Page 58 of Damaged Enemy Next Door

"Olivia," he says, his voice low and husky. "You look breath-taking."

I feel myself blush at his words, but then I remember all the times he's let me down before. "Adrian, what's going on?"

He takes my hand and leads me inside the building. It's even more grandiose than the exterior, with chandeliers hanging from the high ceilings and marble floors gleaming underfoot.

"Adrian, please tell me what's going on," I say again, feeling a little apprehensive.

But he just smiles at me reassuringly. "Don't worry, my love. Everything will be clear soon enough."

We walk down a long hallway, and I can hear music coming from somewhere up ahead. As we get closer, I start to make out the sound of an orchestra.

Finally, we reach a set of double doors. Adrian turns to me, his gaze intense. "Olivia, are you ready for what's to come?"

I take a deep breath, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. "Yes, I'm ready."

He pushes open the doors, and I step into a huge ballroom. The decor is opulent, with gold and silver accents everywhere. There's a band playing at one end of the room, and at the center is a white-lace draped table with two single chairs. A bottle of champagne rests on the table.

I can feel Adrian's gaze upon me even though he says nothing.

Taking a deep breath, I slowly walk towards the table until I'm standing right in front of it. Adrian follows.

"This is it, Olivia,” Adrian says softly, his voice heavy with emotion. “If you’ll have me, this is where we start our life together.”

He kneels before me, and I can feel tears prickling my eyes. He takes my hands in his, and I’m surprised at how warm they feel.

“Olivia,” he begins, speaking with such emotion that his voice quivers. “You’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. You bring out the best in me, always supporting me even in the toughest situations and never judging me no matter what mistakes I make. I love you more than words can say, and if you’ll have me, I'd love nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you by my side."

He pulls a small velvet box from his pocket and opens it to reveal a stunning diamond ring. My breath catches in my throat as I look up into Adrian's eyes—eyes that are brimming with love and hope.

"Will you marry me?"

Tears fall down my cheeks as I look down at Adrian. I'm speechless. All I can do is nod my head yes, tears still streaming down my face. Adrian stands up and lifts me up, spinning me around in a circle.

As he puts me down, he cups my face and presses his lips to mine. His kiss is more urgent, more passionate than any other kiss we've shared before. Our lips are still connected as he picks me up again and carries me over to the table. He sets me down in the chair, then uncorks the champagne and fills two glasses.

"To us, Olivia," Adrian says, lifting his glass in a toast.

I grin at him, feeling giddy and a little drunk on the moment. "To us," I repeat, clinking my glass against his.

The music from the orchestra fills the room, and I stand up, pulling Adrian up with me to dance. As we dance, I ask him the questions that have been playing on my mind. “Adrian,” I mumble into his ear. “About that thing I wanted to talk to you about.”

He pulls away and looks at me with concern, “Yes, my love. Of course. What is it?”

“I’ve noticed you’ve been acting a little strange recently. Always taking calls in private, and there’s some woman who I’ve noticed come into your office multiple times this week. I don’t want to pry, and it may be nothing, but I need to know.”

He bursts out laughing. “You mean, our wedding planner?”

“Wedding planner?” I ask, incredulously. Then, I pretend to be offended. “You thought I would say yes just off the bat like that?”

“I thought I needed help with the proposal and she promised she plans proposals and weddings! And I was right, wasn’t I? You said yes.”

“So, I have nothing to worry about?”

“No. You have nothing to worry about. I just wanted tonight to be perfect and I was petrified I would mess up. I had to be secretive, because otherwise you would have found out. I also had to keep this party a secret from you.”

“Party?” I ask confused.

Just then, he shouts, "She said yes," and his voice echoes through the room.

---