Page 95 of The Wrong Fiancée

Elika looked at me, and I nodded. "Damian, I'm sorry, I?—"

"Fuck no," Damian growled at me. "Dante fucking hired you for Giordano Resorts, didn't he?"

Elika looked sheepishly at him. "I'm sorry. But that's…that's what I want to do. My focus is island art, and I get to curate for the Giordano resorts in Hawaii and the Pacific Islands and?—"

"Stop trying to make him feel better," Emilia cut Elika off. "She can do whatever she wants to do, Mr. CEO."

"You won't work for us," Damian muttered, looking at his wife, who was an artist and art restorer. "And neither will Elika. We need to make sure our kids know they have to take over the fucking family business."

"Why?" Duncan asked. "It's justbusiness. It's not the family."

Elsa kissed her husband soundly on his lips. "My husband is so wise."

I kissed the side of Elika's head as I slid an arm around her. "I love you, and I'm very proud of you," I whispered as the others talked.

She sank into me. "You have no idea how much that means to me. No one has ever…." She sniffled.

"What did you do?" Dad flashed me an angry look. "Why is she upset?"

"Not upset…just….” Elika choked on her words. I rubbed her back. "I'm overwhelmed. You all…you're here to celebrate me. And it's…no one has ever…." She turned into my arms, and I held her as she sobbed softly.

"Now, baby, you've got to stop crying."

She sniffled. "I'm trying."

God damn it!

"Baby, please."

She looked at me then, and I wiped her tears. "I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry about," I told her. "I just don't want you to cry right now.Orever."

She looked at me, confused.

I sighed.

The whole evening I'd been feeling the small velvet box in my jacket pocket, and now it was so fucking heavy it was almost unbearable.

I reached for her hand under the table. She looked at me, her brow furrowing slightly in curiosity.

I stood up, my heart pounding in my chest, and suddenly the table quieted. Everyone looked at me, conversations halting mid-sentence. I didn't care. All that mattered was her. They didn't know I was going to do this tonight. I hadn't told a soul except Noe since she wasn't going to be here, which was why I'd made sure our server knew when to start recording us so we could share this moment with Elika's sister.

"Baby." I winked at her. "Three years ago, I told you we were a team. That whatever happened, we'd do it together."

She blinked, her lips parting slightly in surprise, her hand still in mine.

"And now," I continued, "I want us to keep building that life, that team. Now, I want to do it as your husband."

A collective gasp went around the table, but I barely registered it. I pulled out the ring from my pocket—simple but elegant, just like her—and held it up to her.

"You like?"

"I love," she responded, her face lit up.

"It was the smallest diamond I could find in the jewelry store."

She arched an eyebrow. "It doesn't look that small."

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