Page 45 of A Million Shades Of Love and Betrayal

"I was hoping you'd move in with me," he said, his voice softening. "In my house."

My heart leaped in my chest. "You... you want me to move in with you?"

"Yes," he replied, his eyes locking onto mine. "I want you with me all the time."

Overwhelmed I blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "My father... he bought a mansion near here. He wanted to be closer to me and Amirah."

"That's wonderful news," Rafael said, his expression warm and encouraging even though I could tell he was confused about where I was going with this.

"Yes, it is," I agreed, taking a deep breath. "But it also made me think a lot about my feelings and what I want. And... I need to know something."

Rafael tilted his head slightly, waiting for me to continue.

"Our engagement," I began, my voice trembling. "Can I consider it a real one? I mean, are we really engaged, or is it still just a ruse to...?"

His stunned silence made my heart race. I hadn't considered that he wouldn't be on the same page as me and now I felt like such a fool. Before he could say anything, I backtracked, trying to cover my ass and spare my feelings.

"I mean, it's okay if you don't see it that way. I understand if you’re not ready or if you were trying to make me feel secure. I don't want to pressure you or make you feel like you have to—"

"Yasmin," Rafael interrupted gently, taking both of my hands in his. "Stop."

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my composure as I looked into his eyes.

I almost lost it when he dropped to one knee before me. "Yasmin, I want nothing more than to be your husband in every possible way. Even though we're still getting to know each other, I would be over the moon if you agree to make our engagement real and if you agree to move in with me."

I blinked back tears, barely able to believe what I was hearing. "You mean that?"

"With all my heart," he said, his voice unwavering.

Tears spilled down my cheeks as I nodded. "Yes, Rafael. Yes, I'll move in with you and be your real fiancée."

A wide smile broke across his face as he stood up, pulling me into a tight embrace. I buried my face in his shoulder, letting the tears flow freely. It felt surreal, like a dream I didn't want to wake up from. As his arms wrapped around me, a thought pierced through my euphoria—he hadn’t said he was in love with me. He wanted to marry me, yes, but was he in love with me? I didn't have the answer, but I knew I desperately wanted him to be.

-32-

Rafael

Today went a lot better than I had planned. The sun was setting, casting a warm, golden light over everything, and I felt a sense of contentment wash over me. Yasmin had agreed to move in with me, and we'd decided that our engagement should be a real one instead of the fake charade we’d been keeping up. I desperately wanted to tell her that I loved her, that I was in love with her, but I didn't want to overwhelm her or make her feel pressured to say the same.

I watched her, feeling a warmth spread through me. Every moment with her felt precious, and I couldn't get enough. It was a warm day, and a walk sounded like the perfect way to spend the rest of the evening.

We packed up our gear and returned it to the counter, exchanging friendly banter with the range staff as we did. Stepping outside, the fresh air was a welcome relief from the enclosed range. The sky was a dull blue, dotted with fluffy white clouds, and the sun was descending but I could still feel its warmth.

"So," I said, turning to Yasmin with a grin. "How about we get some ice cream?"

Her eyes lit up. "Ice cream sounds perfect."

We strolled to a nearby ice cream parlor, one that had been around for decades and had the best homemade flavors in town. The bell above the door jingled as we entered, and the sweet, creamy scent of ice cream enveloped us.

"What are you having?" I asked as we approached the counter.

"Hmm, tough choice," she mused, scanning the array of flavors. "I think I'll go with chocolate. What about you?"

"I'll have the chocolate mint," I said, handing over a few bills to the cashier.

"You're one of them," she laughed when I shot her a confused look. "I don't believe mint and chocolate should go together."

"It's quite nice," I told her as we waited. "You should try it."

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