𝐎𝐡 𝐁𝐞𝐤𝐡𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐫 [Completed]

39. Official proposal.

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Prarthana sat on the edge of her bed, her voice soft as she spoke to her parents on the phone. Her cotton shorts and loose t-shirt made her feel snug and relaxed after the long day. "Yes, Amma, the match was intense," she said, a smile tugging at her lips. "But we won, and Dev...he was brilliant."

Her father chimed in, "We're so proud of you both. How's Dev doing? He must be exhausted."

Before she could respond, there was a knock on the door. She frowned, glancing at the clock. It was nearly midnight. "One second, someone's at the door," she said, rising and walking to the entrance of her hotel room. When she opened it, Dev stood there, his face unreadable but his eyes filled with an intensity that made her heart skip.

"Dev?" she asked, surprised. "It's so late. What are you doing here?"

He didn't answer immediately, just nodded toward the hallway. "Come with me."

"What? Now? It's midnight," she protested, glancing at him with confusion. "Why?"

He shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "Just... come with me."

Prarthana glanced back into her room, then hung up the call with her parents. "Alright," she sighed, curiosity winning out. "But you owe me an explanation."

He led her out of the hotel, and as they stepped into the cool night air, he pulled out a blindfold.

"Seriously, Dev? A blindfold?" She crossed her arms but couldn't help the small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Trust me." His voice was low and reassuring.

She huffed but allowed him to tie the cloth over her eyes. "I do trust you. But this better be worth it," she teased as he took her hand, leading her down what felt like a sandy path.

"Where are we going?" she asked after a few minutes, feeling the cool sand under her bare feet.

"It's a surprise," he said, his grip on her hand gentle but firm.

"You should be resting," she muttered. "You just played an incredible match, and now you're sneaking around at midnight?"

He chuckled softly. "Shh, just walk with me."

After what felt like several minutes of walking, he stopped. "We're here." He carefully removed the blindfold, and Prarthana blinked against the dim light.

When her vision adjusted, she gasped.

In front of her, near the gentle waves of the sea, was the most beautiful setup she had ever seen. A large bed was arranged on the sand, draped with a thick bedsheet and soft pillows. To one side, a small table was adorned with flowers and fairy lights, casting a magical glow over the entire area.

"Dev, this is...," she began, her voice trailing off in awe as she looked around.

But when she turned to face him, her breath caught in her throat. Dev was down on one knee, holding a small velvet box in his hand. The ring inside sparkled even in the low light, but it was the look on his face that made her heart race.

"Prarthana," he began softly, his voice steady but full of emotion, "our engagement was rushed, and while it was beautiful in its own way, but I never got the chance to propose to you properly. I've wanted to do this for a long time."

Her hands flew to her mouth, her eyes already filling with tears.

"I love you," he continued, his voice raw with honesty. "More than words can say. You've stood by me through everything, and I can't imagine my life without you in it. Tonight, I wanted to do this right, here, just us."