Page 81 of The Bratva's Secret Twins

I swore they looked like cartoon characters.

“Argh, God!” Vivian grouched. “What do you think?” she asked me.

“Well, we can’t go shopping without ice cream,” I replied, just to please the kids.

“Yes!” they cheered in unison, bouncing up and down.

Vivian laughed. “I think someone's getting a little carried away.”

I chuckled, taking a turn down a street where I knew they sold the best ice cream in town.

As we drove past, Vivian brought my attention to a Solenoir outlet across the road. She shifted her gaze back to me and smiled.

“Funny, isn’t it?” she asked. “This brand was the reason we met in the first place.”

I smirked. “Do you remember the first time I walked into your store to get those suits?”

“How could I forget?” She chuckled. “You bought the whole ten suits I brought just so I would get a bonus off that sale.”

“I believe in fate and the concept of destiny, Vivian,” I said to her. “Solenoir was an integral part of the design that brought us together. Our story cannot be told without Solenoir being mentioned multiple times.”

She grinned widely and returned her gaze to the horizon.

We got some ice cream, and after the kids ate their fill, they fell asleep in the backseat of the car.

I glanced at them through the rearview mirror, and my heart, much like the ice cream, melted at the sight of those two lovelies.

Vivian caught me looking at them and smiled to herself.

I needed to act fast, but I already had my plan in motion anyway.

“I thought we were going home?” Vivian said, noticing I was driving in the wrong direction.

“We are,” I replied with a mischievous grin. “Just need to take care of something first.”

“Okay, whenever you have that smirk on your face, you’re always up to something.” She looked at me, suspicion coloring her eyes. “What is it this time?” Though she pretended to be annoyed, Vivian grinned widely.

I said nothing and soon pulled over by the shore. The kids were still asleep, and I stepped outside; then, I helped her with the door.

Vivian had no idea what I was up to, but she wasn’t able to stop blushing.

I took her hand, and we walked closer to the shore. By now, the sun was setting in the west, and its soft glow draped over the ocean, softening the dark blue of the water. The wind was blowing through her brown hair—having been dyed to its original color—and ruffling mine.

“This is beautiful, Daniil,” she gasped, walking ahead and observing the view. “But what are we doing here…?”

She froze when she turned and saw me on my knee, holding up a small box in one hand and a ring in the other. Her hands reflexively covered her mouth, and her eyes widened.

“Vivian Kennedy, will you marry me?” I asked.

She was quiet, her eyes filled with unshed tears and her hands still over her mouth while her hair continued to dance to the rhythm of the wind.

I was afraid for a second that she would say no, that I might have misread her attitude. What if she didn’t love me enough to want to spend the rest of her life with me? What if these past few weeks were just another act? Wasn’t this proposal sudden?

Those tears now began to flow like little rivers, and she didn’t bother wiping them away.

My stomach clenched; I was unable to comprehend these tears.

Was she sad? Was she happy? I couldn’t tell.

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