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“Nicholas…” I breathe, shaking my head.
His smile widens as he nods toward the skyscrapers. I turn around, brow furrowed, not sure what I’m supposed to be seeing. But then a light flickers on one of the buildings, grabbing my attention.
A giant W lights up, and my heart stops. I glance to the building beside it as the lights flash again—an I.
L.
L.
No. This isn’t… Is he… He can’t be… right?
The lights keep coming, forming the message, letter by letter, until it’s complete.
Will you marry me?
I freeze, hands flying to my mouth, tears welling up as I spin around to face him. He’s smiling, watching me, and I’m shaking my head, unable to believe this is real. Unable to do anything but look at him.
The man I love… lighting up the sky for me.
“I could’ve taken you anywhere,” he says, his voice rough as he swallows harshly. “Paris, Rome, a private island—hell, I own one.” His lips twitch into that infuriatingly gorgeous smirk before his expression softens again. “But this city is where I met you. It’s where you stormed into my office and turned my world upside down.”
His hand curls around my waist as the other cups my face. “I’ve spent so much of my life chasing things that didn’t matter. Money, business deals, headlines. But you’ve made me realize that none of that means anything without you. Withoutus. You’re the one thing I know I can’t live without.”
Tears fill my eyes. “Nicholas.”
“We may have entered an engagement under false pretenses, as a business deal,” he continues, “but what I feel for you is real.” His hand shifts from my waist to my hands, his thumb brushing over my engagement ring. “The moment you put this ring on your finger, I knew there would be no one else for me. No one else could’ve been my fiancée. It was you. Only you. And tonight, I want to make it official.”
I gasp, my tears drying as I shake my head up at him. My heart feels like it might burst, and I’m still not sure this isn’t all a dream. But being with Nicholas feels like a dream every single day.
Nicholas drops to one knee, and my breath catches in my throat as he opens a small velvet box, revealing two gold wedding bands.
“You already wear my ring, and we’re as good as engaged, but this is me asking you, not out of obligation or a deal, but because I want you. I need you, and I want to spend every day with you, loving you, cherishing you. I want to be the man who makes you smile, who makes you feel safe, who makes you feel like the most important person in the world. I want to love you for the rest of my days. I want to make you mine, completely and forever.”
More tears well up, and my heart swells with emotion. I don’t try to stop them. This is everything I’ve ever wanted. I’ve spent so long wondering if I’d ever get engaged for real, if I’d ever find someone who would love me the way I’ve always wanted to be loved. And now, I’ve found it.
The words swirl in my chest for what feels like forever, before they tumble out in a rush. “Yes. Yes, Nicholas. Of course I’ll marry you.”
In an instant, Nicholas stands, pulls me into his arms, and lifts me off my feet, spinning me around as I let out a laugh, tears still falling down my face. His smile is wide, his eyes locking on mine as our lips meet in a kiss.
“I love you, Amara Winslow,” he whispers against my lips, his forehead resting against mine. “I love you more than I ever thought possible.”
“I love you too,” I breathe, my heart full to bursting.
I used to wonder if heartbreak could somehow kill you. But now, feeling his warmth, his touch, I realize that the pain is worth it, because it brings you exactly where you’re meant to be. I don’t regret a single thing. Not the heartbreak. Not the loneliness. Because it all led me here… to him.
And this is exactly where I’m supposed to be.
The End