I was in the middle of cooking dinner, the rich aroma of sautéed vegetables filling the kitchen, when the doorbell rang. I wiped my hands on a towel and opened the door, only to be greeted by Max, grinning widely like a Cheshire cat.
"For your information, I followed your advice," I said, crossing my arms, half-expecting him to tease me about my recent attempts at cooking.
"That's not what I'm here for," he replied, his tone shifting to something more serious.
"Then why are you here?" I asked, turning back toward the kitchen, my curiosity piqued.
"It's about Lukas," he started, and I felt my heart skip a beat. I was suddenly in front of him, my anxiety bubbling to the surface.
"What about him? Is something wrong? Did he get drugged again?" I fired off questions in rapid succession, my mind racing with worst-case scenarios.
Max clamped a hand over my mouth, his eyes wide with mock exasperation. "You sure get noisy when it's about him."
I slapped his hand away, my impatience flaring. "Tell me already!"
"We're at a party, and he needs a partner. Many unmarked females are surrounding him like crazy, so I figured if you're there, they'll leave him alone," he explained, his grin returning.
"But I don't have any proper dress—" I protested, glancing down at my casual outfit.
Max didn't let me finish. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me out of the house with surprising urgency. "I'll handle that, so we need to dress you up quickly."
We spent the next hour in a whirlwind of preparations. Max whisked me to a high-end salon, where I was primped and styled within an inch of my life—my hair curled into soft waves, my makeup accentuating my features with a subtle glow. After that, we dashed to a famous boutique, where Max, with an oddly discerning eye, selected a dress for me—a flowing, elegant gown that shimmered under the boutique lights.
Finally, we arrived at the venue, and I stepped out of the car, my heels clicking against the pavement. The night air was crisp, and a soft breeze carried the faint scent of flowers.
But something felt off.
I glanced around, noticing the unusual quiet. There were no voices, no music—just silence.
"Why is it quiet?" I asked Max, my brows furrowing in confusion.
He smirked, nodding toward a pathway lined with delicate rose petals. "You just need to follow the pathway," he said mysteriously.
My heart skipped a beat when I looked at the pathway. Petals?
I took a deep breath, my fingers brushing against the fabric of my dress as I stepped forward. The petals guided me forward—through a secluded garden bathed in the soft glow of fairy lights. The further I walked, the more my pulse quickened.
At the end of the petal-strewn pathway, Lukas stepped forward, his hands trembling slightly as he took mine. His eyes—those deep, intense pools I'd fallen for—held a flicker of vulnerability as he sank to one knee.
"Stella," he began, his voice steady despite the emotion thickening his tone. "From the moment you walked into my life, everything changed. You brought light to my darkest days, strength to my weakest moments, and love to a heart I thought was too hardened to feel it." He paused, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. "I can't imagine a future without you. Will you marry me?"
Tears blurred my vision as I nodded vigorously, my voice barely a whisper. "Yes—"
Before I could finish, a loud pop sounded, and the entire garden erupted in light—hundreds of twinkling fairy lights glowing brighter, fireworks bursting overhead in a kaleidoscope of colors. Confetti rained down as cheers erupted around us.
I turned, stunned, only to see Max grinning behind a camera, recording the entire scene. My laugh bubbled up uncontrollably at their theatrics.
Then, emerging from the shadows, came our families: my parents beaming, my coworkers and Lukas' workers clapping, and—my breath hitched—Lukas' mother, elegant and regal, her eyes glistening as she stepped forward.
"It's about time," she murmured, pulling me into a warm embrace before cupping my face. "Welcome to the family, my dear."
Lukas' closest friends—wealthy, influential men who I've seen the first time—crowded around, clapping him on the back. "Took you long enough!" one teased, while another handed me a glass of champagne.
Max finally lowered the camera, winking. "Got it all in 4K. You're welcome."
Lukas rolled his eyes but pulled me closer, his lips brushing my temple. "No takebacks," he murmured, just for me.
I leaned into him, my heart impossibly full. "Never."