Submit to Me

33 - Sloane *

I'm so mentally numbed by what Aaron pulled off with the help of his friends, acquaintances, and family that I feel paralyzed. So much so I'm at a loss for words.

Seeing Tawny and her daughter unveil paintings of me and my children shocked me to the core. But it was also soul-stirring.

The painting of me, showing I was free, was touching, And it instantly had me feel that my soul had been set free and that I can now rest and regrow—that this new life is mine to live how I wish, to love and create new memories without regrets.

Eliana's painting of my children and me, showing they're my guardian angels, was tear-jerking but moving.

Both of the paintings were out of this world, astonishing and beautiful.

I'm still floored by what Tawny and her daughter did and the proposition I was offered if I allowed them to go into production, with the originals being mine to have at no cost.

The offer?

Eighty percent of the sales would be all mine. Tawny and Eliana wanted nothing. All they wanted was to show how proud they are of me for how far I've gotten; this was their gift to me and to bring more light and positivity into my life, hoping it'll also help motivate me to continue moving forward in life.

Since the paintings were so personal, it was a tough decision to make. But I caved and signed the contract after Ian pushed and pushed, strongly advising me to take them up on the offer.

Aaron's proposal on top of the paintings was something I never expected, not this soon, anyway. I couldn't say anything when he got down on one knee, said his speech, and showed me the ring. I thought I was about to faint from the surprise.

What really made me want to lose consciousness was seeing all the familiar faces sharing this shocking big night with me, including my parents. That was the most shocking. I hadn't seen them in years, so seeing them and knowing they got to witness the painting reveals and the proposal really hit my heart and did a number on my eyes.

With my face as blotchy as it was, my eyes as swollen and red, and me still in la-la land and overwhelmed with everything that had transpired, I decided to call it a night.

After saying our goodbyes for the night and promising to see everyone the following day for brunch, Aaron and I headed back to our room.

I was so consumed in my thoughts, reminiscing the day and night events, that I didn't realize we were already back in the room. Or that I was sitting on the bed staring at the massive-sized diamond; Aaron slid on my finger until my hand started moving away from my lap.

Fearing I was dreaming, my eyes followed the sparkling rock until it met with Aaron's lips.

"You didn't hear anything I said. Did you?" Aaron softly asked, kissing my fingertips.

"I'm sorry. What did you say?"

A quiet chuckle left his lips. "I asked if you wanted help with your dress. I also asked if you felt like relaxing in the jacuzzi for a bit." His hand rested on the side of my face. And as he turned it his way, he leaned forward and locked eyes with mine. "Are you okay?" he asked, sounding concerned.

The corners of my mouth curved upward. Smiling, I gushed, "I'm more than okay. I'm just over the moon right now. So much happened in one day that I don't know what to do, what to say, or how to act. I was pulled from one direction to another, and my emotions are still running wild. In a good way, though," I added, not wanting him to think differently.

Chastley kissing my lips, he told me, "Enjoy it. Enjoy all of it. You deserved to be treated like the queen that you are."

My heart swelled at his words, and my body melted, too. So much so that I felt like a pile of mush.