not erase the memories that she had with Colin to make this decision easier.

“Knowing me, knowing you. We just have to face it; this time we’re through.” Penelope held Colin’s hands, trying to convince Colin to do the same herself so that the pain would be easy to digest; the thought of the decision being mutual would make it better.

“Breaking up is never easy, I know, but I have to go.” Penelope pleads with Colin to do the same as she is, but he violently shakes his head, not wanting this to happen.

“Knowing me, knowing you, it’s the best I can do.” Penelope felt like she had to sing it to herself to convince herself that she was doing the right thing, no matter the consequences.

“This is goodbye, Colins.” Penelope walked past Colin and placed her hand on the doorknob. Colin felt that there was one last fight within him, like there was still a chance to have Penelope at his side.

“Penelope, I love you.” This was Colin’s last effort to convince her to stay, but it wasn’t enough.

Penelope placed her hand on the doorknob and faced towards Colin. “No, Colin, that’s unfair. Stop making this already harder than it already is.”

“Then let me-” Colin was still trying to convince Penelope, but he was cut off.

“Goodbye, Colins.” Penelope left without looking back and leaving Colin by himself, where the room grew colder and emptier.

---

Passed out on the ground, Sophie, who had already passed out, caught her daughter before she hit the concrete floor and placed in her lap.

“Everybody, please give space; I don’t need everyone crowding around us.”

“You heard the woman, move.” Benedict cleared most of the crowd away from Sophie and Vivian.

“Thank you.” Sophie shows her gratitude as she attends to her daughter.

Benedict turned around to see the woman that he loved holding the daughter he had just found, who was his. A wave of envy and yearning washed over him like a bucket of cold water splashed upon him, wishing that he could have that relationship with Sophie and Vivian. He took notice of the emotion and pocketed it for later as his focus was on Vivian.

“Do you need help?” Benedict knelt to Sophie’s level.

“No. Jesse is going to take her to her room.” Sophie was playing with a strand of her daughter’s hair as she was more focused and attentive towards her daughter than Benedict.

“Sophie-” Benedict’s fingers accidentally brushed against Sophie’s. Sophie felt a chill went up her arm, feeling the familiar fingers that once touched her with love and compassion. Sophie looked up into Benedict’s eyes, observing that his eyes had darkened and matured since the last time, but her thoughts were interrupted by Jesse.

“Sophie, I got help. We should be able to take it from here.” Jesse and a few of his friends, who weren’t drunk, carefully carried Vivian away.

“Thank you, Jesse.” Sophie hugged Jesse.

She looked back to see where Benedict was, only to see him vanish. She hoped not to see his face again, but then again, when did that ever stop fate?

Chapter Text

As the God Helios lit up the clear and blue skies with the sun, the goddess Nyx retreated to her comfy chambers to rest.

Sophie burst through the door of Kate and Penelope’s room, slamming the door into the wall. She was still in her nighties, with bags under her eyes from the sleepless and endless tossing and turning.

Kate was already up and creating a drink to help ease Penelope’s hangover, which she was currently feeling from last night's drinking that was caused by a certain Bridgerton brother.

“Why are they still here on this island? They said that they would be gone.” Sophie was pacing manically around the room. Kate grabbed Sophie by the shoulders and sat her next to Penelope on the bed.

“Breathe, Sophie, breathe in for eight and out for four.” Kate was finishing stirring up Penelope’s drink.

“Kate, I don’t need to-” Sophie was insistent that she didn’t need to do Kate’s breathing exercise as she purely focused on the Bridgerton brothers, but she was cut off.

“Sophie, no argument. Do it.” Sophie instantly surrenders and follows Kate’s count, inhale for eight and exhale for four. After a few cycles, Sophie was a bit calmer, but her thoughts were less scattered.

“Right.” Sophie stood up and turned towards Kate and Penelope. “I can’t handle or think about the boys right now, I have too much to do for the wedding today. So can I trust you two to help me?”

“Yes,” Kate replied.

“Mmmhhm.” Penelope’s words were muffled into her pillow, which resembled a yes.

“I’ve got Benedict and Colin with me, playing volleyball, and this one here,” Kate poked at Penelope’s side to get her waking up more. “will take Anthony for water sports.”

“Thank you so much, you two.” Sophie hugged Kate and pressed a kiss to Penelope’s temple as a sign of gratitude. “I’m off.” Before Sophie left, she opened all the curtains and windows of the room, making Penelope groan from all the sunlight, before softly closing the door behind her.

---

Crouching over a toilet bowl with her hair tied up was Vivian, who had just wiped her mouth with the toilet paper with one hand and was holding a pregnancy test with two red lines showing up.

From being too occupied with the wedding and potential father scheme, she realised that her period was late by a week and that the fainting from last night could be a potential symptom.

“Shit,” Vivian murmured. She didn’t want to be in this situation currently, as she felt that she wasn’t ready for motherhood, and as much as she loved her mother very dearly, she didn’t want to end up like her. She would deal with it soon, but she had other priorities to worry about, like today.

IT WAS VIVIAN’S WEDDING DAY!!!

She is going to marry the love of her life today, so why does she feel so nervous, like she wants to run away? She wanted this wedding, she wanted the spectacle, she wanted to marry her soulmate, then why did it feel wrong?

A knock at the door followed by a voice, “Vivian dear, are you alright?”

Vivian panicked with the test in her hand. She didn’t want her mother to know, but where was she to hide it? She looked around the room to see a trash can, but she didn’t want to risk her mother seeing it. She continued to look around the room to see if the window was open.

Vivian thought that if it wasn’t in the house, her mother would think that it was hers, so she yeeted the test out the window, cleaned herself up a bit, and opened the door to let her mother in.

“Hi mum.” Vivian was leaning against the wall to look casual.

“Hi darling, just checking to see if you’re okay.” Sophie is looking worried for her daughter.

“I’m doing just fine.” Vivian was trying to keep up her casual façade; however, Sophie knew she wasn’t herself.

“You’re looking a bit pale,” Sophie pressed the back of her two fingers on Vivian’s forehead. “You’re burning up a little. You’re sure you’re okay.” Sophie expressed concern for her daughter’s well-being.

“I’m sure.” Vivian gently moved her mother’s fingers away. “I’ll probably need a little bit of rest, and I’ll be all good for the afternoon.” Putting on a fake smile to satisfy her mother’s concern.

“Are you sure? If you want to postpone the wedding till tomorrow, everyone will understand-” Sophie began compromising and rearranging plans within her head, but was interrupted.

“No! I want the wedding today.” Vivian's voice rose.

“Okay, we’ll do it today. I’m just concerned for your well-being.” Sophie jumped back a little at her daughter’s raised volume.

“Well, don’t be!” Vivian raised her voice again.

“Honey-” Sophie is trying to explain and calm her daughter down.

“You don’t want the wedding today!” Vivian accuses her mother.

“What, no-”

“Yes, you do.” Vivian was getting agitated and was visible to Sophie’s eye, so she had to de-escalate the situation.

“Vivian Marie Baek, where is this coming from?” Sophie put on her stern mother voice.

“You. You didn’t have a wedding, and so you’re projecting onto me, you just skipped to the baby part-” Vivian began lashing out at her mother, but Sophie was not having any of her daughter’s attitude, especially on her own wedding day.

“Vivian, I’m going to count to ten, and if I don’t see you on your bed with your eyes shut, I will cancel the wedding myself-” Sophie placed her hands on her hips and stared at her sternly, like how every mother would look when she was disrespected by their kid.

“Mum-” Vivian reverting to her child self.

“You are clearly tired and need to go to sleep.”

“Mum-” Vivian tried to argue.

“One.” Sophie began counting with a firm voice that sent a shiver up Vivian’s spine.

“But-”

“Two.” Sophie continued to look at Vivian with a stern look.

“Fine.” Vivian complied against her better judgment and began trudging towards her room.

“Three. Good.” Sophie placed a kiss on Vivian’s forehead.

“Four and I don’t want you out of that bed until it has been at least one hour.” Sophie followed behind her daughter.

“Really, mum.” Vivian tried to argue back she thought it was no use. She arrived at her bed and pulled back the sheets.

“Five. Yes, now go to sleep.” Sophie tucked her daughter in like she was young

“Six. I’ll place tea on your nightstand when you wake up.” She placed another kiss on Vivian’s temple.

“Seven.” Sophie’s voice softens as she sees her daughter doze off.

“Eight, nine, ten,” Sophie murmured to herself, seeing her daughter asleep. It took Sophie back to when she would look after Vivian when she was sick or had trouble sleeping.

Sophie knew Vivian was up since two in the morning and was just nervous for today, so Sophie didn’t take anything that she said seriously; however, the comment about not getting married echoed in her mind. Though she had a choice, she didn’t want to end up becoming a mistress.

Before Sophie got Vivian’s tea ready, she began cleaning up the trash left on the ground from last night’s party. Her mind wandered and lingered on Benedict’s brief touch from last night, which she immediately tried to switch to another topic, but her mind kept wandering back to the moment.

“They pass me by, all of those great romances, because of you robbing me of my rightful chances.” Sophie thinks about dates that she politely declined because she didn’t feel an instant connection to them or let go of her date, afraid of the possibility of being hurt again.

“My picture clear, everything seemed so easy, but then you dealt me the blow, one of us had to go.” Sophie reminisced over her safe and sensual time she spent with Benedict until she was hit with a truth bomb that he was engaged to someone back home.

“How you hurt me, I want you to know. One of us is crying, one of lying in her lonely bed.” When Sophie felt a dagger stab her right through her heart and another through the back when Benedict revealed that he was engaged, it took a quiet a while for Sophie to mourn over and heal from the relationship.

Even in the quiet moments that she had to herself after Vivian was born, she was processing another layer of grief that was silent but came in waves whenever she looked into her daughter’s eyes.

“Staring at the ceiling, wishing she was somewhere else instead.” Sometimes Sophie would wonder what life would have been like if she hadn’t met Benedict. Would she still be on this island, or would she be living elsewhere?

“One of us is lonely. One of us is only waiting for a call. Sorry for herself, feeling stupid, feeling small, wishing you had never left at all. Never left all.” However, another part of Sophie thought of a world where she easily forgave Benedict’s mistake and just waited for him. If she did forgive him, then would he cheat on her with another, or would they still be together?

Sophie’s mind wandered through ‘what ifs and could of beens’, continuing to clean up from last night. Though her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a familiar voice, she knew all too well.  

“Sophie,” Benedict called out.

“Jesus Christ.” Sophie is calming her heart rate down from the jump scare. “What do you want?” Sophie was tired of seeing Benedict’s pretty face.

“I came to talk about Vivian.” Benedict saw Sophie’s head snap towards him at light speed. Seeing Sophie’s reaction, Benedict chose his next words carefully.

“Why isn’t she out there, exploring and refining her talent for art? She’s a bright kid,” Benedict tried to get a big picture understanding of Vivian's hesitation, as he saw a fire lit within her whenever Benedict mentioned art to her.

“Well, if you haven’t noticed, Benedict, I’m running a hotel that is constantly crumbling around me with a cribbling mortgage, which isn’t the idealistic financial support for Vivian.” Sophie was lashing out at Benedict about the situation she’s in, but remembered that this is not he’s fault that she decided to stay, and it is not Vivian’s fault. Sophie took a deep breath.

“Even if I’m financially ruined, I’m willing to be in more debt to support my daughter through art school if that would make my daughter happy.” Sophie unhealthily prides herself on always putting Vivian's needs first, even though it wanes on her self-esteem.

“Then why-” Benedict was going to ask why Vivian didn’t want to ask, but Sophie wasn’t finished

“I don’t know what goes inside that young woman’s head. She thinks she’s indebted to me, which, to clarify, she isn’t. I wanted her to have the best livelihood that I could have provided her, to live a life that I couldn’t because, as you know, I didn’t have the best upbringing, and I didn’t want her to go through all of that.”

“And you think that the best decision is for Vivian to stay on this island?” Benedict felt like an arse trying to make Sophie feel guilty, and now he’s feeling guilty about it.

Not knowing how to answer without sounding defensive, she deflected by feeding into his ego a little to drive the focus off her daughter, though Sophie is having second doubts about her choices.

“No, but you have that face when you’re thinking of something devious.” Sophie rolled her eyes.

Benedict closed the gap between them and entered Sophie’s space with a smirk on his face.

“Oh yeah, what kind of face would that be, Sophie?”

“You have fire in your eyes, your ears turn…” Sophie looked up and realised that Benedict was too close and pushed him away.

“Wait a minute, I’m going off topic. Tell me what you’re planning?”

“Well, I was going to offer Vivian an internship at the university where I work, all expenses covered. So, she could pursue her dreams instead of…” Benedict thought that her could convince Sophie to make Vivian chase her dream. Sophie was all for the opportunity until Benedict's accident brought up the island.

“Instead of what Benedict? Being stuck here with a hag of a mother.” Sophie started to become self-critical of herself because she couldn’t make it big like Benedict. Sophie would secretly keep tabs on Benedict’s art career in tabloids and news articles and would have them stashed away until Vivian stumbled upon the diary.

“Sophie, I didn’t mean-”

“Become her own mother. Worthless.”

“Sophie, no.” Benedict realised that he must stop Sophie from being self-critical about herself, as he wasn’t going to stand there and see the woman that he loves tear herself apart.

“Loveless of a woman.”

“Sophie.” Benedict grabbed both shoulders of Sophie and shook her a little to ground her back to reality. Benedict was planning to refocus all the self-loathing upon himself, if it meant seeing Sophie more peaceful.

“But you do know what? I love being on my own.” Sophie pushed Benedict’s hands away and resumed picking up the littered trash. “I’m thankful that I don’t have to wake up next to some middle-aged man, telling me how I should run my life.” Sophie felt a sense of denial within her words, like she was trying to convince herself that she didn’t have someone to lean on, that wasn’t her daughter.

“So last night was nothing. You didn’t feel anything between us.” Benedict knew that she was lying to herself. It was easy to read Sophie, as she would wear her heart on her sleeve, even after growing up in a harmful environment. Sophie’s resilience and compassion are the qualities that made Benedict fall in love with her.

“It was a moment of weakness. Am I supposed to forgive you all of a sudden?” Sophie was still trying to convince herself that she didn’t feel anything for Benedict.

Benedict’s heart was full to the brim of years of yearning for Sophie, so that he couldn’t contain himself any longer and had to burst.

“Where are those happy days? They seem so hard to find.” Benedict stared into Sophie’s eyes, searching and wondering if there was any hope left for them.

“I’ve tried to reach for you, but you have closed your mind.” Benedict would notice every time that he spoke with Sophie, she would try to conceal her emotions, but the more time he spent with Sophie, the more cracks would appear.

“Whatever happened to our love? I wish I understood.” Sophie rolled her eyes and tried to walk away from Benedict because she knew if she stayed, it would only be worse for her, and all those years of healing could easily be undone instantly.

“It used to be so nice, it used to be so good,” Benedict remembered their precious and sweet time they spent together before the incident, and how he never loved anyone but Sophie.

“So, when you’re near me, darling, can’t you hear me? SOS” Benedict yearns for another chance for Sophie to depend on him, when they were together.

“The love you gave me, nothing else can save me, SOS.” Sophie’s love that Benedict received when they were together was enough to make him survive many years of hardship as an artist because it was her belief and compassion that she showed toward Benedict and his art, which was used as inspiration as she was his muse.

“When you’re gone, how can I even try to go on? When you’re gone, though I try, how can I carry on?” Benedict thought about the times in his life when he missed Sophie’s presence, from open art galleries to little jokes, which he thought Sophie would enjoy. He didn’t want a life without Sophie.

Sophie peered out from an alleyway to see if the coast was clear, just to see Benedict still there, but he was helping with the trash.

“You seem so far away, though you are standing near.” All those years of repressing thoughts of Benedict have resurfaced the thought of Sophie approaching Benedict felt overwhelming for her, yet when he appears and approaches Sophie, he always seems to know what to say.

“You made me feel alive, but something died, I fear.” The time that Sophie spent with Benedict made her feel special and a better person; nobody has been able to do that except for the exceptions of her daughter and her friends.

“I really tried to make it out. I wish I understood.”  Sophie wanted to know why Benedict chose her all those years ago and why he still wants her, when it’s been over 20 years.

“What happened to our love? It used to be so good.” Sophie looked at Benedict, thinking about how safe his arms used to be.

“So, when you’re near me, darling, can’t you hear me? SOS.” Sophie wanted Benedict to hear her, to rescue and flee from her from this life she built for herself.

“The love you gave me, nothing else can save me, SOS.” It was the lingering love that she had for Benedict that ultimately led her to keep Vivian, because she didn’t know whether she was going to keep the baby or not.  

“When you’re gone, how can I even try to go on? When you’re gone, though I try, how can I carry on?”Even after Benedict’s betrayal and the 20 years that she spent apart from him and trying to forget him and move on, a part of his love still lingers.

Sophie looked at the time and saw how much time had passed. She returned home to see that Vivian was still asleep and quietly prepared for her to awaken. Though her mind was occupied by Benedict, she knew that they would inevitably meet again, but this time she wanted to control the conversation.

---

With the sun shining at its most peaking at high noon, and Penelope annoyed with how perky the sun was being, she was still recovering from last night’s hangover, with Anthony sitting beside her in a pedal boat. Though she hadn’t spent much time with other Bridgerton siblings, besides Colin and Eloise, she was having a nice time with Anthony.

Anthony was wearing nothing but his swimming trunks and safety jacket, while Penelope was wearing a floral dress with a life jacket on top.

Anthony, on the other hand, his mind was going over last night’s conversations on replay with Kate and Vivian. He wondered what he was willing to do to get Kate back into life as he missed her presence, her smell, but most importantly, herself, as she was able to make him a better man, but threw his chances away when time was hard.

Anthony’s mind also wandered towards the fact that he was the father of a young woman. He wanted to contribute to Vivian’s life, but he felt that he was too late, that any contribution towards Vivian or even Sophie would be useless.

“Penelope, you’ve always seemed like a bright woman to me. If I were to ask a hypothetical question without judgment, would you?” Anthony is trying not to sound suspicious.

Penelope siding eying Anthony’s weird behaviour but decided to indulge him as she couldn't question what seemed to be weighing upon him.

“Go ahead.”

“If I were to say that a potential father of a grown child suddenly appeared after two decades, who had no contact with the mother or even knew that child existed. What would you want hypnotically?”

Penelope took a while to respond as she was trying to do the gymnastic maths in her head, trying to make sense of what Anthony said.

“Honestly, I would want him to pay for the child support or even…”

“You’re a genius, Penelope. Colin really is too dumb to realise.” Anthony balanced himself when he stood up and dived into the ocean and began swimming towards Sophie.

“Anthony, where are you going? Come back.” But Penelope’s words were useless as Anthony had already swum a great distance in a few seconds. Left alone on the pedal boat, Penelope’s mind began to replay her last interaction with Colin. She thought she was over him, but all she thinks about is him.

Though her thoughts were thankfully interrupted by someone getting on board the pedal boat behind her seat. Penelope had a jump scare but came to realise that it was Alfred, the bartender from yesterday. She turned to face him.

“What are you doing here?”

“I just wanted to say thank you for yesterday. Though my husband didn’t believe me, you signed and wrote a note to him in a copy of your book. Thank you for taking the time to talk to him. He’s been buzzing all morning.” Alfred shows his appreciation and gratitude towards Penelope’s kindness.

“If there’s anything I can do to repay your kindness. I’ll do it in a heartbeat.”

“No, really.” Penelope's voice carried a weight of mourning that Alfred sensed.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Penelope signed.

“You can tell me. I won’t tell a soul. Cross my heart.” Alfred put one hand in the air for scout honour and traced an X shape over where his heart is.  

“Well, it’s sort of complicated. I’ve broken off a long friendship with a friend I’ve been in love with.” Penelope’s heart tightens within her chest.

“Have you confessed?”

“Yes, and was rejected, saying that we’re better off friends, and I’ve been trying to move on, but no matter what I do. I think about him more.” Penelope began fidgeting with her hair, as she had never told anyone of this information, she feared being judged by those closest to her. Though Penelope felt that she could talk to this man, as she wouldn’t see him again.

“You want some advice?”

Penelope thought it would be insane to hear a stranger’s advice, but she thought, Why not hear him out? He might have some valuable insight.

“Sure, why not?”

“This friend sounds like they don’t like change, because he’s seen you in one way.”

“What do you suggest I do then?” Penelope asked.

“Remember your fourth book, you wrote with the female protagonist faked a-”

“Relationship with their friend to get noticed. What does that have to do with...” Penelope looked up to see Alfred with a smirking grin on his face.

“Oh.”

“Exactly, he’s seen you one way and now you make him see a version that he’s never seen.” Alfred now occupies the seat next to Penelope.

“What has he never seen before?” Penelope pondered for a while but realised that the answer was beyond her. She stood up and gained balance before she stripped off her life jacket and floral dress that she was wearing, to reveal a red one-piece swimsuit that hugged her body comfortably.

“I need your help, though. I think now is the perfect time to cash in that act of kindness if you’re up to it?” Penelope grinned maliciously as she told her plan to Alfred, who hundred percent on board to help.

Pedalling the boat to the island shore of the island, Penelope saw his muscular and tall physique she was all too familiar with, sitting casually on a beach chair with a drink beside him. When Penelope arrived and stepped off the boat, she nodded to Alfred to start.

“Come back, baby, we need to talk about last night.” Alfred circled Penelope.

“Please, there’s nothing to talk about. Last night for all I care doesn’t exist.” Penelope glanced to her side to see if Colin was looking, but it didn’t seem to catch his attention, look like she must ramp up the charade; she signalled Alfred to go bigger.

The goal was to catch Colin’s attention, but most importantly to have a little fun while feeling confident, as Penelope always never one to have a spotlight moment; she would always be in the shadows supporting her friends and family. Yesterday was a swirling storm of events, wondering when it was ever going to end. So, if anyone was going to have fun, it was she, with a new friend.

“But Penelope, you’re telling me that last night sex meant nothing to you.” Colin’s ear perked. Was this man talking to the same Penelope as his? Colin turned his head to see that it was his Penelope, but there was something different about her. She looked more vibrant, beautiful, and confident.

Colin didn’t know how to feel; he’s never seen Penelope in this way after knowing her all these years. Could it be that he was holding her back from her full potential? The guy Penelope was with looked like quite a catch and was touching her, and she seemed to enjoy it. Something within Colin snapped. He felt an overwhelming urge to claim what was his.

Penelope turned to see if Colin took the bait, but it looks like she got more than just a bite. She saw Colin stand up from his chair and approach her with a fire in his eyes. It was now time to commence that next part of the plan.

“You’re so hot teasing me.” Penelope flirtatiously points at Alfred and winks at him.

“So, you’re blue, but I can’t take a chance on a kid like you. It something I couldn’t do.” As Colin's possessive presence continued to come closer by the millisecond, Penelope continued to physically flirt with Alfred, playing back, enjoying every moment.

“There’s the look in your eyes; I can read on your face that your feelings are driving you wild.” Penelope turned to face Colin to acknowledge his presence, only to roll her eyes at him and face back to Alfred, who had placed his hand on Penelope's thigh, which made Colin seething with rage.

Colin wanted to know why this man was so persistent in touching Penelope when she already said no. Colin wanted to beat this man to a pulp, but refrained from doing so because he knew better, but still doesn’t stop Colin from beating up this man in his mind.

“Oh, but boy, you’re only a child.” Penelope swiped away Alfred’s hand that was placed on her thigh and laughingly pushed Alfred away. Colin, still watching, thought that maybe he could be Penelope’s man if she didn’t want a boy toy, and stepped towards Penelope to get her attention.

“Well, I can dance with you, honey, if you think it’s funny, but does your mother know that you’re out?” Penelope looked up to see that Colin had hungry eyes for her, but decided that she wanted fun instead of dealing with him, and walked past Colin with a cold shoulder and continued to walk towards Alfred.

“And I can chat with you, baby, flirt a little maybe, but does your mother know that you’re out?” Penelope dragged Alfred by the ear, spun him around, and spanked Alfred’s butt. Alfred looked at Penelope with shock, with Penelope looking at Alfred with apology, thinking that she had gone too far, but Alfred signed that he was alright and to continue.

“Look at him, he’s seething with jealousy.” Alfred points out Colin brooding in the corner. “But you can’t ignore him forever, so control the narrative and make him beg.” Alfred grinned deviously.

“That’s what I’m planning to do right now.” Penelope lay on a beach chair as Colin came approaching Penelope again, but this time she looked directly into his eyes, daring to challenge the hunger that he had in him.

“Take it easy.” Colin took a big gulp before slowly approaching Penelope this time, with more caution.

“Take it easy, better slow down, boy.” That’s no way to go, does your mother know?” Penelope allowed Colin to come closer, with her pointer finger gesturing to him to come to her beckoning.

“Take it easy.” Colin is complying with Penelope’s action.

“Take it easy, try to cool it, boy. Play it nice and slow, does your mother know?” Penelope held her finger up for Colin to stay still, which he complied with. Colin was completely lost on what she wanted until she pointed her finger at the ground. Penelope wanted Colin to beg and grovel, but she could only do that if she had complete power over him right now and was enjoying

Confused about what Penelope wanted, Colin kneeled on the sand, and then Penelope followed up with another beckoning gesture. Colin was about to get up again, but Penelope pointed her finger at the ground, which was followed by the beckoning gesture. She wanted him to do the work and make him crawl towards her if he wanted her attention.

“I can see what you want, but you seem pretty young to be searching for that kind of fun.” Colin arrived at Penelope’s foot in which she gestures to him to stop where he is. Using her big toe, she slowly traces a line down Colin’s chest.

“So maybe I’m not the one.” Penelope pushed Colins away with her foot, which got Colins crawling back and begging for more.

“Now you’re so cute, I like your style, and I know what you mean, give me a flash of that smile. Oh boy, you’re only a child.” Alfred came back, approaching Penelope, which made Colin only more seething with jealousy because he wasn’t finished with her. Penelope’s fingers caress Alfred’s face, only to hold his jaw with two fingers and then push him away.

“Well, I can dance with you, honey, if you think it’s funny, but does your mother know that you’re out?”Penelope got up from her chair only to be pulled by Colin, but then was pulled another direction by Alfred, who winked at her and smiled. Colin saw their interaction and got possessive and breaking off Alfred’s grip on Penelope and pulling her to his chest.

“And I can chat with you, baby, flirt a little maybe, but does your mother know that you’re out?” Alfred doesn’t think the job is quite finished yet and grabbed Penelope’s waist and pulled her towards him and whispered nothing, just the sound a toddler makes thinking they’re whispering to make Penelope laugh.

“Well, I can dance with you, honey, if you think it’s funny, but does your mother know that you’re out?” Penelope was caught in a tango between the two men, but was about to be put to an end as she nodded to Alfred to let go and stride up toward Colins.

And I can chat with you, baby, flirt a little maybe, but does your mother know that you’re out?” Colin couldn’t contain himself. He wanted to take Penelope somewhere private and take her all for himself. Penelope approached Colin and stared directly into his eyes. Colin leaned forward, about to consume her with his lips and eyes, but was stopped when Penelope placed a finger on his lip and was scooped up by Alfred and ran away giggling

Colin was left alone, defeated with no pride or shame left within him, wondering why he couldn’t realise that he was in love with Penelope.

---

Helping to organise and set up the table for the wedding’s reception with Sophie, Kate was trying to keep herself distracted from last night’s interaction with Anthony clouded her thoughts and judgements. Today was her niece’s wedding today she should focus on the fact that the girl she helped raise and watched grow up was getting married.

“Sophie, I’m finished with placing the swan-shaped napkins. I’m going to go off to get more plates.” Kate called out to Sophie as she walked to the kitchen.

“Thank you, Kate,” Sophie replied, placing another plate on the table.

Sophie was in disbelief that her child was getting married in just a few hours, that the little girl that she had birthed and raised has turned into an adult that she’s proud of, though Sophie’s thoughts of pride were interrupted by a Anthony who was wet from the swim of the pedal boat to where Sophie is and still had his life jacket on.

Anthony approached Sophie with a check in his hand and presented it to her.

“Anthony! What are you doing here?” Sophie was surprised to see him at this current moment.

“Sophie, I uh, wanted to give you this.” Anthony gave the check to Sophie.

“Anthony sweetie, what are you doing here? I mean, why are you on this island… what the heck!” Sophie was about to interrogate Anthony, as he was the rational one to explain, but when she looked at the check, her eyes widened. She has never seen so many zeros in her life.

“I came to the sudden realisation that you must have had a rough time, raising Vivian all by yourself, and I wanted to make a small contribution to the wedding.” Anthony was trying to act all modest and humble, as money was never a concern in his life, and felt horrible for Sophie’s situation.

Sophie, on the other hand, viewed this as a pity act or an act of charitable generosity and thought that the amount of money on the check would be too much to give the check back to him.

“I can’t accept this.” Sophie handed the check back to him, but Anthony was already backing away, as he already knew that Sophie would want to give the check back.

“No, you’re too good for your own sake, do something selfish for once, Sophie.” Anthony had already put distance between himself and Sophie when Sophie tried to catch up to him.

When Anthony turned around, he was met with Kate, who came out of the kitchen holding a stack of plates in her arms.

“Kate,” Anthony called out.

When Kate saw Anthony, she nearly lost her grip of the plates, dropping them and giving herself a heart attack. Seeing the sight of Anthony made her want to run, so she first placed the plates down safely and then booked it, leading Anthony to pursue her in another chase.

“Kate! Come back!” Anthony was calling out, but Kate didn’t want to stop and listen to him. Since last night, she has been having thoughts of Anthony all night long, which led to her having a dream about her, and she immediately jolted herself awake.

Kate couldn’t look at him; if she did, she would fall into his arms again, which she didn’t want to happen, though Kate admitted it would be nice in his firm arms. She shook the idea out of her head, but her heart, on the other hand, wanted her to feel these emotions she’s been suppressing.

“Don’t know how to take it, don’t know where to go, my resistance running low, and every day the hold is getting tighter, and it troubles me so.” Kate didn’t know how much longer she could run for and needed a place to hide from Anthony because she knew her limits and knew that Anthony could outpace her and catch up to her.

“I’m nobody’s fool, and yet it’s clear to me, I don’t have a strategy.” Kate continued to search for a place to hide from Anthony and was feeling low on stamina. She had to think of a quick place to hide, but saw a big bush; she looked around to see how close Anthony was before diving behind it.

“It’s just like taking candy from a baby, and I think I must be under attack; I’m being taken.” Kate caught her breath and peered through the bush to see if Anthony followed, only to see that he went another direction. She lay down on the ground, heaving heavily, cursing at the fact that she had caught feelings again for the idiot.

“About to crack, defences breakin’, won’t somebody please have a heart? Come rescue me now ‘cause I’m fallin’ apart.” Why did Kate have to fall for the complete and utter idiot of a man? She wished she had fallen for another man who didn’t have the same compassion as Anthony, the same kindness as Anthony, the same eyes as Anthony, someone who didn’t complete her the same way Anthony did.

“Under attack, I’m taking cover. He’s on my track, my chasing lover.” Kate looked out again to see where Anthony was, but he was now running the other direction and giggling to herself at Anthony’s idiotic tendencies. She knew that her best chances were to run again, as she knew he wouldn’t give up easily.

“Thinking nothing’s gonna stop him now. Should I want to, I’m not sure I would know how.” Kate knew how far Anthony’s determination was, especially when it came to them, because he was a fighter and he was willing to fight for their relationship, for their love, but she wasn’t ready; she was afraid of being hurt again.

Kate was still reliving the pain from their breakup, and she didn’t realise that back then she needed him to rely on as well, because her life was going into hell at the same time Anthony’s dad died. She hid her pain as she didn’t want Anthony to worry about it because he had quite a lot on his plate and didn’t want to add more.

When Kate and Anthony were still together, Kate discovered that she was pregnant with his child the day after Anthony’s father’s death and didn’t want to tell him thinking that it would be too much though sadly, she couldn’t tell this exciting news to him because a couple of weeks later she had a miscarriage that was caused by the stress of work and other combination.

Though the only people who know that she had a miscarriage were her sister, Sophie, and Penelope, and now the fact that Anthony was potentially Vivian’s father reopened the wound that she’s been slowly healing over time.

Anthony never knew of Kate’s miscarriage because he broke up with Kate the day after, leaving Kate in a depressive state of mourning, heartbreak break and self-hatred. Kate blamed her self-worth on the reason why they didn’t stay together or on why she had a miscarriage.

It was a vicious cycle of self-loathing that Kate was caught in, that she didn’t leave her apartment building for weeks until Penelope and her sister crashed her place and took her over to stay with Sophie for a few months to help her heal and not be couped up, as they knew Sophie was the one to help Kate heal and process the pain.

“This is getting crazy. I should tell him so. Really let my anger show, persuade him that the answer to his question is definite no.” Kate didn’t know whether to tell him here or never about the miscarriage. If she were to tell Anthony here, right now, about the miscarriage, he would blame himself, and she didn’t want his self-pity for not being there.

“Guess I’m kind of flattered, but I’m scared as well, something like a magic spell.” Kate was scared of a second chance. What if the same situation happened again? She couldn’t do it again; her heart couldn’t possibly contain that amount of pain.

“I hardly dare to think what would happen, where I’d be if I fell under attack, I’m being taken.” Kate ultimately came to a decision that she needs to tell Anthony about the miscarriage to help her heal with closure and to tell him the real reason why she won’t take him back.

“About to crack, defences breakin’, won’t somebody please have a heart? Come rescue me now ‘cause I’m fallin’ apart.” Kate got herself up from the ground and brushed off the dirt and leaves from the bush to search where Anthony, only for him to spot her.

“Under attack, I’m taking cover. He’s on my track, my chasing lover.” As Anthony approached Kate, she clutched her chest as she felt her heart pulsing faster and nervous sweat that was coming through, which was added on top of the sweat from running away. She didn’t feel ready, but Kate took a deep breath before taking a step forward.

“Thinking nothing’s gonna stop him now. Should I want to, I’m not sure I would know how.” As Kate walked towards Anthony, she stared into his eyes, those eyes that used lay upon Kate with love were now bright, filled with spark and joy, but were now full of darkness by the sorrow and regrets of his life.

“Kate, please talk to me. Can we talk about last night?” Anthony pleaded for Kate not to run away again.

“Anthony.” Kate’s composure was starting to crumble.

“Please, Kate, what do I need to do to be at your side?” Anthony closed the space between them.

“Anthony!” All of Kate’s composure crumbled, but she was still trying to remain calm despite Anthony’s interruptions.

“Kate, tell me-”

“ANTHONY BRIDGERTON!” Completely losing all composure that Kate had and snapping at him, causing Anthony to jolt back.

Kate closed her eyes and took a deep breath, and ripped the band-aid off that was searing this wound for years.

“There’s something I haven’t told you that I need to tell you.” Kate took a deep gulp and gripped her hands together. This was the most vulnerable she ever felt since their break she’s been. Anthony was about to speak, but decided not to as he saw how uncomfortable Kate was feeling.

“The day after your father’s death until the day before you broke up with me was the hardest time for me, as I was carrying our child.” Anthony’s eyes widen with shock at the news, but soften when he comes to realise what happened.

“When your father passed away, I tested positive and I was so ecstatic to tell you the news, but I saw you in your office dealing with all of the paperwork and dealing with your family and looked like you already had too much on your plate that I thought that the news of my pregnancy would be overwhelming for you, so I decided that I’d tell when you were less occupied.”

Kate looked down and pressed her hands against her belly. She felt tears swelling up within her eyes, feeling like the dam of emotions that she had been suppressing was about to burst at any second.

“But the day before you broke up with me. I had the most stressful day I’ve ever experienced. When I came home, I saw… red… all on my…  and you didn’t know, then you broke up with me, so I thought that I failed. I failed to be a human; I failed to be your partner; I failed to be strong; that failed you and me. It broke me, Anthony.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Anthony felt a sense of entitlement that Kate should have told him, but was also grieving the fact of what could have been.

“I didn’t tell you because you were already dealing with quite a lot, that I thought if I told you, it would break you and you would blame yourself, and I couldn’t do that to you, because I loved you too much.”

Tears that Kate had tried to stop from pouring down came running down her face. She kept wiping her face, trying to stop the tears, but they kept coming down like a rainstorm. Kate had fallen on her knees, succumbing to the weight of the pain she had buried within her.

“We could have gone through it together.” Anthony kneeled to Kate’s level, trying to console her.

“Then you would have been with me out of pity.” Kate continued to cry.

“No, I would have stayed because I love you.”

“You’re lying.”

“I’m not Kate. I would have stayed because of you. You did not fail in any way.” Anthony wiped a tear from Kate’s face, which made her face the other way.

There was a pregnant silence that bloomed between them after many years of avoidance. They both sat in for several minutes, not looking at each other and reveling in the pain.  The silence was broken when Anthony asked an important question.

“Do you still love me, Kate?”

Kate knew definitively that with all her heart’s capacity that she loved Anthony, but she was scared. Scared of a second chance at love, scared of the pain and heartbreak. Was it worth it?

“I still love you, Kate, even after what you revealed just then. I want you in my life, and I want to in your life.” Anthony turned Kate’s head to face him, staring into her eyes and pleading for her to stay.

Kate needed to resist Anthony; she needed to clear her head so that she could give Anthony a clear answer.

Kate cleared her throat and began to talk. “I can’t say right now.”

“But-” Anthony was interrupted by Kate’s finger on his lip.

“But I will give you an answer after the wedding.” Kate’s finger, which was on Anthony’s lip, moved to caress his face. As Kate missed the touch of Anthony’s skin, she felt a surge of ecstasy coursing through her body.

Kate pushed herself up and stood. She saw the time on her watch and saw that she needed to get ready for the wedding. She looked at Anthony one more time before she left, leaving Anthony on the ground by himself.

Left alone, Anthony was thankful that there was a possibility that Kate was still in love with him. He’ll just have to wait after the wedding, but first, he must get ready; there is a daughter to give away first.

Chapter Text

Though Vivian had a ton of preparation to do before the big hour, her mind kept being distracted by the constant thought of the pregnancy test she chucked out of the window. Vivian keeps thinking paranoid thoughts about who spotted the test being thrown out the window and who could use it against her.

Against all her better judgment, she went outside and bent down to retrieve the test, which was thankfully hidden behind a small shrub. As Vivian bent down to retrieve the test, a familiar voice called out her name.

“Vivian.”

She turned her head only to see Benedict coming her way. She quickly hid the test behind her back.

“Vivian, I need to talk to you.” There was urgency within Benedict’s voice that Vivan sensed, but she couldn’t focus on that; she needed to dispose of the test where no one knows of its existence.

“Not right now, Benedict.” Vivian tried to shoo him away.

“Yes, I do. I’m giving you away, and how can I do that when I’m not sure that you’re for sure going to be happy.” Benedict was trying his best at fathering, which felt comfortably within him.

“Yes, I am, please, Benedict. I have to get ready.” Vivian tried to leave, but was grabbed by the shoulders by Benedict.

“I just want to make sure that you’re not throwing away your life because of what society expects you to.” Benedict, knowing the weight and expectation of the titled second son, does to a person. He wanted Vivian not to make the same mistake that he made.

The reason why Benedict fell in love and is still in love with Sophie is because she saw him for as Benedict and not another Bridgerton bachelor on a cover page, but as a fundamental being with complex thoughts and feelings, not constant smiles and charms.

“Did you ever think that I’m marrying the one that I love, because I want to. Not out of necessity, not out of convention, but out of love, and I want to spend my whole life with them.” Vivian has had this conversation with her mother multiple times, but they would discuss it civilly over Kimchi that Sophie had made and wedding planning decisions, but she never felt like she had to defend herself, unlike now with Benedict.

“Don’t you want to live a life out there while you’re young and explore the boundaries with your talents. You can do that; I can help you.” Benedict, knowing that it is foolish not to marry, but he just didn’t want Vivian regretting her decisions like he did.

“And leave my mother alone.” Vivian hits Benedict in the gut. The thought of Sophie being alone left Benedict sorrowful, full knowing that she had felt isolated most of her life.

Striking the iron when it was hot, Vivian asked a question she had wanted to know ever since she had known of his existence.

“When you got married, did you ever feel love and passion?”

“No,” Benedict answered instantly if it were second nature. Vivian saw the eyes of a man who regretted the decisions that he had made over the past 20 years.

“This is why you’re concerned? I appreciate the sentiment, but I have a wedding to be in soon.” Vivian removed Benedict’s arms from her shoulders and slowly walked away, but turned around to face him before leaving Benedict alone.

“Do you still love my mother?” Vivian asks if there was ever hope for her mother to find her happiness that depends on herself.

“Yes.” Benedict’s eyes soften, and answering the question based on instinct, despite what happened between them.

A gust of wind blew past Vivian, who stood there smiling in front of Benedict, from his response, making her hopeful. An image appeared in Benedict’s head of Sophie when he first met her. Vivian was a spitting image of her mother, full of hope and kindness for the world.

Vivian returned inside, only to see the time, realising that getting help from her two friends, Phoebe and Lilah, would only delay her more, and it would be faster just to do it herself.

She weighed all her options and had only one person who was fast and sufficient to get her ready in time, which was her mother, and currently, Vivian felt as though she needed to be grounded with all her thoughts flying around her at a million miles per hour.

Vivian searched for her mother, only to find her sitting at the table, already finished decorating tables, holding a spoon in her hand, inspecting how clean it is.

“Mum,” Vivian called out, making Sophie face her daughter and place the spoon down on the table.

“Vivian. Aren’t you supposed to be getting ready now?” Looking at Vivian’s hair and clothing, which don’t remotely scream, I’M GETTING MARRIED! She also looked to see where her friends were, as they weren’t beside Vivian.

“Will you help me, please?” Vivian felt like she reverted into a child asking her mother for a favour.

Sophie couldn’t resist helping her daughter, even when Vivan got older and independent. When she asked for help from her, it always warmed her heart that she could be there for someone to depend on. All Sophie could do to respond was smile and nod her head at Vivian. She followed Vivian back home, who began to rush her pace.

Arriving in Vivian’s room, she saw the wedding dress hanging on the door, makeup and hairspray on display on the vanity table, and in the corner of her eye, she saw a white stick sticking out of Vivian’s nightstand. Sophie stopped herself and focused her attention on the young woman who was going to be married in a few hours.

“School bag in hand, she leaves home in the early morning. Waving goodbye with an absent-minded smile. I watch her go with a surge of that well-known sadness, and I have to sit down for a while.”

Sophie started reminiscing about memories of a shy little girl who stuck to her leg like glue on her first day of school, that she had to forcibly get Vivian off, or she would be late for school. Though Sophie knew that her daughter would be safe and better in school, a part of her felt a tiny thread being cut, knowing that this would be the beginning of her daughter’s journey of becoming their own person.

“The feeling that I’m losing her forever, and without really entering her world.” With a blink of an eye, there sat a fully grown woman who raised herself when it felt like yesterday that she saw Vivian take her first steps. Where did the time go? This young woman in front of Sophie felt as though she barely recognised her, but at the same time, she knew everything about her.

“I’m glad whenever I can share her laughter, that funny little girl,” Sophie swore that she wasn’t funny when she was a child, when Vivian whipped out one-liners that could finish a person. Sophie concluded that Vivian’s sense of humour skipped a generation or came from the Bridgerton bloodline, but she refused to give them any credit.

“Slipping through my fingers all the time, I try to capture every minute. The feeling in it, slipping through my fingers all the time.” Vivian came out of the bathroom in a robe and her hair in a turban, with a toothbrush in her mouth, with residue paste around her lips, and a bleeding left leg from a razor cut.

“Do I really see what’s in her mind? Each time I think I’m close to knowing, she keeps on growing, slipping through my fingers all the time.” Sophie, seeing her daughter in a distressed state, sat her daughter down so that she could focus on brushing her teeth while she went to clean up and bandage the accidental razor cut, and placed a kiss for good luck and showed love and care for her daughter.

“Sleep in our eyes. Her and me on the breakfast table, barely awake, I let precious time go by.” Sophie thinks back on the mundane memories she had with Vivian, getting her ready for school very early mornings, before sending her off on a ferry to school.

“Then when she’s gone, there’s that odd melancholy feeling and sense of guilt that I can’t deny.” Maybe the subconscious reason why Sophie kept Vivian was because she feared being all alone again, with no family to turn to, and the love of her life gone. Now, with her daughter getting married, she would see her less often, and the feeling of isolation slowly seeped into her nervous system, reliving painful memories she had suppressed.

“Whatever happened to those wonderful adventures? The places I had planned for us to go. Well, some of that we did, but most, we didn’t, and why? I just don’t know.” Perhaps it’s because Sophie thought they had all the time in the world, but with a snap of a finger, she felt as though she didn’t have enough time wishing for more time to spend with her precious daughter.

Though there were other possibilities to factor in, Sophie doesn’t regret the time she spent with her daughter, and she wouldn’t want it any other way. Even if she were to turn back the hands of time, she would do the same thing every time.

“Slipping through my fingers all the time, I try to capture every minute. The feeling in it, slipping through my fingers all the time.” Sophie began doing Vivian’s pedicure on her hands and feet, with gentle care, while trying to make her daughter feel the most confident she could ever feel on one of her important days.

“Do I really see what’s in her mind? Each time I think I’m close to knowing, she keeps on growing, slipping through my fingers all the time.” As Sophie’s mind was strolling down the lane of nostalgia and warm memories of Vivian’s childhood, while dressing up and adjusting Vivian in her wedding dress. Sophie’s thoughts were thwarted by Vivian’s visibly concerned face.

“Honey. What’s wrong?” Sophie asked.

Vivian hesitated for a second before biting the bullet and asking a question that had been weighing heavily on her mind over the past few years, not because her mother would be offended, but with how she would respond.

“Do you think I’m letting you down?”

“Why would you ever think that?” Sophie was offended that her daughter could ever think that she was a disappointment. If anything, she was her pride and joy in the world and couldn’t be prouder to have her as a daughter, but she stayed calm and listened to what her daughter had to say.

Vivian turned to face her mother. “I mean of what you’ve done for me. The Sopranos, raising a kid by yourself and running a business all on your own.” Still having a childish, naïve concern for her mother’s well-being.

“I didn’t really have a choice, my dear. I couldn’t go home; my stepmother kicked me out of the house when I turned 18. She was a vicious woman and bullied me restlessly at every opportunity she had. When I was kicked out, I felt a sense of freedom for the first time, and I never looked back. And I wouldn’t want it any other way. My God, look at what we’ve had.”

Vivian heard multiple times about how horrible her mother’s stepmother was, which made Vivian want to be a kinder and more caring person, but hearing the story now hit her because her mother really didn’t have anyone but her friends to lean on for support. It didn’t feel right not letting her mother know about the situation she was in.

“Mum… I’m pregnant and I don’t know if I want to keep it or not.” Vivian pressed a finger to the corner of her eyes to prevent tears from ruining the makeup that she had applied.

Vivian knew she could tell her mother anything without being irrational and had a calm head, and she needed her advice now because she felt as though she was falling apart.

“I know whatever decision you make will be the right one because ultimately this is your decision to make; however, please consider discussing this with Jesse because he is your life partner.”

Sophie knew there would be a day when her daughter would be in the position that she was in 25 years ago. There was so much she wanted to tell Vivian, but she knew better than to overwhelm her daughter’s decision-making, especially being a couple of hours away until the wedding.

“But let’s not think about that now because we have more urgent matters to focus on, like, for example, your wedding. We don’t want to leave the groom all by himself.” Sophie closed the space between them and hugged her daughter with all the pride that a mother could give their child.

Vivian had a moment of clarity and was hit by a train. Why was she giving the role of ‘giving away’ to her potential fathers she’s never heard about until a few months ago, when the person who has been here her whole life and supported her through thick and thin was more deserving of that role?

“Will you give me away, Mum?” A pure beam of happiness pierced through Sophie’s heart when Vivian asked her. She’s never been more honoured in her life than right now; this young woman she got to call her daughter and her pride and joy.

Speechless, Sophie first nodded her head yes multiple times until she could find her voice to vocally reply yes to Vivian’s request.

“Sometimes I wish that I could freeze the picture and save it from the funny tricks of time. Slipping through my fingers.” Sophie and Vivian harmonising, wishing they could stay in this moment together and forever, but atlas laws of physics forbid it, as time had to move forward, and all they could do was take photos to help remember the memories they made.

When they were finished getting ready, they met up with Phoebe and Lilah to help Vivian move in her wedding dress, to get to the church chapel that was located on top of a hill, but Vivian was surprised with one more gift by her mother and the locals, which was a horse that a seated hoisted on top facing the side. She was helped onto the horse and walked by everyone to the chapel.

Sophie stayed behind, sending off her beautiful daughter on a horse. It was a beautiful sight to behold. Before Sophie went off to the chapel, she remembered she had grabbed a few items from the house.

Leaving the house, Sophie ran into the man she was already sick of seeing.

“I can’t talk with you right now.” Sophie tries her best to ignore and walk past Benedict, but he grips one of her arms, not letting her go. Sophie is trying to pull back her arm.

“Let go, Benedict. I’m going to be late.” Sophie continues trying to pull away.

“Not until we talk.” Benedict’s voice went deep and husky, sending a shiver down Sophie’s spine. She had never seen this part of Benedict before and stopped pulling away.

“What is there to talk about, Benedict? The fact that you cheated on me. The fact that you were engaged to be married to another woman. That you played me like a god damn fiddle.” Sophie’s heart weighed heavily with pain. When will Benedict stop?

“Please just let me explain.” Benedict tried to de-escalate the situation, but it only blew up in his face.

“Explain how I was the second woman.” A burst of emotions that she’s been trying to suppress over the past 25 years came crashing out.

“Sophie.”

“When you said that you loved me, do you know what that meant to me? When you kissed me for the first time, do you know how magical that moment was for me? When we spent the night together, making love together, do you know how seared into my memory that night was? And when you said that you were engaged to another woman, do you know how much you hurt me?”

Benedict is taking verbal strikes that pierce his heart, realising the hurt and anguish that he has caused Sophie. He needed to take responsibility for his actions; he needed to mend what he reaped.

“Sophie, please listen to me when I say this.” Benedict dropped down to his knees. “I’m sorry.”

Sophie stared at this man who had held her heart for over 25 years, on his knees, begging for forgiveness. If this were a few months after their separation, Sophie would have taken him back in a heartbeat because of her naivety, but many years have gone past where her wisdom has grown from the pain, and the novelty of this man needing forgiveness from her faded.

“You’re 25 years late, Benedict.”

Sophie as well promised herself to control the conversation the next time they met, and she wasn’t going to give up the control at all; she still had things she needed Benedict to hear.

“I’m sorry, Sophie,” Benedict repeated himself, hoping that if he repeated the phrase, the results would be different.

“Benedict, stop.”

“Sophie, please, I’m sorry.” Benedict crawled to Sophie’s leg, placing his head on her knee, hugging her leg tight, and placing kisses around her knee in between each ‘I’m sorry’ that he repeated, begging for Sophie’s forgiveness. Benedict didn’t care if he made himself look pathetic; he was willing to go lengths for this woman to be back in his life.

Sophie couldn’t handle Benedict’s grovelling and pushed him away to be free of him.

“Benedict. Please stop.” Sophie’s voice was strained and quiet, wanting to speak up and stop Benedict, but at the same time, her desire for him to continue. Sophie is trying to find the will and strength to stop his charm.

“Sophie. I love you.” Benedict professed to Sophie.

Sophie froze, “No, stop.” She tries to actively deny her feelings.

Benedict began to crawl back to Sophie, but she placed her hand out to stop him, wanting him to respect her boundaries. She didn’t want to fall into his trap again.

“Sophie, please.” Benedict was still waiting for Sophie’s forgiveness and was willing to wait for however long.

“I can’t…” A final wave of emotions that were sealed within the very depths of Sophie’s heart ripped open and coursed through her veins, feeling every emotion possible.

“I don’t want to talk about things we’ve gone through. Though it’s hurting me, now it’s history.” Sophie tried to tuck away the pain that was constantly tugging at her heart. For years, she tried to silence the pain, but she eventually learned how to live with that pain.

“I’ve played all my cards, and that’s what you’ve done to. Nothing more to say, no more ace to play.” Sophie was tired at this point; she had nothing left to hide from Benedict. Vivian’s identity is known to Benedict, and knowing that he is potentially her father, she felt that the game she had in her head was already over and won by Benedict.

“The winner takes it all. The loser standing small, beside the victory that her destiny.” They always say that comparison is the thief of joy, and it's true in Sophie’s case because she would always feel pain when she sees newspaper articles of Benedict being successful while she is stuck on an island with stacks of loans and debts to pay.

“I was in your arms, thinking I belong there.” Sophie reminisced about the sweet and safe times she was in Benedict’s arms, making them feel like a home, a place where she could stay and return for eternity.

“I figure it made sense, building me a fence. Building me a home, thinking I'd be strong there, but I was a fool, playing by the rules.”

In the history of Benedict’s life, he had only brought Sophie along to the island where My Cottage was located, a place where Benedict escaped from society and could be his true self. Benedict brought Sophie because she saw him for who he truly is and felt safe bringing Sophie and providing her with a home to live in.

When Sophie came with Benedict to this island and showed her My Cottage, her mind was so blissfully hopeful, and she thought this would be their forever home where they would live together, only if they knew each other for a week.

Reality came crashing down on Sophie after Benedict revealed that he was engaged. She couldn’t stay in that place, not with all the memories that they created, and she couldn’t go back home.

However, a kind resident of the island named Mrs Crabtree was nice enough to offer Sophie a place to stay while she could get on her own two feet, but ended up inheriting her home, which was the last act of kindness Sophie ever received.

“The Gods may throw a dice, their mind as cold as ice, and someone way down here loses someone dear.”  Sophie has faced many hardships over the years, raising Vivian by herself. While some of them may have been prejudiced but most of them were the gods who were testing the limits of Sophie’s generosity, patience, and optimism through running the hotel.

“The winner takes it all. The loser has to fall. It's simple and it’s plain, why should I complain?”  Sophie thinks that the life she has is the life that she deserves, though it has been a rough one; it was better than living and being manipulated by that wretched woman.

“Tell me, does she kiss like I used to kiss you. Does it feel the same when she calls your name?” Sophie is seething with jealousy when she mentions Benedict’s wife. She couldn’t bring herself to say her name because it would cause Sophie great pain. She wonders if Benedict’s wife was better than her and was the reason they were married.

“Somewhere deep inside, you must know I miss you.” Sophie knew because of much Benedict missed him because of his consistent flirting and begging every time he saw her.

“But what can I say, rules must be obeyed. The judges will decide the likes of me abide. Spectators of the show always staying low.” Sophie, looking back, if she were to ever enter high society with Benedict, there would be unkind eyes laid upon her for simply existing, and she knew she wouldn’t last a single minute.

“The game is on again, a lover or a friend. A big thing or a small, the winner takes it all.” Sophie knew that at the end of the day, the victory standing here between them was Benedict.

Benedict, who had stood up through Sophie’s heart-wrenching and still pouring her heart out, all he could do was endure all the emotional jabs, stabs, and piercings that Sophie was inflicting on him, which he probably deserved, and feel guilt for everything that he had done or hadn’t done.

“I don’t want to talk, because it makes me feel sad, and I understand, you come to shake my hand.” Sophie felt as though, if she was to continue to be this vulnerable, she would be completely drained and had to stop, but she felt as though she just had a little more in her left until she could reach the finish line.

“I apologise if it makes you feel bad. Seeing me so tense. No self-confidence, but you see THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL.” Sophie, seeing the pain on Benedict’s face throughout, realised the great pain he must have felt, but she remembers that they are in this position because of him.

“THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL.” Sophie is pointing at Benedict to remind him who is standing victorious in this situation with a plastered and exhausted smile.

“The game is on again, a lover or a friend. A big thing or a small, the winner TAKES it ALL.” Even now, they’re still playing the game of love. Sophie admits defeat as the key to her heart had always belonged to Benedict, and when he was gone from the island, her heart never opened to anyone but Vivian, but with Vivian soon to be out of her life, she would be all alone, and she couldn’t endure again.

Sophie couldn’t look at Benedict anymore; it hurt her looking at him. Sophie loved him with all her heart and wanted to believe in second chances, but it hurt. So, Sophie turned on her heels, took her heels off and held them in her hand, and started to sprint towards the wedding. She sprinted as fast as her little legs could take her without giving out. Benedict followed her without trouble, forgetting how tall he is and how he can catch her.

“Leave me alone, Benedict.” Sophie’s adrenaline started to kick in while she sprinted, but Benedict didn’t respond.

Benedict was completely focused on running after, but was thinking about how to get Sophie back, now knowing the extent of her pain. He didn’t know how he was going to get her back, but he prayed for a miracle to work in his favour because Benedict wasn’t going to get off the island unless he was dead or he had Sophie back in his life.

Chapter Text

Reaching the wedding chapel huffed and winded, Sophie caught her breath and wiped the sweat off her face from running. She focused all her remaining energy on Vivian and calming her daughter down and re-adjusting Vivian’s wedding dress. Sophie was about to cue the minister that her daughter was ready, well, that was the plan before Benedict arrived, being puffed.

“Benedict, why are you still here?” Baffled at Benedict’s presence.

“I’m here to give Vivian away.” Benedict blissfully unaware.

Sophie was amazed at Benedict’s audacity.

“You’re giving Vivian away? What gives you the right to-” Sophie was about to rip into Benedict before Anthony and Colin turned up. Sophie turned to them in disbelief, wondering why they were here at Vivian’s wedding, then it dawned on her that they might be here for the same reason as Benedict.

“Are you here to give Vivian away? Sophie asked, needing to confirm her suspicions.

“Yes.” Anthony and Colin replied instantaneously in union. Eyes wide open, they both faced towards each other with confusion as Benedict whipped his whole body to face his two brothers, looking like a Mexican standoff.

Sophie’s face started to heat up from the embarrassment that was about to be on display. She wanted to shut down this conversation badly so that she wouldn’t draw attention to herself because this was her daughter’s day.

However, Sophie was already too late as the Bridgerton brothers began to bicker, making the whole seated wedding venue turn their heads to where the arguing was coming from.

Vivian, on the other was trying to keep her cool and acted surprised in front of her mother, as she made a huge miscalculation as she forgot that she had asked Colin to give her away while Anthony and Benedict already claimed the title like it already belonged to them.

“That’s not possible, because I’m giving away Vivian because I’m her father.” Anthony boldly proclaimed and smugly bragged.

“No, I’m Vivian’s father.” Benedict is proclaiming the title as if he were wearing it as a badge of honour.

“I’m Vivian’s father.” Colin tossed his hat in the ring to proclaim the title of father.

“Can everyone please calm down. This is Vivian’s day, stop making this about you.” Sophie is trying to straggle three to be quiet and argue elsewhere.

“But Sophie, Vivian deserves-” Colin was about to explain why he was here.

“None of you. I am giving away my daughter.”

The three of them were about to speak up, but were shut down by Sophie’s stern look.

Vivian looked to her mum and acted confused, knowing very well who these men were.

“Mum, who are they?” Vivian said with a soft tone.

Sophie’s face became more flustered, realising that she had to explain the three men standing in front of them are potentially her father, but she doesn’t know who it is because of the closeness and became redder at the thought of it.

Sophie thought about lying to her daughter, but thought against it as she thought her daughter was old enough to know the truth, even if it paints her in another light, which she was a tad bit ashamed of.

As Sophie was about to explain the truth, Kate and Penelope came bursting through onto the scene, headfirst, to see what all the commotion was about, only to see Anthony and Colin in front of them. Their eyes became sharp, throwing daggered looks at their counterpart, and all they could do was freeze like a deer caught in headlights, with nowhere to run or hide.

“What is going on, Soph?” Kate asked, confused at the sight she was seeing.

Sophie’s world started spinning, but she had to power through this display of public humiliation she felt was punishment for not being truthful the whole time.

“Your father is here.” Sophie gestured at the three brothers.

Vivian saw how much the situation was draining on her mother; she couldn’t keep this secret hidden for much longer. At this point, she didn’t care if her mother was upset at her. The secret plan of meeting and getting to know her potential father was pointless if it was causing visible stress on her mother, she realised her ambition overlooked what was foundational important to her.

“Mum, I know I invited him.”

“But you said-” Sophie was bamboozled.

“I know, I’m sorry I lied. But I invited him.” The three brothers stepped forward to present themselves as the title of father.

“You couldn’t have, I don’t know who’s the actual…” Halfway through Sophie’s sentence realised why all three brothers were here on the island. It wasn’t because of some cosmic force playing a joke on her.

It was her daughter’s own curiosity about her father's existence that she kept avoiding, that finally bit her in the ass, she thought, when her own daughter stopped asking about her father She had given up, but she should have thought better of her own daughter because the only way to get that information was by her diary she must have found.

“OH MY GOD. That’s why they’re all here.” Sophie began to cover her face as her whole face turned red from suffering too much embarrassment that she could withstand to handle.

The three brothers looked at each other with confusion, but that’s when it clicked for the Bridgerton brothers that their conversation on the boat yesterday about how they know Sophie and the reason why they came to the island, and retreated a few steps back, knowing that now would not be the best time to not address the three big elephants.

Anthony stared in Kate’s direction, hoping to challenge her daggering stares, only to be met with a cold shoulder, but God could he smell her jasmine scent from where he was, bringing back memories of their time together.

Colin as was stared at Penelope, only to see Alfred had just joined her side, making something within him snap, and he wanted to rip Penelope away from Alfred’s clutches and take her for his own.

Benedict stared towards Sophie and Vivian, wishing that he could turn back time as he saw the strong bond and connection that Sophie had with his supposed kid had forged, only to look up at their relationship with envy, wanting so desperately to be in their lives.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry Mum. Please forgive me, please forgive me, mum.” Vivian begged her mother’s forgiveness.

“I don’t know.” Sophie, still feeling embarrassment, could only look at her daughter. Sophie could easily forgive her daughter, though it crossed a line; she felt that she only had herself to blame for this situation.

“Could you forgive me?” Sophie asked.

Vivian was surprised at her mother’s response; she couldn’t believe that her mother would talk down about herself and the choices that she made. She admits that she needs to be held accountable for what transpired today, but needed to rectify the situation quickly.

“I don’t care if you slept three men, 100 men, or even none. You’re still my mother, and nothing is going to change between us. I love you, mum,” Vivian tightly embraced her mother, and as Sophie warmly embraced her back, trying to hold back tears from her daughter’s words.

Sophie was thankful that her daughter accepted, even her messy faults, but I guess that's all part of growing up, children see their parents as human beings with flaws instead of the example of perfection.

Sophie turned to Kate and Penelope to clarify, “I didn’t sleep with a hundred men, just those three.”

Sophie, seeing how the chaos had died down, was about to sign the priest to begin the ceremony, but was interrupted by Benedict walking towards Sophie's space, but didn’t go further as Kate stood in his way and gave him a dead glare, which Benedict didn’t dare take another step forward.

“Let me get this right. So, you’re saying that Vivian might possibly be my child, but she might be Anthony’s or Colin’s.”

“She has the Bridgerton birthmark on her, so I can say that she is definitely Bridgerton.” Everybody turned their heads towards Colin and realised what he said out of context was inappropriate.

“It’s located on her back, left shoulder.” Colin is trying to pull himself away from the conversation.

Vivian placed her hand on her birthmark, as she felt as though it was exposed to the whole world to see.

Another head appeared, and it was Jesse.

“Honey. What’s going on here?” He was concerned for his fiancée but covered his eyes with one hand to try not to see his bride-to-be.

“It’s a little complicated. Mum already knows.” Vivian was still facing away from Jesse so that her eyes would automatically fall to her husband to be if she was facing him.

“Do you want me here or…”

Vivian already thought that she’s if she was already in this messy situation, what’s another breaking tradition of not seeing the bride until the aisle going to do. Right now, Vivian needed Jesse by her side.

She pulled his hand that was covering his eyes. “Open your eyes.”

“But-”

“Open them. I need you right now.”

Jesse opened his eyes and came to the side of his bride-to-be, with one hand placed on her waist firmly.

“To reiterate what’s going on here. Vivian might possibly be one of our child, but she’s definitely a Bridgerton.” Anthony was trying to steer the derailed the conversation back on track.

“Yes,” Sophie muttered. She wanted to get out of this hellhole of a situation badly.

“Why didn’t you tell me, Sophie? Why did you keep Vivian’s existence hidden?” Benedict wanted to know why he was denied the privilege of being in Vivian’s life.

“Because I didn’t know who they belonged to, and I certainly wasn’t going to arrive at your door saying that this might be your baby or possibly your brothers’ and be labelled the Bridgerton whore.”

Sophie knew that she was catastrophising and blowing the situation out of proportion because in reality she was afraid of rejection from the man that she loved and to see the life he was living differed from hers.

“And if you had never dumped my mother and gone off and married someone else.” Though Vivian has only heard one side of the story, mostly her mother’s, she’s compiled enough facts to know that Benedict is to blame for her mother’s misfortune.

Benedict felt like he was being chewed and spit out by the daughter and mother duo; he needed to defend himself, as his honour as a gentleman was being held by a thread, because he wasn’t the villain of the story here.

“I went home to break off the engagement, and I came right back to the island to search for you.”

“You came back…” Sophie paused, now feeling a little wave of guilt wash over her, but it didn’t stop the pain she felt, caused by him. “Why didn’t you call me back?” Sophie is trying to make sense of why Benedict abandoned her.”

“Because I was crazy enough, delusional enough, and mad enough to think that you would wait for me, but when I arrived, I was told that you were with another man.” Benedict gave a dirty look to his brothers.

Sophie grasped her heart with both of her hands. With new information brought into the light, Sophie didn’t know how to feel, but she knew her heart started to flutter from a feeling of hope that had been abondaned.

“Sorry, but I need to butt in.” Anthony stepped forward, splitting the tension between Benedict and Sophie, having the attention turn towards him.

“I can’t stand here constantly thinking about whether Vivian is my child or not because of some mistake over 25 years ago. No offence, Sophie.”

“None taken.” Sophie has the same mutual feeling as Anthony.

“I propose we take a paternity test to see whose Vivian’s father is,” Anthony suggested.

“I agree,” Benedict chimed in.

“Well said, brothe,r but all I can say is, welcome to the family, Vivian. You’re stuck with us forever.” Colin smiled with glee at a new addition to the ever-growing Bridgerton family.

“Could we do after the wedding…” Vivian had a dawning realisation that washed over her as a vision of a bleak and boring future ahead of her terrorised her; it was the gut feeling that she had this morning.

For most of Vivian’s life, she felt uncertainty about most things in her life, but there were two things that she was certain of: her love for her mother and her love for Jesse. She loved that man into oblivion, but she felt that she wasn’t ready for marriage yet. Maybe she subconsciously said yes to Jesse because her mother never got the chance to be married and was fulfilling a fantasy.

Vivian looked at three men who could potentially be her father and looked back at Jesse and saw how much growth she must make, if she were to marry Jesse now, she would regret this decision for the rest of their life. She could always look back at this day with fondness and laughter, but she had to make a painful decision now and cancel the wedding.

“Jesse, you know that I love you with all of my heart, but…”

“You don’t want to get married.” Jesse knew what Vivian was going to say, but he didn’t care that there was no wedding today; he was happy and content with being with Vivian, with or without a marriage certificate.

The crowd inside the chapel started to pile and block up the door entrance, which was led by the priest, hearing the possibility of the wedding being off.

“Yes. I know I’m sorry, but I feel that now is not the time to get married when there’s so much I want to do and places to explore and family to meet. But I want to do that without a marriage certificate; our love is strong enough to last eternity. I know that you will wait for me as I wait for you.”

“I love you.” Jesse closed the space between them by placing a passionate kiss on Vivian’s lip and lifting her in a bridal style and carrying her 20 steps away from the chapel as if they were married.

The priest went up to Sophie, confused about what was happening, but she was as confused as the priest.

“Sophie, do I take it that the wedding is cancelled?” The priest asked.

“I’m not sure…” As Sophie was about to answer to the best ability, she was interrupted by Benedict gathering everyone’s attention.

“Hang on.” Benedict’s voice pierced through the crowd’s murmuring to have all eyes turned on him.

“Why waste a good wedding?” Benedict knew that he had one chance with this narrowly scathing window opening to get Sophie in his life to the extent of being permanent or die trying, and wasn’t going to go down without a fight.

“How about it, Baek, you going to need somebody to boss around on this island of yours when your nest becomes empty,” Benedict smirked smugly, knowing that he would get a reaction out of Sophie.

“Are you nuts! You believe that I will just marry you.” Sophie was in disbelief; she’d never thought she would see the day that a man she loved would openly profess his love and want to marry her.

“Aren’t you still married, because I don’t want to be your mistress.” Sophie questions Benedict’s relationship status, she felt hesitant towards Benedict and does not want to repeat history and be the other woman.

“I am a divorced man, Sophie, who has loved you for 26 years, and I haven’t stopped thinking of you, and I haven’t stopped loving you since the day we met at my mother’s masquerade ball. Ever since I stepped foot on this island yesterday, I’ve been trying to tell you how much I love you. You know yourself, Sophie, you have principles, and you stick by them. And you took the time to see me. Know me.”

Benedict got Sophie where he wanted her to be, but he still needed to fight a little more as he could see how Sophie was hesitant about being hurt again. Benedict needed to convince her that he would not repeat the same mistake.

Benedict went down on one knee, and a sea of gasps burst through, seeing a declaration of love on display. Vivian ran over to her mother’s side as she couldn’t miss what was about to happen.

“What do you say, Sophie? It’s only for the rest of our lives, as I will spend every waking hour until my last dying breath loving you.” Benedict was at the homestretch now, he just had to fight just a smidge more, but he couldn’t contain how he’s heart felt at this moment.

“I can’t conceal it, don’t you see, can’t you feel it.” Benedict lifted one of his eyebrows and smirked.

“Say I do. I do, I do, I do, I do, I do.” The women around Sophie were encouraging her to say yes, even the most important people like Kate, Penelope, and her daughter wanted Sophie to say yes.

Kate saw how Benedict’s pure love for Sophie ran deep, that he never meant to hurt Sophie and would repent every day, for the rest of his life, wanting to be forgiven for his mistake for that day. She could clearly see how much Sophie meant to Benedict and vice versa, so it was only right to encourage her sister, who meant so much to her, to pursue the love of her life.

Penelope, on the other hand, was happy to see her sister; deserved the happiness she was meant to have after many years of hard work and providing countless people but herself with happiness.

Vivian was pulsating about the thought and possibility of a life where her parents would be together, and she wouldn’t need to worry so much about her mother being in the company of the person she loved.

“Sophie, please show it. You love me, and you know it.” Benedict closed in the space between with a proposal Sophie couldn’t resist. He stared directly into Sophie’s eyes as he longed for them to look upon him with kindness and passion again and would do anything to have even a glimpse of a gaze of kindness and passion upon him.

Benedict serenaded Sophie with confidence in his voice as he saw how her friends and her daughter supported his last effort to have Sophie in his life.

“Say I do.” The women around Sophie are encouraging her once again.

Sophie tried her might to deny her love for Benedict, wondering if it was better to play safe and alone or risk it all and be with Benedict again, but when he held the ring up to her face with his two fingers to Sophie. She could only utter two words out of her mouth.

“I do.” Sophie, realising the two words that came out she couldn’t deny herself of the love she contained and felt for this man she loved for 26 years anymore longer.

Sophie immediately closed the gap between herself and Benedict by reaching towards Benedict’s head with both of her hands and pulled him close to have their lips connect in a moment of passion and longing for each other, with Sophie repeatedly saying, “I do.”

The audience of Vivian’s original wedding erupted with cheers as another wedding was proceed instead, as the celebration of love was heard throughout the whole island.

Everybody who crowded the entrance of the chapel took their seats while Sophie and Benedict took centre stage of the altar by saying vows of love to each other, continuing where they left off and moving forward into a new chapter together. The priest officially announced their marriage status as official and their love as forever.

Sophie was holding a bouquet, not wanting to hold on to them any longer, wanting her hands to be free of them, threw the flowers over her shoulder, but realised she was meant to throw them after the dinner. The crowd erupted as a spontaneous bouquet toss was happening, and the bouquet fell into the hands of Lilah, which fell out of her hands as Phoebe leaped into her arms with joy.

Anthony and Colin couldn’t look happier for their brother, finding the love of his life, which made Benedict spark up like a light, but couldn’t help but feel a little envious of their brother as they wanted the love that their brother fought for.

Though a celebration and declaration of long love was heard throughout the island, the night was still young, as Eros had two more arrows left to shoot.

Chapter Text

The low murmuring of conversations and clicking of silverware and glasses were all dispersed at the sound of a loud repetitive clinking noise that made everyone turn their attention towards Benedict as he raised his glass with one hand and silverware with the other.

Blissfully smiling as the love of his life and now his wife, whom he still couldn’t believe was sitting next to him. It was now the time of the wedding reception for Benedict’s toast, which he didn’t plan for.

“Hello, the name’s Benedict. Though this wasn’t planned, thanks for staying around.” Benedict got a few chuckles. “I must be the luckiest guy alive to marry the love of my life, the one that completes me and inspires me with endless joy and creativity, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.” Benedict reached for Sophie’s hand to place a kiss upon the back of her hand.

Benedict’s heart at that moment swelled with love as he had never felt fulfilled than in this moment and raised his glass.

“Here’s to us, one more toast and then we’ll pay the bill.”  Benedict got a few chuckles from the crowd, but he was thankful for the heavens and the earth for the miraculous miracle of having Sophie back in his life permanently, hopefully.

“Deep inside both of us can feel the autumn chill.” Even after 26 years, when Benedict thinks of Sophie or is near her, he still feels a chill go down his spine because of how much he loved her, vice versa.

“Birds of passage, you and me, we fly instinctively.” With what lay ahead for Benedict and Sophie, they would rely on the love and trust they have for each other to navigate the future.

“When the summer’s over, and the dark cloud hides the sun, neither you nor I’m to blame when all is said and done.” And what may come their way, either good or bad, all they could do was to have faith, believe and love each other, as life was too short to waste a care about the small negative things in life.

Benedict is still grasping at the concept that Sophie is sitting next to him and is legally married to him, and that he would spend the rest of his life loving her. He leant down to Sophie’s level, caressed her cheek with his thumb and placed a tender and sweet kiss upon Sophie’s lips.

“In our lives, we have walked some strange and lonely treks.” Benedict reflected upon the time they spent apart, only for a little Sophie with Bridgerton blood to bring them back together. Benedict cheered his glass to Vivian.

“Slightly worn but dignified and not old for sex.” The crowd wooed and hollered at his remark, leaving Sophie slightly blushing red when she turned to see Benedict winking at her with his infamous devilish grin, heavily suggesting tonight’s intimate activity when the ceremony was finished.

“Clear-headed and open-eyed with nothing left to try.” As the crowd calmed down with low murmur, Benedict took the time to appreciate the present moment with his wife to his side and in his bird’s eye view, hopefully his daughter with her partner looking blissfully happy.

“Standing calmly at the crossroads, no desire to run.” At that moment, Benedict made a life-pivoting decision that he would live on this island with Sophie, as he was tired of the high social life and just wanted to be himself.

He achieved the dream he wanted but now, he couldn’t believe that thought that was going through his head, but he’s ready to settle down and plant down roots and open an art school while helping out Sophie with the hotel, he saw the potential and Sophie’s vision to improve the place all she needed was resources and connection which he was to give to her whether she declines it or not.

“There’s no hurry anymore when all is said and done.” Benedict extended his hand out for Sophie to grab and gently pulled her towards him in a warm and safe embrace. Benedict raises his glass high, as well as the rest of the wedding reception does to end the toast and clinks his glass with Sophie’s. Unable to keep his hand off his wife, he went to place another kiss upon Sophie’s lip, but was met with the celebrational woos and cheers.

Benedict looked into the eyes of Sophie, all he could think of was that he was home and where he was meant to be.

As the happy atmosphere lit the venue with warmth and joyful murmuring, Colin’s gloomy mood was noticeable by the people who were seated next to him, though his appetite wasn’t at all effect by a clean plate while everyone was still eating their meal.

Colin was seething with jealousy as he saw Penelope laughing and enjoying her time with the man next to her, and saw Alfred place a hand on Penelope, which made Colin want to jump across the table and strangle the man to death, but he realised that he had calmed down. He wanted Penelope for his own and wants, no, he needs Penelope to believe that he loves her, how could he?

Just as Colin was about to give up his pursuit, Alfred got up from his seat, leaving the perfect opportunity for Colin to swoop in. He didn’t have time to think about what to say; all he could think of was talking to Penelope until another opportunity arose, and he didn’t know when that would be.

Colin plopped himself beside Penelope, where Alfred originally was and tapped her shoulder to get her attention. Penelope turned her head, expecting Alfed, but instead was jump scared but Colin’s presence and proceeded to ignore him and face the other way. Colin knew that it wasn’t going to be easy, but he didn’t think it was going to be this hard off that bat.

Colin knew he had only one option.

“If you change your mind. I’m the first in line. Honey, I’m still free take a chance on me.” Penelope knew she couldn’t resist Colin’s charm and needed to be strong and not look at him, even for a millisecond of a glance or she would fold immediately. She excused herself from the table, but that wasn’t going to stop Colin in his plan to claim Penelope as his own, and he followed behind Penelope.

“If you need me, let me know, I’m gonna be around. If you got no place to go, if you’re feeling down.” Knowing that Colin was following behind her, Penelope kept looking in the other direction that wasn’t towards Colin, trying to put up a fight against Colin’s charms. She knew she couldn’t fight against Colin’s tactics forever, but she didn’t think she would waver this early when he grabbed her wrist and pushed her down softly on an empty seat.

Colin grabbed a glass of wine and a silverware that was near him and tapped the wine glass multiple times to get everyone’s attention turned to him.

“Speech! Everybody, I've got I speech.” Colin moved all the way to the side of the courtyard and jumped on top of a table. Few people were concerned about the table supporting his weight, but almost everyone cheered as he pointed and stared directly at Penelope.

Kate and Sophie immediately locked eyes with each other with a gleeful smile, communicating to each other through eyebrow and head movement that they’re going to talk about this later.

However, when Anthony and Benedict locked eyes, Anthony was terrified and ashamed of their brother's embarrassing behaviour, while Benedict, who was already in a laughing fit, looked over to Anthony, making him burst into more laughter, where he could hardly breathe and was getting a stomach workout.

“If you’re all alone when the pretty birds have flown, honey, I’m still free. Take a chance on me.” Colin started walking and grooving towards Penelope on the tables and avoided stepping on people’s food that wasn’t taken off the table in Colin’s bulldozing destruction.

“Gonna do my very best and ain’t no lie. If you put me to the test, if you let me try. Take a chance on me.” While most of the crowd was cheering at Colin’s grand romantic gesture, Penelope felt a little out of her depth being the centre of attention, and she wanted to be out of this situation as quickly as possible while trying to maintain her posture and resistance against Colin.

Penelope looked around for an exit route that she could go, but it was too late as Colin had already arrived, smirking and extended a handout for Penelope to join him at the table. “Take a chance on me.”But Penelope declined the offer by turning her head away from him and started walking away.

The crowd saw the display between the two and erupted like an audience at a play, with some siding with Colin and applauding him to keep pursuing Penelope, while others sided with Penelope to do better and forget that man.

“We can do dancing.” Colin is grooving his shoulders behind Penelope.

“We can go walking.” Penelope finally turned around and responded to Colin out of frustration and sarcasm, but she realised her mistake as she saw his gleaming smile and her guard that she had placed up cracked. To cover up, Penelope faced away from Colin and walked at a faster pace to lose him.

“As long as we're together.” However, Penelope forgot how easily Colin could catch up with her with his long strides and came in front of her to stop her from leaving in the direction she was walking.

“Listen to some music.” Colin, knowing he’ll get a response from back from Penelope, it was better that she hates his gut and talk to him than ignore him completely because of how much he loves her and can’t imagine a life without her.

“Maybe just talking.” Penelope was calculating how to escape; the only way out was to go past Colin, which was risky, but she couldn’t afford to be in the same space as him.

“You get to know me better.” Though that risk didn’t do Penelope any good, it was an opportunity for Colin as he scooped Penelope up bridal style and carried her off, with the crowd going wild at Colin’s success.

“Cos you know I got, so much that I wanna do, when I dream, I’m alone with you. It’s magic.” As Colin carried Penelope away from the reception and serenaded her with words, she had wanted to hear all her life. Penelope has wanted Colin all her life, and now the opportunity has presented itself on a silver platter for her, but something within her wanted to know how bad Colin wanted Penelope and that this wasn’t just out of pity.

Penelope tapped Colin’s shoulder to let her down, which he did. As Penelope dusted herself off and was about to leave, Colin immediately grabbed her wrist and knelt to the ground with both knees and planted a kiss in Penelope’s palm while staring directly up at her face.

‘You want me to leave it there. Afraid of a love affair, but I think you know that I can’t let go.” Colin travelled up Penelope’s arm with his lip, with each one more tender and passionate than before, but before Colin could reach her nape, Penelope placed her fingers on his lips to stop him with all her remaining strength and will that she had left against Colin.

“Penelope, please just take a chance on me. That guy you’re with, dump him and be with me because he will leave you…” Penelope’s held in chuckle turned into a rupture of laughter as Colin saw her beautiful smile that he’s missed. Penelope never thought that her plan with Alfred would work and result in Colin’s seething jealousy.

“Penelope, I’m serious here.” Colin tried to calm her down, but all it did was make the situation worse as Penelope’s laughter only intensified, and the only thing that Colin could do in this moment was join her, reflecting on his stupid actions that were purely fuelled by his emotions that created an echo chamber of laughter for the two.

As the two of them eventually settled down from their laughing fit, Colin took an enormous breath like he was consuming all of earth’s oxygen, filling up all his lungs to maximum capacity and let out a sigh before facing Penelope with a serious face.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?” Penelope was confused by Colin’s apology.

“For… not realising my feelings for you sooner and that it took a man being with you for me to figure it out.” Colin was rubbing the back of his neck out of embarrassment and shame for his actions over the past 24 hours.

“And if you want to be with this guy, I will take a step back, but know that I will wait for you, no matter how long I have to wait for you to take a chance on me.” Looked out onto the dimly lit ocean scenery they were facing, being content with his decision.

 Penelope could only chuckle again, but this time, was more control, so that it wouldn’t lead to a laughing fit and took a big sigh before confessing.

“Colin. I don’t plan to date him.” Colin immediately turned his head towards Penelope.

“I thought that you two were…”

“He’s a gay married man in a happy relationship.”

“So, nothing…”

“Nothing happened.” A warm silence started to develop between the two, sitting comfortably in each other’s presence. Penelope couldn’t remember the last time that she sat in silence when they’ve always talked until the sun came up the next day.

Colin slowly reached towards Penelope’s hand, brushing his hand against hers when they touched. He looked upon Penelope’s beautiful face, looking for any signs or indicators for consent or acceptance to hold her hand, but instead was met with Penelope holding his hand, and all he could do was smile.

“I guess I was just scared of change and denied my feelings for you in the fear that I might lose you forever.” Colin brought Penelope’s hand to his lip and placed a gentle kiss upon her hand.

“I don’t want to mess this up, but I don’t want to lose you because you are the lighthouse for when I am lost. You are my guiding light when I stray too far.”

“Colin…”

“I love you, Penelope. Will you love all of me as I have already loved you?” Penelope grabbed the back of Colin’s neck with both of her hands to pull him close and pressed her lips onto Colin’s.

“Yes, Colin, I will,” Penelope whispered into Colin’s ear, for only him to hear.

As Colin and Penelope came back together to the reception dinner, arm in arm with each other, with one of Colin’s buttons being undone and mismatched, and Penelope’s hair sticking out like a wild bush, they were met by an unexpected couple standing on the tables making out.

---

Seeing both of his brothers pursue love boldly and putting a middle finger up in the face of consequences encouraged Anthony to do so himself, but he is terrified, as both attempts to get Kate back had failed and backfired on him. Anthony knew that he had only one chance to get it right or else Kate would walk out of his life forever, and he couldn’t see a future without Kate.

Anthony knew in his heart that for Kate to at least give him a chance, he would have to cast aside his pride in this moment. He began to walk towards Kate, and in the corner of her eye, she saw him approach and didn’t feel as though she was ready.

When Kate saw the happiness and warmth that was rekindled in Sophie’s eyes when she got married to Benedict, she felt a sudden surge of hope that she had missed, and she knew right there and then that Anthony at least deserved a second chance when she just witnessed first-hand what a second chance can do.

Though her decision was solidified when Colin made a grand gesture about chance to Penelope, and if this wasn’t a clear sign and indicator to want Anthony back into her life again, she would be blind, but she wasn’t ready for Anthony. Not just yet, she needed time to prepare herself before she could face him, but fate had other plans as Anthony was rapidly approaching her.

Kate stood up to leave, but her plans of escaping Anthony were thwarted when he grabbed her wrist and dragged her behind him, leaving the reception for a quieter and more secluded place.

“Anthony, let go, you’re hurting my wrist.” Kate is trying her best to get out of an unbelievable grip strength. Anthony didn’t reply or look back; he was purely focused on looking for a place.

“Anthony, let go!” Still unresponsive to Kate, if anything, Anthony’s grip had gotten tighter, had made Kate resort to actions she didn’t want to against her better judgment. She lifted her wrist that Anthony was holding and bit down on his hand, forcing Anthony to let go.

“What the hell, Kate!” Anthony was shaking off the initial shocking pain.

“You weren’t letting go of me, arsehat!” Kate spat in Anthony’s face.

“That was the supposed plan!” Wiped off the spit and stepped closer to Kate.

“And do what genius? What were you planning to do?” Kate took a half a step closer to Anthony as they were now practically invading each other’s personal space, but that didn’t matter to Kate in this moment. All she wanted was to fight, fight for herself, fight against her instinct and perhaps make Anthony fight harder for a chance to be with her, so that this insecurity about a second chance with Anthony that swelled within her would dissipate.

Anthony was nose deep in Kate’s presence, and all he could smell was the sweet scent of Lilies that reminisced in times of joy and times of intimacy, when they. Broke up but still worked in the same office, her scent would linger around Anthony's nose and would be regretful of his choice every day. Anthony looked at Kate with the eyes of a madman who had set his sight on a goal to love this woman in front of him to his dying breath.

“I planned on doing this.” Anthony grabbed Kate’s waist and pulled her close to him and bringing their lip together in a moment of fiery passion, letting his desire take control of his actions as he couldn’t think logically when it came to Kate.

Kate wanted to give in to this moment with Anthony and let him take control, but her brain won’t shut up and pushed away from him.

“What’s wrong, Kate?” Anthony is still catching his breath.

“I don’t want to be hurt again.” Kate started to back away and put up wall-ups, but Anthony wasn’t going to let her.

“Kate, please trust me. It will be different, I swear on my life.” Anthony crosses his heart and places two fingers up as a solemn oath to love Kate for the rest of his life.

“I will spend the rest of my life wanting and begging for your forgiveness and love until my last dying breath do I vow to be yours forever, Kate, because I don’t want to live in a future without you.”

“I do not know what to say.” Kate was finding the courage to say yes.

“Then don’t talk from the brain, talk from in here.” Anthony pointed towards his heart and felt a burst of energy burst through him that had been bottled up.

“My my, at Waterloo Napoleon did surrender. Oh yeah, and I have met my destiny in quite a similar way.” Anthony boldly closed the space between them that Kate created. Kate wanted to run, but Anthony saw that she was about to make a run for it and blocked her exit, making Kate confront Anthony instead of avoiding him.

Anthony grabbed Kate’s waist and pulled her towards him as he started to walk towards the dining reception. Kate tried to put up a fight against Anthony, try to resist the charm that he would always lay thick on her, which she never bought into because it made him look like a dork.

“The history book on the shelf is always repeating itself.”  However, at that moment, Kate couldn’t help but fall for Anthony all over again.

“Waterloo, I was defeated, you won the war. Waterloo, promise to love forever more. Waterloo couldn’t escape if I wanted to. Waterloo, knowing my fate is to be with you. Waterloo, finally facing my Waterloo.”

As they arrived at the dining reception, Anthony climbed upon the table, making everybody’s heads turn towards them and extended his hand for Kate to help her up and she accepted. Another love profession was being displayed in front of them; all they needed was someone’s death, and they would all be in a Hugh Grant movie.

Vivian watched all these scenes unfold with her fiancé. She never thought or predicted that inviting all her potential fathers to her wedding, on this island, would result in them finding or rekindling love that was once lost. Vivian was so entertained and engrossed in the moment that she had forgotten that this was supposed to be her day, but she was happy that her mum got her the happiness that she deserved.

Vivian’s eyes traversed to where her aunt Kate and Anthony are standing on the tables, and they both are holding plastic pirate swords that Anthony asked for from one of her fiancé’s groomsmen, who was still holding on to them from last night’s bachelor party. The groomsman was elated and justified that they were being used, and Vivian had a feeling that he would bring this up in the future.

“My my, I try to hold you back, but you were stronger. Oh yeah, and now it seems that my only chance is giving up a fight.” Kate, on the offence, began to thrust and strike her plastic sword aggressively against Anthony as he carefully stepped back, trying not to trip and fall while parrying her movements.

“And how could I ever refuse? I feel like I win when I lose.” As Anthony countered every strike and thrust Kate threw at him, he waited for the right opportunity to disarm her of the plastic sword she wielded. Anthony thought that the sword fight might have been a dangerous idea, but he didn’t think that he would be defending his own life and it was a miscalculation on his part.

As opening appeared in front of Anthony, and struck the plastic sword from Kate’s hand, leaving her defenceless, and surrendered by putting her two hands up. Anthony tossed his plastic sword aside. Kate closed the gap between them and wrapped her arms around Anthony’s neck and pulled him down, and had their lips meet as though rain finally poured in the Sahara Desert and felt sweet release every time they connected their lips.

“Waterloo, I was defeated, you won the war. Waterloo, promise to love forever more. Waterloo couldn’t escape if I wanted to. Waterloo, knowing my fate is to be with you. Waterloo, finally facing my Waterloo.”

The whole crowd of the dining reception erupted in cheers celebrating the spectacle display of love from Anthony and Kate, in which that time, Colin and Penelope had already returned.

Sophie, Kate and Penelope all glanced at each other with a big grin on their face with their man next to them. This was a night they would never forget and would look back upon this day with pure glee and laughter. Though they would debrief what happened over the past 24 hours, later, when they were much sober than they are now, they all decided to live in the present moment while they still could.

The Bridgerton brothers looked at one another with such pride for pursuing their happiness that they all looked like they were all about to burst out crying tears of happiness, but held it together until they were somewhere private to share vulnerable feelings..

Though Vivian didn’t get married that day, this was truly a night that she wouldn’t forget.