"Of course," Miles said, his voice soft with affection. "It's yours."
Julian leaned forward, his expression thoughtful. "What would your caption say?"
I took a deep breath, the words already forming in my mind. "Something like... 'I never believed in fairy tales until I found myself living in one. These four incredible men have shown me what it means to be truly seen, supported, and loved for exactly who I am. Our courtship has been the most beautiful journey of discovery—not just of each other, but of who I'm meant to be. I'm grateful every day for the love we're building together.'"
The room fell silent for a moment as they absorbed my words. Then Christopher smiled, his eyes bright with pride.
"That's perfect," he said, his voice warm with approval. "It's honest and beautiful without being overly detailed."
Nicolaus moved closer, his analytical mind clearly working through the implications. "The timing is crucial. If we post this today, it gives us control over the initial narrative. When the photographer's image spreads further, people will already have context from your perspective."
"How quickly do you think my mother will see it?" I asked, anxiety creeping back into my voice despite my resolve.
Julian's expression grew serious. "If she has alerts set up for your name or is monitoring social media for any mention of you, potentially within hours. If not, probably by tomorrow morning at the latest."
Miles stood up, brushing the last of the soil from his hands. "Then we should move quickly. Get your post up, and Julian, you should have that official statement ready to go."
"Already working on it.” Julian said, pulling out his phone. "I'll have something drafted within the hour."
I nodded, taking a deep breath as I opened my social media app. My hands were steadier than I'd expected as I selected thephoto Miles had taken. The image looked even more perfect on my phone screen—capturing not just a moment in time, but the essence of what we'd built together.
"Should I post it now?" I asked, my finger hovering over the share button.
"Yes," Julian said firmly. "The sooner we control the narrative, the better."
I nodded, my fingers moved slowly, carefully finding the right words I wanted to use:
I never believed in fairy tales until I found myself living in one. These four incredible men have shown me what it means to be truly seen, supported, and loved for exactly who I am. Our courtship has been the most beautiful journey of discovery—not just of each other, but of who I'm meant to be. I'm grateful every day for the love we're building together.
I hesitated for a moment before clicking the post button.
"It's done," I said, setting my phone aside with a mixture of relief and terror.
Christopher moved to sit beside me, his arm wrapping around me, “How about we put some music on and cuddle in your nest for a bit?”
I bit my lip glancing around the room, “Could….” I paused not knowing if it would be okay or not to ask this.
Nicolaus titled his head, “Could you what? You know you can ask for anything and we would try to give it to you if we can.”
I felt my cheeks heat up at his words, “Could…I make a nest here?” I glanced at the living room. I watched their expressions shift in perfect unison—surprise melting into something softer, more tender. The request seemed to touch something deep in all of them.
"Of course you can," Julian said, his voice gentle. "This is your home too."
Miles was already moving, gathering throw pillows from the couch. "I'll get the extra blankets from the linen closet."
"I have that cashmere throw you like in my study," Nicolaus added, already heading for the door.
Christopher squeezed my shoulder before standing. "I'll bring down your favorite pillows from upstairs."
Before anyone left the room I asked something I had been wanting, “Could I also have something with each of your scents.” My cheeks were definitely on fire at this question. The room went completely still at my request, all four of them freezing mid-motion. The silence stretched for a heartbeat before Julian's expression transformed into something so tender it made my chest ache.
"Of course," he said, his voice rough with emotion. "Anything you need to feel safe."
Miles dropped the pillows he'd been gathering and crossed to me in two quick strides, pulling me into a gentle embrace. "You never have to ask for our scent, sweetheart," he murmured against my hair. "We want you to have it."
"Whatever you're comfortable sharing," I said quietly, my hands twisting in my lap. "I just... I want to be surrounded by all of you."
Christopher made a sound low in his throat that was almost a growl. "Lilianna," he said, my name carrying a weight of reverence that made my chest tight. "You can have anything of ours. Everything of ours."
