"Mr. Thompson, the registrar has a meeting downtown today and won''t be back untilter. He was worried it might inconvenience you, so he asked me to personally assist you and your fiancée."


    The official was respectful and polite. After his exnation, he led them into the building.


    "Thank you," Bet replied politely. He held the file folder in one hand and Yvonne''s in the other as they followed the official inside.


    It was still half an hour before the office officially opened to the public. The official led Bet and Yvonne into a photography room.


    As an actress, Yvonne had been in countless photoshoots for major campaigns and magazines, but this was her first time in a government photography room. The setup was simple: a camera, a in red backdrop, and a bench in front of it.


    "Mr. Thompson, you''ll take the photo first, and then while it''s printing, you can fill out the forms," the official said with a smile. He then turned to the photographer and personally instructed him to take plenty of shots and make sure they came out perfectly.


    The photographer knew that anyone arriving before hours with a personal escort was a VIP, so he nodded eagerly, promising to do his best.


    Yvonne removed the mask she was wearing for the photograph. At that moment, only the official and the photographer were in the room. They knew they''d been instructed to give special treatment to some very important people, but they never imagined that one of them would be a famous actress.


    "Ms. Jones! I can''t believe it''s you! I''m a huge fan," the official was the first to react, his expression shifting to one of pure excitement.


    "Hello," Yvonne replied with a warm smile, showing no pretense.


    Bet hadn''t anticipated running into one of Yvonne''s fans while getting their marriage license. The official''s demeanor instantly transformed from respectfully polite to wildly enthusiastic, his eyes practically sparkling as he looked at Yvonne. "Perhaps we should take the photos now," Bet interjected. "It might get inconvenient once the office opens and it gets crowded."


    "Right, of course! It''s a busy day today, we wouldn''t want you to be disturbed," the official agreed, immediately instructing the photographer to begin.


    It was the photographer''s first time taking pictures of a celebrity, and he was both thrilled and determined to do a fantastic job.


    Yvonne was a natural in front of the camera, and Bet was devastatingly handsome from every angle. They were an effortlessly photogenic couple.


    They took more than a dozen


    pictures in total-some were the standard formal shots required for the license, but they also took,


    of then kissing and one who few


    they


    yfully made a heart shape with their hands.


    The photographer printed all of them, setting aside the one format portrait needed for the license and putting the rest in an envelope for them to keep as mementos.


    After the photoshoot, Bet discreetly handed the photographer a generous tip. Coming from the Thompson family, the gesture was significant and the pictographer thanked him profusely.


    With their photo in hand, Bet and Yvonne went upstairs to fill out the application


    forms, which they then handed over to the official for review.


    The official confirmed that everything was in order and then asked the routine question of whether they were both entering into the marriage of their own free will. Bet and Yvonne both answered with a firm and clear "I do."


    With all the formalitiespleted and the process finalized, the officially sealed marriage certificate was ced in their hands.


    Bet held the brand-new certificate, a wave of powerful emotions washing over him.


    It was just a few thin pages, yet it felt as if it carried the weight of the nearly half a lifetime he had spent waiting for this moment.