The Engagement
ARIANA’S POV
I should’ve known something was up the moment Vera showed up with that mischievous grin and told me to “trust her.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Why do I feel like I’m about to regret this?”
She laughed, full and bright, as she reached into her purse and pulled out a silk blindfold.
“Oh, come on!” I protested. “Seriously?”
“Absolutely seriously,” she said, practically bouncing with excitement. “Now hush and let the magic happen.”
“You know, most people just take their friends out for lunch.”
Vera gave me a wink. “Where’s the fun in that?”
Before I could ask any more questions, she slipped the blindfold over my eyes and tightened the knot gently at the back of my head.
I was plunged into darkness.
Warm fingers wrapped around mine a second later. “Ready?”
“No,” I said flatly.
She giggled. “Too bad.”
And just like that, she began guiding me forward.
Step by step, I let her lead, listening to the soft click of her heels on tile, the faint hush of doors opening and closing, and the distant murmur of music—soft and romantic, curling through the air like a whisper.
“Vera,” I said slowly. “Where are you taking me?”
“It’s a surprise,” she whispered, sounding like a giddy child.
I sighed. “If I end up in a clown-themed escape room, I’m never forgiving you.”
“No clowns,” she said, barely containing her laughter. “I promise.”
We walked a little farther, the warmth of sunlight brushing across my skin, then the cool hush of an indoor space again. The scent of roses hit me first—fresh, sweet, overwhelming in the best way. Then… she stopped.
Her hand slipped from mine.
“Vera?”
No answer.
My heart gave a little stutter—just as another presence filled the air behind me.
A body. Warm. Familiar.
I inhaled.
And nearly melted.
That scent… rich sandalwood, citrus, and something purely Hardin.
My lips parted. “Hardin?”
He didn’t speak right away. Instead, his hands lifted slowly, fingers brushing the sides of my face with a tenderness that made me ache. Then, with the softest touch, he untied the blindfold and pulled it away.
I blinked once.
Then again.
And gasped.
We were standing beneath a glittering canopy of lights and roses. The garden room had been transformed—fairy lights weaved through vines that wrapped around tall, white columns. Candles floated in glass bowls on a still, reflecting pool. Strings of ivory tulle swept through the air like whispers of a dream.
And standing in that dream were the people I loved.
My grandfather, standing proudly with his cane and a smile that reached his eyes.
Vera, trying to stifle her tears behind a bouquet of pink peonies.
And then…
Hardin’s parents.
His mother, elegant and glowing in soft lavender, beamed at me like I was already her daughter.
My hand flew to my mouth.
“What is this…?”
But when I turned, Hardin was already on one knee.
My breath caught.
He held a small velvet box in his palm—open to reveal a diamond ring that sparkled like stars.
But it wasn’t the ring that made my heart stop.
It was him.
The way he looked up at me.
Like I was his entire world.
“Ariana,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “You are my light. My strength. My beginning and end. And I can’t imagine another sunrise, another breath, another heartbeat without you in it.”
Tears filled my eyes before I could stop them.
“I want to spend the rest of my life loving you,” he continued, voice low and reverent. “I want to be there through every laugh, every storm, every miracle.”
He paused, lips trembling with a smile.
“Please do me the honor… of making me the happiest man alive.”
He drew in a breath.
“Will you marry me?”
I blinked, breathless.
Tears streaked down my cheeks, but my heart felt impossibly full.
“Yes,” I whispered, nodding. “Of course, yes.”
Cheers erupted around us, but I barely heard them.
Because in the next breath, he slid the ring onto my finger and stood—pulling me into a kiss that stole what was left of my breath and replaced it with a fire I hadn’t felt in days.
My fingers clutched his shirt as his mouth moved over mine, slow and tender but with a hunger just beneath the surface.
We broke apart only when our friends and family started clapping harder, whooping and cheering like we’d just won the Super Bowl.
I laughed through my tears, turning in his arms to see Grandpa wiping at his eyes with a shaky hand.
Vera was a mess—absolutely sobbing.
Even Hardin’s father had misty eyes as he pulled his wife in for a proud hug.
It felt… perfect.
Like the universe had finally stopped spinning long enough to give us this one golden, unforgettable moment.
****
The music started playing not long after, soft jazz mixing with laughter and the clink of champagne flutes. I stood with my arms around Hardin’s neck as we swayed slowly in the center of the room, surrounded by roses and candlelight.
“I can’t believe you did all this,” I whispered.
He kissed the side of my head. “I’d do it a thousand times over.”
“You’ve ruined every man for me.”
He smirked. “Good. That was the plan.”
I laughed and tilted my head up, brushing my lips over his. “You’re ridiculous.”
“And you’re breathtaking,” he murmured, drawing me in closer. “God, I still can’t believe you said yes.”
“You think I was going to say no?” I teased.
“Well, I was half-prepared to bribe you with chocolate and back rubs.”
“Mmm,” I hummed. “You still might have to.”
We danced a little more, the world fading into the background—until I saw a waiter walk by with a tray of champagne.
Without thinking, I reached for a glass and brought it to my lips.
Before I could take a sip, Hardin’s hand shot out and snatched it from me.
“No, no,” he said sternly.
I blinked, startled. “What—?”
“You’re pregnant, Ariana.”
I gaped. “Oh my God.”
He stared at me, mock-scandalized. “Were you seriously about to drink that?”
“I forgot!” I wailed, laughing. “There was glitter on the rim. It distracted me.”
Hardin set the glass aside and cupped my cheek. “Woman, you’re going to give me a heart attack.”
“I’m sorry,” I said, still laughing. “I swear I’m not trying to kill the baby.”
He leaned in, brushing his lips over the shell of my ear. “But you are trying to kill me.”
My breath hitched.
“I’ve heard pregnant women are quite… horny,” he whispered, voice like sin.
A soft moan escaped me, too quiet for anyone else to hear.
His hand slipped to my lower back, fingers curling possessively.
I could feel his body tense against mine.
“Are you trying to torture me?” he breathed.
“I might be,” I murmured.
His eyes burned into mine. “I can’t wait to have you all to myself.”
Heat pooled low in my belly, and I gripped his shirt tighter, heart racing.
Then someone called out our names, snapping the spell between us.
Congratulations poured in.
Vera hugged me so tightly I thought she might break my ribs. “I knew he was going to propose,” she whispered, giddy. “But this? This was straight out of a fairytale.”
Hardin’s parents came next.
His mother pulled me into her arms, and to my surprise, held me there for a long moment. Her voice was soft near my ear. “I’ve wanted a daughter for years. And now I finally have one.”
My throat thickened with emotion.
Over the past few weeks, she’d been nothing but kind. Gentle. Caring.
She didn’t feel like a stranger anymore.
She felt like family.
“I love you,” she whispered. “And I’m so happy he found you.”
“I’m the lucky one,” I said, blinking back tears.
I looked over at Hardin then—his arm slung around his father’s shoulder as they shared a quiet laugh. His smile was relaxed. Happy. Free.
And in that moment, something shifted inside me.
I realized… I had everything I’d ever need.
Love. Safety. Family. A future.
A baby growing inside me.
A fiance who looked at me like I was the reason the stars shined.
This wasn’t just the end of the pain.
It was the beginning of a love story.
One I couldn’t wait to spend the rest of my life writing.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
