Chapter 9 - The Proposal She Never ExpectedA year passed.
The marriage contract expired.
The legal restriction disappeared.
Selena could divorce Dominic the next morning without consequence.
She didn't.
Instead, Dominic became nervous.
Very nervous.
Aaron noticed first.
“What are you doing?”
“Planning.”
“For what?”
Dominic glared.
Aaron laughed.
“You're proposing.”
Dominic said nothing.
“I've seen you threaten three governors without blinking.”
“Shut up.”
“And you're afraid to ask one woman to marry you?”
“Yes.”
Aaron laughed again.
“That's beautiful.”
“Get out.”
The proposal happened at the place where they first met.
The Grand Ellison Hotel terrace.
The same terrace where Selena had cried.
The same city lights.
The same night sky.
But everything was different.
Dominic stood beside her.
“You remember this place?”
“Yes.”
“You hated that night.”
“I did.”
He took her hand.
“I didn't.”
She smiled.
“Because you met me.”
“Yes.”
He knelt.
Selena froze.
“Dominic.”
“I spent my life believing love was something that made people weak.”
He opened a ring box.
Inside was a simple platinum ring.
“No giant diamond?”
“I already gave you one.”
She laughed through tears.
“I don't want anything giant.”
He smiled.
“Good.”
He took a breath.
“The first ring was a shield.”
He looked into her eyes.
“This one is a choice.”
Her tears fell.
“I don't want a contract.”
“I don't either.”
“I don't want a trust condition.”
“No.”
“I don't want a business alliance.”
“Never.”
“What do you want?”
He took her hand.
“I want you to wake up beside me because you want to.”
“I want you to yell at me when I forget to eat.”
She laughed.
“I already do.”
“I want you to make fun of my terrible cooking.”
“I love your terrible cooking.”
“I want the children we talked about.”
Her expression softened.
“I want the life you were never allowed to choose.”
She bent down and held his face.
“Yes.”
Dominic blinked.
“Yes?”
“Yes.”
He stood.
She kissed him.
People around them applauded.
Aaron shouted from the distance.
“FINALLY!”
Selena laughed.
“You knew?”
“Everyone knew.”
Dominic sighed.
His phone rang.
He answered.
Then his expression changed.
“What?”
Selena watched him.
“What happened?”
He lowered the phone.
“Your foundation just received a major anonymous donation.”
“How much?”
He showed her.
Twenty million dollars.
She stared.
“Who?”
The donor name was blank.
Only one sentence appeared.
FOR SARAH AND VINCENT REED.
Selena froze.
Her father's name.
Her mother's name.
Dominic looked at her.
“The past isn't finished.”
She swallowed.
“Who sent it?”
“We'll find out.”
May you like
But this time, she wasn't afraid.
Because she was no longer alone.
