The Invitations
Chapter 45 – The Invitations
When the invitations started leaving Belle’s hands, the world finally had permission to react.
Not the internet.
Not strangers.
The people who mattered.
Family.
Close friends.
Colleagues who had watched Belle’s engagement turn into silence.
Aunties who believed love was a public resource.
And the thing Belle feared most was not anger.
It was pity.
The soft-eyed sympathy of people who thought they understood her story.
Oh, you got dumped… then you found another one…
As if she was replacing.
As if she was bargaining.
As if she wasn’t a human being who had crawled out of grief and learned how to breathe again.
Aleem understood.
He didn’t treat invitations like celebration.
He treated them like boundaries.
A controlled release.
A careful expansion of their circle.
So by the time ABIX got their invitation–
the real, printed one–
it wasn’t a “reveal.”
ABIX already knew.
ABIX had been holding the story from the inside.
They weren’t shocked that Aleem and Belle were together.
They were shocked that it was official.
Because official meant:
It’s happening. It’s real. It’s soon.
Ivan insisted they receive it properly.
Not in the group chat.
Not through a photo.
“In person,” Ivan said.
Crystal agreed aggressively.
“Yes,” Crystal declared. “We must receive like ceremony.”
Ivan stared.
“No ceremony,” Ivan warned.
Crystal grinned.
“I will do ceremony quietly,” Crystal promised.
Ivan sighed.
They came over on a Sunday afternoon.
Not an “alternate family Sunday.”
A special carve-out.
Because ABIX was not an extra.
They were part of the core.
Belle and Aleem had cleared it with both families.
Mak had huffed.
“Okay lah,” Mak muttered. “Friends important.”
Belle’s mother had nodded quickly.
“Yes,” her mother said. “They saved her.”
Belle’s father had said,
“Okay.”
So ABIX came.
Crystal arrived first.
She carried a tote bag bulging with unknown items.
Ivan arrived behind her.
His hands were empty.
Because Ivan believed he was the gift.
Belle opened the door.
Crystal shrieked.
“HI WIFEY,” Crystal shouted.
Belle choked.
“I’m not–”
Crystal pushed past her.
“Yes you are,” Crystal declared. “Soon.”
Ivan stepped in calmly.
“Hello,” Ivan said. “Sorry for her volume.”
Crystal whirled.
“Do not apologise for me,” Crystal snapped. “I am a feature.”
Ivan blinked.
“Yes,” Ivan replied. “A loud one.”
Belle laughed.
Aleem appeared from the kitchen.
Crystal turned dramatically.
“HELLO HUSBAND,” Crystal declared.
Aleem stared.
“I’m not your husband,” Aleem said.
Crystal waved.
“It’s a vibe,” Crystal replied.
Ivan’s face remained blank.
“Sit,” Ivan said.
Crystal sat.
Ivan sat.
They looked at Belle and Aleem with the seriousness of people waiting for a verdict.
Aleem walked to the table.
He placed two envelopes down.
One for Ivan.
One for Crystal.
Belle’s stomach tightened.
This was small.
Just paper.
But it carried the weight of time.
Time ABIX had spent showing up.
Time ABIX had spent holding her together.
Belle exhaled.
“Okay,” Belle whispered.
Aleem glanced at her.
“Okay,” he echoed.
Then Belle pushed the envelopes toward them.
“In case you want to… open together,” Belle said.
Crystal grabbed hers immediately.
Ivan took his with measured calm.
Crystal ripped hers open like she was unveiling treasure.
Ivan opened his neatly.
Crystal read.
Her eyes widened.
Then her mouth opened.
Silence.
Belle blinked.
Crystal–speechless.
Ivan read.
He nodded once.
“Okay,” Ivan said.
Crystal turned to Ivan.
“YOU ARE TOO CALM,” Crystal hissed.
Ivan blinked.
“I am feeling,” Ivan replied.
Crystal glared.
“Your feeling is one nod,” Crystal snapped.
Ivan looked down at the invitation again.
Then he said, quietly,
“This is… serious.”
Belle’s throat tightened.
Yes.
Serious.
Crystal’s eyes filled suddenly.
Then she slapped the invitation against her chest.
“Oh my God,” Crystal whispered.
Belle’s throat tightened.
Crystal looked at Belle.
Her voice cracked.
“Wah,” Crystal whispered. “You really made it.”
Belle’s eyes burned.
“I’m still making it,” Belle whispered.
Crystal shook her head.
“No,” Crystal said. “You made it to the point where you can send invitations. That means you survived.”
Belle’s tears came fast.
She laughed and cried at the same time.
Ivan cleared his throat.
“Please don’t cry,” Ivan said. “Crystal will escalate.”
Crystal turned.
“Don’t talk about me like I’m a bomb,” Crystal snapped.
Ivan stared.
“You are,” Ivan replied.
Crystal’s mouth opened.
Then she laughed through tears.
“Fair,” Crystal admitted.
Aleem sat opposite them.
Quiet.
Steady.
Not asking for praise.
Just present.
Ivan looked at Aleem.
He didn’t smile.
He studied.
Like he always did.
Then Ivan said,
“You’re sure?”
The question wasn’t rude.
It was Ivan’s love language.
He didn’t ask for romance.
He asked for certainty.
Aleem nodded.
“Yes,” Aleem said. “I’m sure.”
Ivan nodded slowly.
“And you’re doing it properly?” Ivan asked.
Aleem’s mouth twitched.
“Yes,” Aleem said. “Properly.”
Ivan nodded again.
“Okay,” Ivan said.
Then Ivan glanced at Belle.
His gaze softened slightly.
“Are you okay?” Ivan asked.
Belle’s chest tightened.
This was Ivan.
The ops brain.
The structure.
But the care was always there.
Belle nodded.
“I’m okay,” Belle whispered. “Scared. But okay.”
Ivan nodded.
“Okay,” he echoed.
Crystal sniffed.
“Stop saying okay,” Crystal muttered. “This is Uncle’s brand.”
Ivan stared.
“It’s a useful word,” Ivan replied.
Crystal rolled her eyes.
“Fine,” she muttered.
Then Crystal stood abruptly.
Belle flinched.
Crystal walked to her tote bag.
She dug inside.
Ivan’s eyes narrowed.
“Crystal,” Ivan warned.
Crystal ignored him.
She pulled out…
A small notebook.
A pen.
And a roll of tape.
Belle blinked.
“What are you doing?” Belle asked.
Crystal turned dramatically.
“I am planning,” Crystal declared.
Ivan groaned.
“No,” Ivan said. “No planning. This is their wedding.”
Crystal waved him off.
“I am not stealing,” Crystal snapped. “I am supporting.”
Ivan narrowed his eyes.
“Support does not mean control,” Ivan said.
Crystal gasped.
“WHO ARE YOU, THERAPIST?” Crystal snapped.
Ivan blinked.
“I have learned,” Ivan replied.
Crystal stared.
Then she narrowed her eyes.
“Okay,” Crystal muttered reluctantly.
Belle laughed.
Crystal looked at Belle.
“Give me your schedule,” Crystal demanded.
Belle blinked.
“What schedule?”
Crystal slapped the notebook.
“The day,” Crystal said. “Who will cry first. Who will faint. Who will spill tea.”
Belle burst into laughter.
Aleem’s mouth twitched.
Ivan exhaled.
“This is why I made the runsheet,” Ivan muttered.
Crystal glared.
“Your runsheet doesn’t include emotional emergencies,” Crystal snapped.
Ivan stared.
“Yes it does,” Ivan replied. “It includes you.”
Crystal gasped.
“You are rude,” Crystal said.
Ivan nodded.
“Yes,” he replied.
Belle laughed until her stomach hurt.
And in the laughter, something softened.
Because this was ABIX.
Not just witness.
Not just guests.
Family.
Later, when they were calmer, Ivan handed his invitation back to Belle.
Not giving it away.
Just… holding it carefully.
“Thank you,” Ivan said quietly.
Belle blinked.
“For what?”
Ivan’s throat moved.
“For letting us be part of this,” Ivan said.
Belle’s throat tightened.
“You were always part,” Belle whispered.
Ivan nodded.
“I know,” he said. “But still.”
Crystal sat beside Belle.
She leaned her head on Belle’s shoulder.
For once, not loud.
Just warm.
Crystal whispered,
“I’m proud of you.”
Belle’s eyes stung.
“I don’t know why,” Belle whispered.
Crystal huffed.
“Because you didn’t turn bitter,” Crystal said. “Because you didn’t let the breakup make you small. Because you let love come again without taking revenge.”
Belle’s chest cracked.
Crystal’s voice was quiet.
“And because Aleem… he stayed without taking,” Crystal added.
Belle’s throat tightened.
She looked at Aleem.
Aleem’s gaze was steady.
He didn’t react dramatically.
But his eyes softened.
Belle’s throat tightened.
This was their motif.
Staying.
Not taking.
When ABIX finally left, Crystal was still sniffing.
She hugged Belle so tightly Belle nearly lost breath.
Ivan patted Belle’s shoulder awkwardly.
Like a man trying to show affection with minimum movement.
Belle laughed.
“You’re okay,” Belle told him.
Ivan nodded.
“Okay,” Ivan replied.
Crystal glared.
“Stop stealing Uncle’s brand,” Crystal hissed.
Ivan stared.
“Okay,” Ivan repeated.
Crystal screamed.
Belle laughed until her eyes burned.
After the door closed, the flat was quiet again.
Belle stared at the remaining invitations.
So many.
So much public.
So many reactions waiting.
Belle’s stomach tightened.
Aleem sat beside her.
He didn’t touch her immediately.
He asked softly,
“You okay?”
Belle exhaled.
“I’m okay,” she whispered. “Just… it’s real now.”
Aleem nodded.
“Yes,” he said. “It’s real.”
Belle’s throat tightened.
“And ABIX… they weren’t shocked,” Belle whispered.
Aleem’s mouth twitched.
“They already knew,” he said.
Belle nodded.
“They were only shocked it’s official,” Belle murmured.
Aleem’s gaze softened.
“That’s how it should be,” he said. “No reveal. Just family witnessing the next step.”
Belle’s eyes stung.
Aleem’s voice was quiet.
“And they will still be family after,” he added.
Belle whispered,
“Okay.”
Aleem nodded.
“Okay.”
The invitations.
Paper leaving their hands.
Their world expanding.
Their core secured.
And Belle realised something.
The public could react however it wanted.
Because the people who mattered–
parents,
friends,
the ones who had held her when she fell–
had already done the only reaction that counted.
They showed up.
Properly.
Without taking.