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“Piccola pittrice, who said I was nervous?”

“Newsflash. I’ve spent long enough studying you to know when you’re nervous.”

Gianna glides into the center of the room, delicately tapping a spoon against her champagne glass. The crowd gradually quiets, all eyes turning toward her. She radiates elegance, exuding her characteristic sophistication.

"Excuse me," Nico murmurs, releasing my hand.

I'm about to question his departure when Gianna launches into her speech.

"Many of you know the serendipitous tale that led me to the extraordinarily gifted Sienna Vale. She was working as a waitress. Now, there is nothing demeaning about that profession, but it woefully underutilized Sienna's remarkable talents. When her notebook tumbled from her apron and I glimpsed the masterpiece she had sketched, the character and humanity captured in such a seemingly simple piece of art, I recognized immediately that I had discovered a woman who truly embodied the phrase 'diamond in the rough'. As all of you have now witnessed, Sienna is indeed a diamond."

She looks at me with a maternal warmth, and I savor every moment, despite Nico's mysterious disappearance. "All of you have been captivated and mesmerized by her work. Would it astonish you to learn that these masterpieces were created over a mere two and a half months?"

When collective gasps ripple through the room and all eyes shift to me, I feel spotlit. But unlike previous moments in my life – at school, at my dead-end jobs – this attention feels validating.

"You are majestic, my sweet girl," Gianna declares. "You are sublime. You are... and forgive me if I'm causing you to blush, but I mean this with absolute sincerity. You are a generational talent."

As applause erupts, instead of shrinking away or instinctively deflecting the praise, I offer a graceful bow.

"My woman moves fast." Nico's voice booms throughout the room, commanding everyone's attention. The crowd parts as he strides toward me, something different in his demeanor.

His nervousness has vanished, replaced by unwavering determination.

"It only took one date for me to recognize she was extraordinary," he continues. "It only took one date, my perfect Vignette, to realize I craved a connection with you deeper than I believed possible for a man like me. You are the most talented, compassionate, wittiest, most enchanting, breathtakingly beautiful woman I have ever encountered. In two short months, you've completely changed my world. You've given me a fresh perspective. You've awakened me to life itself."

He crosses the room deliberately, taking my hands in his.

"That's why I wanted this moment to happen here, surrounded by your art, because it breathes life into me, too. When I gaze upon your paintings, I witness your passion, your dedication. I see... you. I love you, Sienna. I need you. When we're apart, I yearn for you, every moment of every day. You're my angel, my muse. You're my everything."

When he drops to one knee, another collective gasp fills the room. Realization finally dawns on me. Tears well in my eyes, blurring the canvas of my world. He reaches into his jacket pocket and extracts a ring box.

He opens it, allowing me a precious moment to admire the ring. It's exquisite... perfectly suited to me. His thoughtfulness is evident in every detail.

A sapphire of rose and dark orange, creating a painterly red, with an asymmetrical swirl in the setting reminiscent of a brushstroke or a graphite line.

"Sienna Vale," he says, "will you marry me?"

For an extended moment, I stare at him, acutely aware of the world spinning beneath my feet. I etch this moment into my memory, determined to preserve every line, every nuance, every shade.

"Yes," I exclaim, excitement finally bubbling out of me.

His face lights up with joy, igniting my own happiness. He slips the ring onto my finger. Around us, the crowd erupts in celebration. Springing to his feet, he pulls me into a passionate kiss. It's the most profound moment of the night, which speaks volumes, considering one of my greatest dreams has come true tonight.

"I've never seen you smile like this before," I say. "It's exactly as Gianna described when we first met. You've got that boyish, excited glint in your eye... magnified a thousandfold."

"That's because I've never experienced such profound happiness before."

He kisses me again.

Epilogue

Nico

Two Weeks Later

I stand at my office window, casually tossing a baseball between my hands, surveying the city below with a contented smile. I acknowledge that circumstances may eventually necessitate unleashing the Don's darkness within me. But not today. Not now.

Life is better than good. It's sublime. Long, languorous Sunday mornings entwined with my woman, watching her immerse herself in project after project, witnessing her flourish as she diligently establishes her own gallery.