The courthouse was quiet, almost eerily so. There were a few people milling about—couples waiting for their own ceremonies, some lawyers in suits, and the occasional clerk moving between offices. It was nothing like what I thought a wedding would feel like. No music, no flowers, no smiling faces. Just paperwork and a judge in a small, beige room.

I hadn’t asked Luca why his family wasn’t there. I didn’t see the point. My father hadn’t come either, so there was no reason to question ...