Chapter 9 - The Real Proposal
The sun was setting over the rolling hills of Julian’s private estate in upstate New York, casting a brilliant orange and purple glow across the snowy fields.
A small, elegant tent had been set up in the garden, decorated with white roses, twinkling fairy lights, and burning heaters. It wasn't a fake spectacle for the press, nor was it a cold corporate maneuver. There were no cameras, no journalists, and no parasitic relatives demanding money.
It was just Julian and me.
We sat together at a small round table, enjoying a quiet four-course meal prepared by one of the top chefs in New York. I laughed as Julian told me a hilarious story about his early days as an awkward intern on Wall Street—a side of the legendary, ruthless CEO that nobody else in the world ever got to see.
"What are you thinking about?" Julian asked, setting his wine glass down and watching me with those deep, captivating dark eyes.
"I was just thinking about that night," I admitted, looking around at the beautiful setup. "Last Thanksgiving. When you walked into my parents' kitchen in that wet black suit."
Julian smiled, a warm, genuine expression that always made my heart skip a beat. "You were scrubbing a giant roasting pan. You had soap bubbles up to your elbows, and you looked like you were ready to throw that pan through the window."
"I almost did," I laughed softly. Then I paused, looking down at my hands. "Julian... when you walked in and called me your fiancée... why did you do it that way? You could have just ruined my father financially from your office."
Julian reached across the table, wrapping his hand over mine, his thumb gently caressing my skin.
"Because I knew what they were doing to your spirit, Claire," Julian said softly, his tone completely sincere. "If I had just destroyed your father from behind a desk, they would have blamed you. They would have dragged you down into their mud and made you feel guilty for their downfall. I needed to walk into that room, pull you out of the shadows, and show them that the woman they treated like a servant was worth more than their entire fake dynasty."
Tears of pure happiness gathered in the corners of my eyes.
Julian stood up from his chair, walked around the table, and sank down onto one knee on the soft grass. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box—not the one from Thanksgiving, but a new, delicate box lined with cream silk.
Inside sat a stunning, handcrafted vintage emerald ring, glowing vibrantly under the fairy lights.
"The diamond ring was for the world, Claire," Julian said, looking up at me with raw, unfiltered devotion. "It was a shield to protect you from your past. But this ring... this ring is for us. Claire Bennett, you are the most resilient, graceful, and extraordinary woman I have ever known. I don't want to just protect you. I want to build a life with you. Will you do me the absolute honor of becoming my wife? For real this time?"
I didn't hesitate for even a fraction of a second.
May you like
"Yes," I breathed out, my voice full of emotion. "Yes, Julian! A thousand times yes!"
Julian slid the emerald ring onto my finger, stood up, and pulled me into his arms, kissing me deeply under the canopy of twinkling lights. The dark, painful memories of my past finally evaporated into the cool night air, replaced by the warmth of a love that was real, pure, and unbreakable.
