Braelyn’s POV

Lucien continued through the night, and I don’t know how long we walked until I started to perceive sea salt. We were close to the beach.

We cut through the road and entered the beach, Lucien dropped me as soon as we arrived. "We are here." He said at the edge of the beach. He held my hand and led me forward

"What’s going on?" I asked Lucien. He only gave me a smile.

"You will see it with your eyes," he said then pointed over at part of the beach I hadn’t noticed. I looked that way out of curiosity and froze for a moment.

"Lucien.." I blurted out unable to believe it. His smile didn’t falter.

"It’s better you pull off your shoes." He urged then bent over to help me get off my shoe the entire time I couldn’t look away from the scene above

.

After he was done strapping my heels he held my hand. "Come on..." he urged me, his hand closed around my hand. The warmth was grounding me

I drew in the cool air and stepped, step by step in the sand.

My bare feet sank into the sand as we walked forward. The cool grains slipped between my toes, yet my eyes refused to leave what was ahead of us.

A path had been laid out across the beach, not with anything artificial, but with petals. Red roses spread across the sand like a quiet confession, mixed with softer colours that caught the glow of the lights surrounding them.

Several flowers lined the path creating a sea of flowers with colourful lights woven into thin stands on both sides, casting a warm shimmer that danced with the wind. It felt unreal, like I had stepped into a place that did not belong to the world we came from.

The sound of the waves filled the silence between us. Each crash against the shore blended with the faint hum of the wind. Above us, the sky stretched endlessly, scattered with stars that looked close enough to touch.

At the end of the aisle, a fire burned steadily, its glow flickering against the night. The warmth reached us even from a distance, chasing away the chill that clung to my skin.

I tightened my hold on Lucien’s hand without realising it.

"It’s beautiful, Lucien," I whispered, my voice softer than I intended.

His fingers squeezed mine once before he let go. I felt the absence immediately, like the night had grown colder.

"This is exactly how you made my life when you came into it," he said, his voice steady but quieter than usual. "Beautiful and warm."

My heart stuttered at his words. Before I could respond, he stepped ahead of me and then lowered himself onto one knee.

Everything inside me froze. He was really proposing. It wasn’t the first time someone was going on one knee for me but I was still nervous. I stepped back the wind blew through my hair, and my heart started racing.

"Lucien..." I breathed, my chest tightening as I stared at him.

The world seemed to fall silent. The waves, the wind, even my own thoughts faded into the background as my eyes locked onto him.

He looked up at me, and for once, there was no trace of that teasing confidence he always carried. What I saw instead was something raw, too honest that it made my chest ache.

"Two years ago," he began, his voice low, "I saw a woman in a bar who looked like her whole world had fallen apart. I couldn’t take my eyes off her."

My fingers curled slightly at my sides as memories rushed back. That night felt so far away, yet so vivid at the same time.

"It started as something ugly," he admitted. "Something I didn’t even understand. I thought it was an obsession. Maybe it was at first. But somewhere along the way, it changed into something else."

He let out a quiet breath, shaking his head slightly. "I’m not good with words, Lynn. You know that. But I hope you can see it in everything I do."

My vision blurred as tears gathered in my eyes. I took a small step back without meaning to, my heart racing so fast it felt like it might burst.

"Lucien... isn’t this too soon? The company... everything going on..." My voice trembled, not because I did not want this, but because I was scared of how much I did.

He did not hesitate. "You matter more than any of that," he said firmly. "If I keep waiting, what if I lose my chance?"

I was stunned that he was scared of losing me. He looked straight at me, his gaze unwavering.

"Braelyn Voss," he called softly, "will you marry me?"

A tear slipped down my cheek before I could stop it. My chest felt full, like I could not contain everything rushing through me at once.

I nodded first, my voice refusing to come out. Then I found it. "Yes," I said, my lips trembling into a smile. "Yes, I will marry you."

The relief that crossed his face was immediate. It was so genuine that it made me laugh through my tears.

He slid the ring onto my finger with careful hands before standing up. The next second, I was lifted off my feet as he spun me around, his laughter mixing with mine.

"Thank you for saying yes," he murmured against my hair. "For a second, I thought you were going to reject me." he laughed holding me tight. His body was trembling with excitement and fear. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

I pulled back just enough to look at him, a small laugh escaping me. "I would never do that. I don’t want this puppy crying over me," I teased, wiping at my cheeks.

His expression softened, and he pulled me closer, his lips finding mine. The kiss was gentle, lingering, filled with everything we had not said. The warmth of him wrapped around me. His hand tangled with my hair and my lips effortlessly parted for him deepening the kiss tasting the alcohol in his breath

In the distance, fireworks suddenly lit up the sky, colours bursting one after another. It must have been from the wedding, but in that moment, it felt like the night itself was celebrating with us.

It felt perfect.