When Queen Isabelle offers me a deal to fake an engagement with the Crown Prince, my first instinct is to laugh. I must be hallucinating-blame it on the tea. But as her words sink in, I realize the potential boost this could bring to my tech company...
"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you." - Maya Angelou
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I knew the answer before he even asked the question. My heart had decided long ago that I wanted Alex, that I wanted this life with him. Tears welled up in my eyes, spilling over as I gazed down at him, still on one knee, looking up at me with those eyes that held my entire world.
"Alex, I..." My voice trembled, my emotions swirling so intensely that words seemed to escape me.
He chuckled softly, the sound of his laughter calming my racing heart. "A 'yes' would be a good start," he teased, his smile warm and full of hope.
A laugh broke through my tears, and I nodded, finding the strength to speak the truth I'd been holding onto. "Yes, Alex. I'll marry you. Truly, fully-no more pretending. Just you and me."
"Just you and me," he echoed, his voice carrying a reverence that made my heart swell. His eyes fell to my hand, narrowing playfully at the fake engagement ring still sitting there. "Now, how about we get rid of that imposter?"
I glanced down at the ring, feeling a sudden rush of affection for his disdain toward it. I slid it off, handing it to him with a smile. He took it, but his focus was on the small box in his other hand. With a tenderness that stole my breath, he removed the real ring and gently slid it onto my finger.
The moment our skin touched, something familiar struck me. This wasn't just any ring-it was something so much more. My breath caught as I studied it more closely. The design was intricate yet familiar, the diamond catching the light like a thousand stars. The band, delicate yet strong, was a weave of flowers and vines, blending the essence of my grandmother Soledad's ring and my mother's wedding band, with a unique twist that made it undeniably my own.
"Alex... is this what I think it is?" My voice was barely a whisper, a mix of awe and disbelief.
He smiled, the kind of smile that made me feel like the most cherished person in the world. "Yes. I had it made with your family in mind. In Italy, I knew I wanted to marry you, but I needed to give you the space to choose me first."
Tears blurred my vision again, but I blinked them away, needing to see his face clearly in this moment. "I do choose you, Alex. Now and always."
He didn't say anything in response-just kissed me, soft and tender, filled with every unspoken promise. He lifted me effortlessly, my legs wrapping around his waist as the kiss deepened. There was a deliberate slowness to the way he moved, like he was savoring every second of this moment as much as I was. He carried me to the bed, his lips never leaving mine, lowering me gently as if I were something precious.
"I might be a gentleman," he murmured against my lips, his voice low and filled with a raw honesty that made my heart race. "And maybe just a bit old-fashioned..."
