Betrayed by Fiance, Embraced by Hidden Tycoon-Chapter 163: The Proposal (2)

She could see how calm he was as he tilted his chair toward her and knelt before her. At that moment, her heart felt like it was beating faster and louder.

Instead of speaking immediately, he gently squeezed her hand. His warmth did nothing to warm her cold fingers because she was so tense and anxious that her hands remained cold.

"Sa—Sawyer..." Abigail whispered, holding back the mix of emotions raging inside her. She could feel her eyes grow warm and wet, but she didn’t try to tear her gaze away from him.

She struggled to find her words, unable to utter anything, and could only wait for him to say something. As she anticipated his response, each second felt like an hour.

A thrill coursed through her; this wasn’t the first time someone had tried to propose to her, but his proposal was sweeter and touched her heart more deeply than Ryland ever had.

Abigail attempted to stand from her seat, but Sawyer made a small gesture to keep her seat. Seeing him smile calmly, tilt her chair toward him, and kneel in front of her made her heart race faster and beat louder.

When Sawyer finally opened the velvet box, a stunning ring adorned with a delicate yet elegant pinkish diamond rested inside. Its brilliance caught the light and filled Abigail’s vision with tears. Her heart swelled with emotion, deeply touched by the sight before her.

"Abigail..." His deep, gentle voice seemed to suspend time itself. The world around them grew silent—the whispers of the wind and the soft murmur of flowing water faded away, leaving only his words. "Will you marry me?"

His tender yet intense gaze was filled with a love so pure and sincere that it reached the depths of her soul. Her emotions overflowed, and tears began to stream down her cheeks.

Before she could speak, Sawyer continued, "Abby, I know I broke my promise by proposing to you before you felt ready..." His tone wavered with a mix of sincerity and nervousness.

"But I can’t wait any longer to make you my wife. Do you know why?" he asked, pausing for the briefest moment, though not long enough for her to answer. "Because I’m afraid. Afraid that someone else might try to take you away from me. That they might steal you from my life."

A soft laugh escaped Abigail’s lips at his earnest words, but her amusement quickly gave way to a renewed wave of emotion when her eyes met his. The vulnerability in his expression tugged at her heart, leaving her breathless.

"I couldn’t bear it if that happened, Abby. I’d never forgive myself," he confessed. "That’s why I’m asking now—especially after receiving your grandma’s blessing."

Abigail stared at him, her tears glistening like jewels in the sunlight. He was still half-kneeling before her, his hand holding hers with a tenderness that sent warmth coursing through her. His nervous yet hopeful gaze never wavered.

"Sawyer—" Her voice trembled, and her throat tightened with overwhelming emotion. She still couldn’t believe that he had not only proposed but had sought her grandmother’s blessing beforehand.

"Please, Abby," he pleaded softly, his voice brimming with concern. "Do you accept my proposal?"

Her chest tightened at the raw vulnerability in his tone as if he feared she might refuse him. Without hesitation, Abigail blurted out, "YES!" Her answer came quick and loud as if she feared he might not hear her. freewёbnoνel.com

Sawyer’s face lit up with a radiant smile that melted every ounce of her hesitation. Gently, he removed the ring from its velvet box and slid it onto her trembling finger. The cool metal felt like a promise, solid and eternal. He kissed the back of her hand, his lips warm and tender, and his eyes never breaking eye contact with her.

The emotions in Abigail’s chest surged uncontrollably, her heart pounding wildly. Tears blurred her vision even more, but they were tears of pure, unadulterated joy this time. Each drop carried the weight of her happiness, of her disbelief that this moment was real.

In less than two months, Sawyer had proposed. Soon, she would be his wife. The thought filled her with wonder and a deep sense of gratitude. It still felt like a beautiful, surreal dream, but it was her dream, and it was coming true.

Hearing her response, Sawyer stood up and pulled Abigail to her feet before hugging her tightly.

"Thank you so much, Abby. I love you!" After a few moments, he slowly loosened his hug and tilted his head slightly to kiss her lips.

Sawyer’s kiss felt warm, sweet, and soft this time as if he wanted to express his deepest feelings to her.

After the long and tender kiss, he placed both hands on her cheeks, allowing her to see his eyes.

Wiping away the tears still glistening on her cheeks, Sawyer said, "You look beautiful, Abby, even when you cry. But I hope you don’t cry again in the future because I’ll be sad and worried if you do."

Abigail tried to stop her happy tears while forcing a smile at him. "Sawyer, I’m crying because I’m so happy, not because I’m sad that you proposed to me. I’m happy and grateful..." she answered in a stuttering voice between her soft sobs.

"I know. I just wanted to make you smile," Sawyer replied, leaning his face closer until their foreheads touched. He whispered, "So, we are now engaged. You’ll be my woman forever, Abby! You can’t run away from me." Their smiles met, and Abigail’s heartbeat raced.

"I won’t run away from you, Mr. Sawyer Jones!" A slight grin played at the corner of her lips as Abigail continued, "You’re the one who might regret marrying me. Do you remember my family? My father? He might trouble you in the future." She tried to warn him once again; perhaps he had forgotten.

"Hahaha! I won’t be afraid of anything as long as you stay by my side, Abby..." Sawyer pulled her back into his arms and rested her head against his sturdy chest. Now, she could hear how loudly her heart was beating.

Abigail’s smile widened, pleased with his answer.

Soon, they were sitting at the table, enjoying the now-cold grilled meat while discussing their wedding plans. Although she listened to his sweet ideas, much of it went in one ear and out the other; her mind was busy and noisy.

After he finished his dinner, Sawyer set his cutlery down and fixed his gaze on her. When he noticed she had also finished, he squeezed her hand gently, then said, "Abby, after we get married, I plan to bring your grandma to live with us in the capital."

Abigail was taken aback. She had also considered moving her grandma to the capital, but only when she had enough money to buy a house and afford a nurse to care for her. Hearing Sawyer have that idea shocked her.

"Sawyer, are you sure?" Abigail asked, her voice filled with concern.

"Yes!" he replied firmly.

Abigail frowned. "You know my grandma still needs medical care, right?" When he nodded, she continued, "If she lives in your house, it might cause you trouble. She’s still not well."

She didn’t want Sawyer to be burdened by her grandma’s presence, especially since her health was still concerned.

"Don’t worry, Abby. We’ll have expert nurses at our house to take care of her. And if you’re worried about the air quality in the city, remember there are three city parks with dense trees surrounding my house. Even though we live in a much bigger city, the air and atmosphere are the same as in Orange Town. She’ll be alright."

Abigail nodded, feeling a wave of happiness at the thought of living with her grandmother sooner than expected—something she had longed for.

After talking for a few more minutes, they noticed the cold was unbearable, so they headed back to the cabin.

***

When Abigail returned to the cabin, another surprise awaited her. Her landlord, Ronan Peters, was sitting with Ethan on the sofa near the wooden stove. They appeared to be discussing something serious, oblivious to her presence.

As soon as they noticed her, both jumped from their seats to greet her.

Abigail glanced at Ronan Peters, feeling awkward after discovering the truth about how she had rented the rooftop—entirely because Ethan had arranged it.

"Miss Snow, I mean, Miss Abigail..." Ronan quickly corrected himself. He had heard from his boss that no one called her Miss Snow since she would soon change her last name.

"It’s Nice to see you again. I apologize for being rude during our first meeting. I didn’t know you were my boss’s girlfriend. If I had known, I wouldn’t have asked you for a penny to rent the rooftop," Ronan said sincerely.

Ronan felt a weight in his heart after learning that Abigail was Sawyer’s girlfriend. He had been unable to sleep well and would continue to do so until he could apologize directly to her.

However, he couldn’t leave his work in Orange Town. When he found out his boss was visiting the villa in the mountains, he rushed there since it was only an hour’s drive.