Lilia's breath caught. She hadn't expected this—of course, she hadn't. Not after Zethan's earlier comnt about her not having a ring. Who would have thought this unpredictable man always planned ahead, to the point of even surprising her?
The soft glow of the lights flickered, casting gentle shadows on their faces. She could hear her own heartbeat.
Then, just as she thought the mont would stretch on into eternity, she heard him speak.
"Loris, your hand," he said again, this ti gentler, as if they hadn't just been locked in a back-and-forth sparring match.
Hesitantly, she lifted her hand, unsure of what to expect next. The weight of the mont hung over her like an unspoken promise. Slowly, she placed her hand atop Zethan's, the warmth of his palm seeping into hers.
Just as she placed her hand on his, he used his other hand to press the button on the small box. It clicked open instantly, the sound startling in the quiet of the car.
Her eyes widened, and she gasped, unable to hold it in. The ring inside was breathtaking—delicate yet intricate. A stunning pink diamond sat at the center, surrounded by smaller, shimring diamond-like stones along the edges. Under the soft glow of the car's lights, it glittered beautifully, almost as if it had a life of its own. Every facet seed to sparkle with a quiet brilliance like it carried its own secret story.
As ti seed to slow, Zethan began to slip it into her palm. His movents were deliberate, as if he was giving the mont the care it deserved. It was as though everything else in the world had faded away, leaving only the two of them in this surreal, fragile mont.
As he began to slip the ring onto her finger, a warmth blossod in her chest—an unfamiliar yet comforting sensation. She wasn't sure what to make of it. Why did she feel this way? Was it because monts like this were ant to be cherished? Or was it the man before her—the man who, unpredictable as he was, felt like a constant in a world full of uncertainties?
Then, his voice broke through her thoughts.
"Loris, what do you think?"
She looked up at him, her eyes filled with surprise and disbelief. The words didn't seem to co easily, her throat tight as she tried to process the rush of emotions flooding her.
"What do I think?" she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. She let out a breath, gazing at the ring again. "This... this is beautiful. Thank you, Zethan."
Her voice faltered slightly as she spoke his na, but she pushed through the uncertainty. She turned her hand slightly, admiring the delicate piece once more. The way it fit perfectly on her finger left her in awe.
How had he known her size so precisely? The realization was more shocking to her than it would have been to anyone else. It felt as if he had seen a deeper part of her, one that even she wasn't fully aware of.
A small, almost fleeting smile crossed Zethan's lips before he spoke.
"I'm glad you like it."
Loris shook her head, almost in disbelief. "Nope. Correction. Love it."
Zethanchuckled, a low, quiet sound that seed to lighten the weight of the mont. She hadn't ant to make him laugh, but the unexpected joy of the mont had cracked sothing inside her.
Her words had made it even more special, and she realized that maybe, just maybe, this was the mont she had been waiting for—sothing more than just a ring, sothing more than just a gesture. It was a promise, a symbol of sothing that was growing between them.
Or was she overthinking it? Was she being delusional to believe that sothing could truly spark between them?
Then, as her eyes flickered toward his hands, she noticed sothing missing.
"How about yours?" she asked, realizing he had no ring on his fingers.
Zethan simply shrugged, the motion casual. "My ring doesn't matter. I can put that on anyti."
She shook her head, a frown pulling at her lips. "No, it does." Her voice was hesitant at first, but she pushed through, the words feeling more real than she'd expected. "We're getting married, and wearing a ring signifies that you're married."
Her words hung between them, carrying a weight she hadn't expected to voice aloud—but she had said it, and she ant it. For so reason, the idea of them being married, of having sothing tangible to mark that, felt more important than she could have imagined.
Zethan finally leaned in as he spoke, his interest piqued by the turn in their conversation.
"Look at you, Loris," Zethan said, his tone playful yet calm, "already taking this very seriously."
Lilia stilled for a mont, her gaze unwavering as she processed his words. She was taking this seriously—far more than she had expected. But why? Why was this mont, this exchange of rings, so significant to her? And why did the thought of Zethan not wearing a ring sting in her heart? The realization was almost painful. Didn't he want people to know they were married?
Her lips parted hesitantly before she finally spoke. "Of course, we're getting married. That's... normal."
Each word felt uncertain, but she forced them out anyway, her voice not as strong as she wanted it to be. There was a vulnerability in her words that she hadn't anticipated. She wanted this to be normal, to feel normal, but it was anything but.
Zethan studied her for a second before responding, his eyes narrowing. "Fine, then. I'll wear it."
She quickly shook her head, her thoughts swirling with a mix of emotions. "No, I should be the one to put it on you."
Wasn't that how it was supposed to be done? She frowned slightly, as if trying to recall if there was another way. She wasn't sure why it mattered so much, but sothing deep inside her told her it was important.
Zethan observed her again before finally nodding. He had noticed the seriousness in her expression—she truly ant this. Seeing that, he decided not to tease her any further. This wasn't the ti.
"Fine, then," he said, his voice quiet but resolute.
Slipping a hand to his suit, he pulled out another small box, opening it before handing it to her. The motion was smooth, practiced, and yet there was a sense of anticipation in the air.
Lilia felt her heart skip a beat for an unknown reason as she took the box from his hand. She wasn't sure why, but her pulse quickened. Perhaps it was the way the mont had shifted, or perhaps it was because this was more than just a gift—it was a promise.
The mont Lilia took the ring box, her heart skipped another beat. She wasn't sure what was different this ti. Her gaze flickered to the ring already resting on her finger, the one Zethan had just placed on her, before she finally reached inside the box and pulled out the new ring.
Then, mirroring his earlier words, she spoke softly.
"Your hand."
Zethan could hardly believe this girl—she was copying him exactly. But there was sothing undeniably sweet about it, a sense of sincerity in her actions.
Still, he placed his large palm over her small, soft hands, letting her take the ring. With careful precision, she slipped it onto his finger, and for a mont, everything felt right. The world seed to fall away, leaving only the two of them, connected by this small act, this quiet promise.
The mont she did, her heart began to race wildly, the unexpected rush of emotions catching her off guard. She hadn't expected to feel this way. It was just a ring, after all. But as the cool tal settled on his finger, she realized that it wasn't just about the ring—it was about the commitnt they had just made to one another.
She stared at the ring, a soft smile playing on her lips as she glanced between it and her own. She didn't even realize the excitent bubbling in her eyes, the way they sparkled with sothing akin to joy.
But Zethan did. He was ever observant, his gaze following hers as she examined the rings on their fingers. His eyes widened slightly at the sight of the delicate dimple on her cheek. Had he ever noticed that before? Maybe not. But today, of all days, he saw it—saw the way she smiled so genuinely, the pure excitent shining in her eyes.
Butwhy?
Was it the engagent itself or the ring that thrilled her? He wasn't sure. But from the way her gaze kept flickering back to the ring, he had a feeling she truly loved it.
A small, almost there smile tugged at his lips before he finally lifted his head, breaking the silence that had settled between them.
And no one dared to tell the chauffeur that it was ti to open the door.
As soon as the door opened, Zethan stepped out, raising his hand. Lilia placed hers atop his before following him out, feeling the cool air rush past them as they stepped into the world beyond.
The mont the soft breeze swept through her hair, she beca aware of her surroundings. Until now, she hadn't really paid attention. Everything was perfectly arranged, as if it had all been orchestrated just for them. The sight of a few sleek black cars arriving signaled that so guests had already co. Strangely, every single car was black, as if it had been a requirent for the engagent. Yet, among them all, Zethan's car stood out the most—undeniably commanding attention.
Then, Zethan gently tightened his hold on her hand and spoke, his voice low but firm.
"Rember, stay by my side always, Lilia."
Her heart pounded, a sudden nervous excitent rising within her.
Every ti he said her real na, it rolled off his tongue as smooth as silk, as if it had always belonged to him.
Then, he took the first step forward, and for so reason—whether it was because of Zethan or sothing else—Lilia felt a surge of confidence rise within her. Sothing was shifting inside her, and she was ready to face whatever ca next.
As they reached the grand entrance, the massive doors swung open. The lights dimd, casting a dramatic glow as they stepped inside.
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