The Proposal
Demitri pulled the car into the driveway, his movements deliberate yet tinged with exhaustion. He glanced at his mother seated beside him, her arm still in a sling. “You okay, Mom?” he asked softly.
She nodded with a small smile. “I’m fine, Demitri. The doctor says a few more weeks, and this arm will be as good as new.”
He stepped out and rounded the car to her side, opening the door and offering his hand. “Careful now,” he murmured, supporting her gently as she stepped out.
Together, they walked toward the house, his mother leaning on him slightly. The house loomed quiet, peaceful—a stark contrast to the chaos of the last few weeks.
But as they approached, Demitri froze mid-step, his gaze locking onto the staircase visible through the open doorway.
A figure sat there, head bent low, shoulders shaking with silent sobs.
His mother followed his gaze and gasped softly. “Demitri,” she whispered, squeezing his arm. “It’s Ashley.”
He turned to her, surprise and hesitation battling on his face. “Ashley?”
His mother patted his hand gently. “Go to her. I’ll head to my room.”
Demitri hesitated only a moment before releasing his mother and stepping inside. He moved closer to the staircase, his heart pounding in his chest.
“Ashley?” he called softly.
Her sobs stilled abruptly, her body freezing. Slowly, she lifted her head, her red, swollen eyes locking onto his. For a moment, she just stared, her expression one of shock, disbelief, and overwhelming emotion.
“Demitri?” she whispered, her voice cracking.
Before he could respond, she scrambled to her feet and threw herself into his arms, holding him tightly.
“I thought I’d never see you again,” she sobbed into his chest. “I thought you were gone. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry I pushed you away.”
Demitri wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as if afraid she might vanish. “I’m here,” he murmured. “I never wanted to leave, Ashley. Even though your father told me to stay away, I had no intention of obeying. I needed you to hear me out. I needed you to know the truth.”
She pulled back slightly, her tear-streaked face tilting up to meet his eyes. “The truth?”
He nodded, his expression soft yet serious. “I didn’t mean to disappear. That night, Elena called me. She said she had a way to help me get Ethan. I thought she’d turned over a new leaf.”
Ashley’s brows furrowed as more tears rolled down her cheeks. “But it was a trap?”
Demitri nodded grimly. “She was working with Ethan all along. He wanted to get rid of me permanently. They captured me and held me for days. I thought I’d never get out of there.”
Ashley clutched his shirt, her body trembling. “Oh my God, Demitri. I’m so sorry. I thought—” She shook her head. “I thought you left me. I thought you betrayed me again.”
He cupped her face gently, his thumbs brushing away her tears. “Never,” he said firmly. “I would never leave you, Ashley. You and our baby mean everything to me.”
Her lip quivered as she let out a shaky breath. “Then how did you escape? How are you here?”
Demitri’s eyes softened, a flicker of pain crossing his face. “Elena. She realized what Ethan was planning to do to me, and she turned on him. She helped me escape, but...” He paused, swallowing hard. “She didn’t make it. One of Ethan’s men shot her before she could get away.”
Ashley’s breath hitched, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. “Elena?”
He nodded. “She wasn’t all bad, Ashley. In the end, she saved my life.”
Ashley buried her face in his chest, her sobs muffled. “I feel terrible. I hated her so much, but she...”
“She made a choice,” Demitri said gently, stroking her hair. “And I owe her my life because of it.”
They stood there in silence, clinging to each other as if the world outside had ceased to exist. Finally, Ashley pulled back, a small, tearful smile breaking through her grief.
“I missed you,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
Demitri smiled, his fingers tracing her cheek. “I missed you too. More than you’ll ever know.”
Her lips quirked upward, a soft giggle escaping her. “You look terrible,” she teased, her tone light for the first time in weeks.
He laughed, a deep, genuine sound that made her heart flutter. “I’ve had better days.”
Their laughter faded, replaced by a shared gaze filled with love and understanding.
Slowly, Demitri leaned in, his forehead resting against hers. “Ashley,” he murmured. “I love you. I’ve loved you from the moment I met you. And I promise, I’ll never let anything come between us again.”
Ashley’s heart swelled, and she whispered back, “I love you too.”
Suddenly, Demitri pulled back, a mischievous glint in his eye. “There’s something I need to do,” he said, stepping back slightly.
Ashley tilted her head in confusion as he reached into his pocket, pulling out a small velvet box. Her breath caught as he dropped to one knee, opening the box to reveal a dazzling diamond ring.
“Ashley,” he said, his voice steady despite the emotion in his eyes. “You are the love of my life. You are my heart, my soul, my everything. Will you marry me?”