Selected: Part 3 - Love and Lace

20. THE ONE

WHEN I WOKE UP THE next morning, the letter was gone. I searched everywhere I could think of before asking Maya and Piper if they had seen it. Piper's face fell. "My lady, last night, when I got back, you were fast asleep and I noticed it on your desk. I felt bad for not having been there to send it out for you before you went to bed, so I passed it along to King Ethan immediately. Was I not supposed to? Oh no... I'm so terribly sorry." In the end, it was probably a good thing. I shook my head. "You did nothing wrong. Thank you for sending it out for me, Piper." I said in a reassuring tone. It was a short letter anyways, I just hoped Ethan would feel its sincerity.

I'd been thinking of how it would feel if he were to choose Agatha in the end, and it was almost too much to bear. Since I'd entered the Selection, the only life I could picture was one with Ethan, and I'd been working so hard to be worthy of the title that came with being his wife. I could not imagine what I would do if he sent me home. I did not even have a home to go back to. Though I wanted her to keep it for herself, Beatrice had saved the compensation money for me to help start my life over if I were to come back. Would it be enough to get my own home? Surely I could not live with this family who had already helped me so much. I was a Three now, and that meant I would need to find a whole new profession from a list of things I had no idea how to do. Most importantly, how could I fall in love again with a heart that's been so badly broken?

My maids helped me get ready for the day, did my hair and makeup and dressed me in a pretty lilac day dress, with delicate sleeves and a full skirt, but it had been for not, as the entire day, I was completely incapacitated to anything other than overthink. My anxiety made me nauseous and jittery and I could not focus on any of my studies or usual pass-times. Funnily enough though, the day passed quickly and, before I knew it, the sun had gone down. I was sitting on my balcony in the cool evening air when a knock came at my door. Maya was the one to answer, and I could immediately guess in the tone of her greeting that it was King Ethan. My heart stopped and I stood up to see him. Sure enough, there he was as handsome as ever with his long wavy hair and perfectly tailored suit. I stood frozen in place, nervous he had come to talk to me about my silly letter. 

"May I speak with Luna in private?" He said, in a gentle tone. My maids curtsied and left us in private, and he came to join me on the balcony. "Liliana..." He took both of my hands, and stared down at them for a bit before pulling out an envelope and placing it in them. "I wrote you a letter, too." He smiled bashfully. Too restless to wait, I sat down and immediately opened it. 

My dear Liliana,

You have given me so much. In every single one of your gifts, I felt your whole heart, and I never could have imagined I would meet such a beautiful, considerate, and giving person. From our first meeting, though I was meant to interview you, you asked me more about myself. I had thought that said a lot about you, and I found you endlessly endearing. 

I got to know more about you, and I admired your strength through everything you have had to endure. It is exactly the type of strength I had been looking for in a wife who would share my duty to this country. Moreover, I loved that you have a passion and admired your knowledge in your craft. I could listen to you talk about clothing and fabrics all day, and it is as though you shine when speaking of things you love.

I have said this before, but your simple presence has the power to lift my mood or calm my mind. When I am troubled and need reassurance or understanding, you are the one I want to go to. When I am alone and it is too quiet, it is your sweet voice I long for, and you are the one I miss most. Tough it pained me, I had to spend some time apart from you, and as I result, I have never been more sure that I do not ever want to be separated from you.

Yours as well,

Ethan

I was left speechless, and felt tears pool in my eyes as I put down the letter to look back at Ethan. "Thing is though, there's one thing wrong in that letter." He started. "When you confessed to me you used to work in the palace, and told your real name, it felt familiar. I went back to my room and made a complete mess looking for it, but I found the portrait I had drawn three years ago in my old sketch pad." He unfolded a paper and handed it over for me to see, and it was... me. But it was a younger-looking me, hair pulled back and without makeup or fancy clothes. "That's..." I tried to get the words out, but felt confused. "Back then, I had felt so inspired to draw this warm, beautiful, clumsy girl that enchanted me so. How could I forget those eyes?" He seemed embarrassed. "It took me much too long to remember, and I'm so sorry it took me this long to realize that I truly and deeply love you."

Ethan took my hands again, and squeezed them gently. "My, you've made quite a mess miss Liliana, my Liliana with the beautiful name... You've made quite a mess with my heart." The tears that had gathered in my eyes were falling freely now. "I promised I'd let you know when I knew for sure what love felt like. I was scared to be impulsive, scared that what I was feeling was just infatuation. But this is me now, letting you know that you're the one for me." I remembered our first dates, and how he seemed so unsure, and everything we've been through up to this point. "You're everything I've been looking for, and everything I never knew I needed.  You're everything... to me. It's always been you." I was in disbelief, but finally gathered enough breath to speak. "It's always been you for me, too, Ethan."

We kissed, and it felt like the first time all over again. Except there were no more other girls, no more doubt, no more insecurities. "Please stay with me forever." I pleaded, my voice almost a whisper. "How could I deny you?" Ethan smirked, before getting up, then down on one knee. "Liliana Atwood, will do me the honor of becoming my wife?"