Jareth finally managed to arrange the wedding in Baston exactly as Mari had always dreamed.


    For over a month, Mr. Fairhaven felt as if he was being pulled in a million different directions.


    He had his wife to care for, a corporation to run, wedding details to oversee, staff to coordinate, engagement photos to approve, and even the cement of every single flower at the venue demanded his personal attention.


    He shuttled back and forth between Baston and Elmsworth on his private jet so many times, it nearly ran out of fuel.


    Dean, worried about Jareth''s wellbeing, suggested he oversee the preparations in Baston himself. But Jareth refused, preferring to bear the brunt of the workload, even at the expense of his sleep and health, to personally ensure everything was perfect.


    "Mr. Fairhaven, why put yourself through all this?" Dean asked, seeing his red- rimmed eyes and the noticeable weight loss, feeling both heartbroken and guilty. "I could handle these minor tasks. I know I''m not the sharpest tool in the shed and you''re worried, but you''re running yourself ragged. How can your body take it?"


    "Dean, it''s not that I don''t trust you or find you inadequate," Jareth said, gently cing a newly bought pink teddy bear on the bedside table, his voice soft and warm. "This wedding is not just any wedding; it''s mine and Mari''s. It represents the realization of a dream, and I want to pour every ounce of my effort into making it perfect. Mari wanted to keep it private. Even though it''s her wish, I still feel I owe her more than that."


    Dean felt a lump in his throat. "Mr. Fairhaven."


    Jareth''s gaze lingered on the pink teddy bear, an image of Lily smiling andughing shing before his eyes, piercing his heart with pain.


    He quickly closed his eyes, taking deep breaths like a drowning man gasping for air, trying to calm the overwhelming surge of sorrow and longing.


    "Dean, I''ve lived a life full of regrets. From now on, I don''t want to leave any room for regret in mine and Mari''s life."


    In the hospital room, it was just Jareth and Dean.


    Mari was out for a check-up with her doctor and nurse, giving Jareth a moment to arrange the collection of toys he''d gathered from around the world in every corner of the room.


    The trauma of a brutal kidnapping had left Mari with severe internal injuries, requiring long-term hospitalization and medication.


    Tobat the sterile hospital environment, Jareth transformed the room into a cozy haven, even setting up an easel and paints, hoping to reignite Mari''s passion for painting, a hobby she hadn''t pursued since Lily''s death.


    Simrly, Jareth had closed off Whispering Pines Manor, both of them coping with their loss in their own ways.


    When the door opened, and Mari was escorted back by the nurse and her doctor, Jareth''s eyes lit up with warmth. He rushed to embrace her, his strong arms providing a sense of security and love.


    "Darling!" he eximed, holding her close, his hug full of protective love.


    Mari''s voice was soft, their days apart magnified by their deep longing for each other.


    "Mr. Fairhaven, could I have a word with you outside?" the doctor asked, his expressionplex.


    In the consultation room, Jareth, now a man transformed by love and responsibility, offered the doctor a token of appreciation for his wife''s care, a gesture of his newfound humility and gratitude.


    "Mr. Fairhaven, you''re too kind, but it''s my duty to care for my patients. I can''t ept this without having done something to earn it," the doctor said, his voice tinged with somberness. "During today''sprehensive examination, we discovered that Mrs. Fairhaven has endometriosis."


    Jareth''s grip on his cup faltered, anxiety gripping his heart. "What does that mean?"


    "It''s not a dire diagnosis, and there are many potential causes. However, Mrs. Fairhaven''s case is quite severe. She mentioned her excruciating pain during menstruation, which has been ongoing for years."


    Jareth''s face paled, his breathing erratic. He remembered Mari''sints from when they first moved in together, thinking it was just a normal difort for women.


    "Doctor, whatever it costs, whatever it takes, please make sure my wife gets the best treatment," Jareth pleaded, his voice breaking with urgency.


    "It can be cured, but it significantly lowers the chances of pregnancy."


    "So, my wife might never be able to be a mother?"


    Jareth was visibly shaken, struggling with the reality of Mari''s condition and the implications for their future together.


    "Even with treatment?"


    "Mrs. Fairhaven''s severe internal injuriesplicate matters further. We advised against pregnancy not just due to the low probability but also because of the risks to both her and any potential child."


    Jareth, faced with the daunting reality, had to confront the possibility of a future without children, a test of their love and resilience in the face of adversity.


    "Having a child with health issues could be a lifelong heartache for both of you, and it''s just not fair to the child, is it?"


    Walking back from the living room, Jareth felt as if he had been trekking through a desert for miles. His vision blurred, his mouth parched, and his throat felt as if he had swallowed shards of ss, making him afraid to even take a deep breath.


    He ducked into the bathroom, sshing his face with cold water for what seemed like an eternity, trying to suppress the turmoil of emotions before he dared to face his wife again.


    In the hospital bed, Mari''s delicate, fair face was basked in the gentle afternoon sunlight as she leaned against the pillows, engrossed in a reality TV show on her tablet.


    "Hey, babe, what''s got you so captivated, huh?" Jareth teased, wrapping his arms around her slender frame.


    Mari pointed at the chubby cheeks of a little girl on the screen, her doe eyes sparkling with excitement.


    She was watching a popr celebrity parenting show, where stars and their kids undertook various challenges together.


    The innocent, joyous smiles of the children on the screen twisted Jareth''s heart with a pain that clenched and unclenched repeatedly.


    Mari, oblivious to his torment, blushed and picked up her stylus, writing on the tablet with deliberate strokes:


    "Jareth, let''s have a baby."