Submitting to my Ex Uncle-Chapter 172

Dominic strolled into the room quietly. His steps were unhurried, and his presence remained steady like it always was.

The early light stretched through the curtains, painting soft lines across the bed where Celeste lay curled under the blanket that covered just from her knee downwards.

Her breathing was even, with her lips parted ever so slightly, and strands of her hair falling over her cheek.

He sat beside her. The mattress dipped under his weight, and gently he touched her face. His fingers brushed her hair aside, tucking it carefully behind her ear before his palm settled against her skin, warm and protective.

Celeste stirred.

Her lashes fluttered, slow and lazy, until her eyes parted just enough to find him. He was already dressed. His suit was perfectly pressed, his jaw was clean-shaven, and yet his eyes softened the moment they locked on her.

"Good morning, baby," he said softly, his voice low enough to belong only to her. He wore the softest expression in the world.

A smile curved her lips, tired but sweet. "Good morning."

Dominic held her face a moment longer, as though committing her sleepy features to his memory. And then, with the hesitation of a man who never wanted to leave, he said, "I’ll be leaving now."

Her hand stretched toward him instinctively, searching for his. When her fingers found his palm, she squeezed him gently. "Fly safe. Text me when you land." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"I will," he promised. He leaned forward, pressing a lingering kiss against her forehead. His voice was calm, but there was weight in it. His command was lined with care. "Stay close to Rodger and the other men, okay? Come straight home after work."

Celeste nodded. "I will, I promise." Her smile grew. It was faint but real.

His lips brushed hers in a fleeting kiss, soft and unrushed, as though he couldn’t quite pull away. Then he tucked the blanket around her, neat and careful, covering her shoulders like he wanted to shield her even in sleep.

Finally, he stood.

She watched him cross toward the door, his tall figure framed by the dim morning light. Just before he reached the door, her voice called him back.

"Dominic..."

He paused instantly. His hand left the doorframe. He turned his head, and his brow lifted, patient. "Yes."

Celeste’s heart raced in a way she couldn’t control. She sat up slowly, the blanket sliding down, and gave him a smile that was both nervous and sure. "Yes.... Yes, I’ll marry you." Her voice was soft, almost a whisper, but every word was clear enough.

Dominic chuckled under his breath. His lips broke into a smile so genuine it looked like it hurt him to hold it in.

In one stride, he was back at her side. He sat down, cupped her face gently in both hands, and studied her as though she were the only thing worth looking at in the world.

"You don’t know," he said quietly, his forehead nearly touching hers, "how long I’ve waited to hear you say that."

Celeste bit back a laugh, her hand brushing his wrist. "Knowing you, you probably had everything prepared already."

He didn’t deny it.

Dominic leaned back. His eyes held hers with a spark she hadn’t seen before. The sparks in his eyes were boyish mischief folded inside the sharp control of a man. Without a word, he stood, walked toward his walk-in closet, and disappeared behind the door.

Celeste’s lips parted. Her chest tightened with a nervous laugh. She already knew. She stared at her bare hand for a moment.

When he returned, he held a small velvet box in his hand. The sight of it made her heart lurch so hard it hurt.

Dominic walked back slowly, and deliberately, letting her see every step. His quiet confidence was enough. When he sat again beside her, the box rested in his palm like it had been waiting for this very moment.

"See?" she whispered, smiling through the tremor in her voice. "Always prepared."

"Always," he agreed softly.

He opened the box, and the light caught the diamond instantly. It was bold but elegant, sharp yet delicate. It was the kind of ring that spoke of permanence, and of decisions made long before words were said.

Celeste’s breath caught. Her hand flew to her lips, and for a second, she could only stare. She didn’t expect him to put in too much effort into picking a ring for her.

Her smile widened, helpless and overwhelmed. "Dominic..."

"Give me your hand," he said quietly, no question in his tone, only certainty.

She extended it, her fingers trembling.

Dominic slid the ring onto her finger with slow precision, as if the act itself was sacred. The diamond glimmered under the light, catching her eye until she couldn’t look away.

Celeste’s chest swelled, tears prickling her eyes. She lifted her hand, staring at the ring like it was a dream she never thought she’d be living.

Dominic didn’t look at the ring. He looked at her.

"You’re mine now," he said softly, his thumb brushing her cheek.

Celeste smiled through the tears threatening to spill. "I’ve always been yours."

Dominic received her words with the weight of an oath. His hand lingered on her cheek, and his thumb traced her skin as though he wanted to brand her with the touch.

Dominic lowered his forehead to hers, and his breath brushed her lips. "Say it again," he whispered.

Celeste blinked at him, her lips parting in surprise. "What?"

"Say it again," he repeated, his voice a deep murmur that made her chest flutter. "That you’ll marry me."

Her heart stuttered. She bit her lip, smiling despite the nervous tremor in her chest. "Yes," she whispered. "I’ll marry you."

Dominic’s lips curved into a smile and a vow, and this time he kissed her with the kind of depth that made her toes curl beneath the blanket. His palm cradled the side of her neck, firm and steady, while the other held her hand, the one now weighed with the diamond.

When he pulled back, his eyes darkened with everything unsaid. His gaze dropped to the ring again, and then back to her. "It looks better on you than I imagined."

Celeste laughed softly, staring at her hand again. The diamond caught the light in little sparks, dazzling against her skin. "It looks unreal," she admitted. "Like it doesn’t belong to me."

Dominic tilted his head. "Everything I give you belongs to you. Especially this."

Her smile faltered immediately, as though the truth of his words pressed into her chest. She leaned into him, resting her temple against his shoulder.

Dominic lifted her hand again, pressing his lips to the ring, and then to the inside of her wrist. His kiss lingered there, warm, and reverent. "You just don’t see yourself the way I see you."

Celeste closed her eyes for a moment, clutching the edge of his suit sleeve. Her chest swelled until it almost hurt. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to cry, or laugh, or both.