The Italian mountains stretched endlessly into the horizon, their peaks crowned in mist, standing tall like ancient guardians watching over the valley below. The summer sun hung low and golden, casting a warm glow over the wildflowers that had sprung to life after the st of the spring melt.

  This was where Julie and Ezra chose to say their vows.

  Not in a grand cathedral, not in the heart of a bustling city, but here—in a pce that felt untouched by time, where the wind carried the scent of pine and where Nonna Francesca could be part of it all without leaving home.

  It was simple.

  Humble.

  Perfect.

  The guests sat in a half-circle along the ridge, the wooden chairs pced carefully so that no matter where they sat, they could see the mountains behind the altar—a symbol, Julie had insisted, of the vastness of life they were about to step into together.

  The aisle was a path of stone and earth, lined with wildflowers handpicked that morning, their petals trembling gently in the soft alpine breeze.

  Ezra stood at the altar, heart pounding in his chest, his palms damp despite the coolness of the air. He had never been the type to get nervous in front of people, but this was different.

  This wasn’t just a ceremony. It was a moment in time, carved out just for them.

  And then—

  Julie appeared at the top of the hill. For a moment, Ezra forgot to breathe. She was radiant.

  There was no excessive makeup, no over-the-top glitz and gmour. Just Julie, in a flowing ivory gown, the soft fabric catching in the breeze, her golden hair swept in loose waves around her shoulders.

  Her blue eyes locked onto his. And just like that, the world fell away.

  She walked toward him slowly, every step deliberate, every moment etched into his memory. Bruiser, standing at Ezra’s side as best man, muttered under his breath, “You’re gonna cry, man.”

  Ezra didn’t respond. Because Bruiser was right.

  They stood hand in hand, facing each other beneath the open sky, the officiant speaking, though Ezra barely heard him. All he could focus on was Julie, the way her fingers trembled slightly in his grasp, the way she bit her lip, trying to hold back the flood of emotions that threatened to spill over.

  She was nervous. So was he. But this?

  This was everything.

  Julie took a deep breath, eyes glistening, and then she spoke first.

  “Ezra,” she whispered, voice steady but thick with emotion. “When we first met, I thought you were just some stubborn, reckless idiot who didn’t know when to quit.”

  The guests chuckled, and Ezra smirked, but Julie’s expression remained soft, serious. “But then I realized…” She swallowed. “You’re not reckless. You just care more than anyone I’ve ever met. About your work, about the people around you. About me.”

  Her grip on his hands tightened.

  “You never stop trying. Even when things are hard, even when the world throws everything at you. You fight for what you love, and somehow, you make me feel like the most important thing in the universe.”

  Ezra felt his throat close up, his vision blurring slightly.

  Julie gave him a small, shaky smile.

  “So, I promise—no matter what happens, no matter where life takes us—I’ll fight for you, too.” She let out a quiet, breathy ugh. “Even when you’re being an idiot.”

  Ezra exhaled, a wet chuckle escaping him as the guests ughed again. Then, it was his turn.

  He had written something. Pnned words, structured and neat. But now, standing here, nothing on that paper mattered.

  Only her.

  He took a slow breath, cupping her hands in his, and let the words come straight from his heart.

  “Julie,” he murmured, voice unsteady. “I used to think love was supposed to be easy. That when you found the right person, everything would just… work.”

  He shook his head, smiling faintly. “But that’s not true. Love isn’t easy. It’s messy, complicated. It’s full of bad days and misunderstandings. But it’s also—” He paused, searching for the right words. “It’s choosing someone. Every single day. And if there’s one thing I know, it’s that I will always, always choose you.”

  Julie blinked rapidly, her lips trembling as her grip on him tightened.

  Ezra’s voice dropped lower, just for her.

  “You’re my best friend. My partner. My future.” He exhaled, heart hammering. “And I will spend every day making sure you know just how much you mean to me.”

  Julie let out a small sob, one she quickly tried to smother with a ugh, shaking her head at him.

  “Damn you, Ezra Key,” she whispered.

  “Damn you too,” he murmured back, smiling.

  The officiant smiled warmly.

  “With those vows, and in the presence of your loved ones,” he said gently, “I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

  Ezra barely heard the rest of it.

  Julie unched herself at him before the words were even finished, throwing her arms around his neck as he caught her effortlessly, ughing against her lips as their guests cheered.

  The world blurred, but Ezra didn’t care.

  Because at that moment, under the open sky, surrounded by mountains and the people who mattered most, he wasn’t just a husband.

  He was whole.

  The wedding had been everything Ezra could have hoped for—a simple, beautiful moment shared with the people who mattered most. But as the sun set behind the Italian mountains, giving way to the soft glow of nterns strung across the courtyard, Ezra couldn’t shake the feeling that the day wasn’t quite over yet.

  Not for him.

  The afterparty had settled into a warm, easy rhythm. Guests filled the open-air terrace, sipping fine wine and espresso, sharing old stories, and enjoying the st few hours of celebration. The air was filled with soft ughter, the clinking of gsses, the gentle hum of music floating in from a nearby radio.

  Ezra was soaking it in, savoring the quiet joy of the evening, when a familiar voice called his name.

  “Ezra.”

  He turned to find Mr. Key standing near the edge of the gathering, his expression unreadable. Beside him stood another man—older, refined, wearing a sharp bck suit that looked almost too formal for the occasion.

  Ezra frowned. He recognized that face.

  Dr. Livingston.

  The president of his community college. Why the hell was he here?

  Mr. Key tilted his head slightly, motioning for Ezra to join them. “Come with us for a moment.”

  Ezra hesitated, gncing at Julie, who was ughing with Nonna Francesca and Seth near the fire pit. But something in Mr. Key’s tone told him this wasn’t just a casual chat. This was something bigger. With a quiet breath, he nodded and followed them into the private lounge inside the vil.

  The lounge was dimly lit, the walls lined with old books and antique furniture. A bar sat untouched in the corner, the faint scent of aged whiskey hanging in the air. Ezra watched as Dr. Livingston casually took a seat, unbuttoning his jacket. Mr. Key, however, remained standing.

  “I imagine you weren’t expecting to see me here,” Livingston said, leaning forward slightly, his eyes sharp.

  Ezra shook his head. “No, sir. I wasn’t.”

  The older man chuckled. “Let’s just say I have… a vested interest in your future.”

  Ezra’s stomach tightened slightly. Mr. Key stepped forward, his expression as serious as Ezra had ever seen it.

  "Ezra," he said, ftly. "What do you know about the White-Coats’ university?"

  Ezra blinked. “The What?”

  Livingston smiled, reaching into his jacket pocket. A moment ter, he pced a single, stark white card on the table. Ezra’s chest tightened. He had heard rumors about these cards.

  A White Card wasn’t just wealth. It was influence, power that went beyond the rules of the world he had grown up in. The kind of power governments bent to.

  He swallowed hard. “Not much,” he admitted.

  Livingston gestured toward the card. “Then let me expin.”

  “The White-Coats have a university of their own. One that doesn’t appear on any registry, one that no amount of wealth can buy your way into. It is, without question, the most prestigious and advanced institution in human history.”

  Ezra’s breath caught.

  "Every single person who graduates from this university," Livingston continued, his voice measured, "earns one of these." He tapped the White Card, the simple motion heavier than it should have been. "A seat at the table. A voice in how the future is shaped."

  Ezra licked his lips, suddenly feeling like the air had thickened around him. "And you’re telling me… I have a shot at getting in?"

  Livingston and Mr. Key exchanged gnces before Mr. Key spoke.

  "It’s not that simple," he said. "You don’t get accepted out of the kindness of their hearts. You earn your way in. And that’s what I’m offering you—a chance to prove yourself. A chance to become more than you ever thought possible."

  Ezra’s mind reeled. “Why me?”

  Mr. Key let out a slow breath. "Because Key Industries is under threat."

  Ezra stilled, his pulse pounding in his ears. Mr. Key csped his hands behind his back, his face unreadable. "Key Industries isn’t just an engineering firm, Ezra. It’s the backbone of the entire sor system’s expansion. And right now? That foundation is at risk."

  Ezra swallowed hard. “Risk from what?”

  Mr. Key’s gaze darkened. "The Kim family," he said simply.

  Ezra frowned. “They’re—aren’t they one of Key Industries’ biggest partners?”

  "They are," Mr. Key admitted. "But they also control the education sector throughout the sor system. They own the institutions that study graviton technology, shape its regutions, and dictate how it’s taught."

  Ezra’s stomach dropped.

  That meant the Kim family didn’t just influence Key Industries—they had control over who would one day lead it. And someone had already been chosen.

  "Haruto Kim," Mr. Key continued, his expression unreadable. "The Kim family’s prodigal son. He’s been handpicked to take over Key Industries."

  Ezra’s chest tightened. “By who?”

  Mr. Key’s jaw ticked slightly, as if the answer itself was something he’d rather not say. "That’s cssified," he said, voice low.

  Ezra stared at him. What the hell did that even mean?

  Ezra sat back, his thoughts a storm in his head. "So… what are you saying? That I have to compete with this guy?"

  Mr. Key nodded once. "If you want the future I think you’re capable of," he said. "Then yes."

  Ezra let out a slow breath, trying to wrap his mind around it all. Key Industries. The White-Coats’ university. The fight for control over the sor system’s expansion.

  It was too big. Too much.

  But Mr. Key wasn’t finished yet.

  "You have until the end of the year to decide," he said. "If you take this path, it won’t be easy. The university will test you harder than anything you’ve ever faced. You think community college was hard? This will be a thousand times worse."

  Ezra didn’t doubt that for a second. "And if I say no?"

  Livingston finally spoke up again, his voice calm but firm. "Then you go on living your life. You stay in the world of ordinary men." He gestured toward the White Card still sitting on the table. "But you’ll never have a seat at the table where the future is decided."

  Ezra’s breath slowed. This was bigger than a degree. Bigger than money, success, or comfort. This was about power. The kind that decided the fate of civilizations. His fingers itched to reach for the White Card. But he didn’t.

  Not yet.

  Instead, he sat back, exhaling through his nose. “…Julie is going to hate this.”

  Livingston chuckled. "That, Ezra," he said, "is the only thing I’m sure of."