His eyes — those eyes that had watched over her for years with unwavering loyalty — began to lose their shine. Her father, Mihai, knelt down beside her.
— Sweetheart, I think we should take him to the vet — he whispered, but Ileana already knew. She had already understood what Rex was trying to tell her.
— He waited — she murmured, her voice choked with emotion. — He waited to see me dressed as a bride.
Meanwhile, Constantin, the groom, was coming down the church steps and approaching them. Despite his elegant suit, he knelt down beside Ileana and Rex.
— What’s happening? — he asked, his voice full of concern.
— I think he’s saying goodbye — Ileana whispered, as tears streamed down her cheeks.
Constantin understood immediately. He took Ileana’s hand in his and, with his other hand, gently stroked Rex’s head.
The guests watched the scene, moved and astonished — no one dared to interrupt that sacred moment.
Then, to everyone’s surprise, Rex summoned his last bit of strength and, trembling, managed to stand.
With visible effort, he walked over to Constantin and licked his hand, as if giving him his blessing. Then he turned back to Ileana, curled up by her side one last time… and slowly collapsed.
Tears flowed uncontrollably down the faces of the guests.
No one had expected that the wedding day would also become a day of farewell.
But in that moment of sorrow, something extraordinary happened.
A pure white dove, radiant, descended from the sky and landed on Ileana’s shoulder.
The bird looked at her with gentle eyes — eyes so much like Rex’s that Ileana shivered.
— Ileana — her mother, Elena, whispered as she approached carefully — this is a sign.
The dove stayed still for a moment, then took flight, made a perfect circle above the church, and finally disappeared into the blue sky.
The ceremony continued — but it was no longer just an ordinary wedding.
It had become a celebration of love in all its forms: the love between the bride and the groom, but also that unconditional love that only an animal can give.
Father Adrián adjusted his words to honor Rex’s role in Ileana’s life.
And when Ileana and Constantin exchanged their vows, everyone could feel that Rex was still there — watching over them, as faithful as ever, loving even beyond death.
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