Marriage proposal

Camellia glanced at the card for what felt like the hundredth time. Her heart pounded in her chest, a storm of doubts and questions swirling in her mind. On stage, she moved instinctively to the rhythm, but her thoughts overshadowed her concentration.

What evidence did the mysterious man have? Could he even be trusted? And if he could, was she capable of bringing down the Blackwoods?

The cheers of the crowd barely registered, her attention entirely inward. As she spun into her final move, her gaze caught a fleeting figure near the back of the room. Her breath hitched.

Is that... the chief judge?

The thought jolted her, and she ended the performance abruptly, applause rolling over her like distant waves. Her eyes stayed fixed on the man as he slipped toward the exit. Without hesitation, she pushed through the throng of people, her pulse quickening.

But by the time she reached the door, the figure was gone.

She froze, her chest tightening. Was it really him? Or had her mind deceived her?

“Camellia!”

The voice startled her, and she turned sharply. Kassy approached with a radiant smile, her lipstick smudged in a way that caught Camellia’s eye.

“Hey,” Camellia replied, her voice faint, her eyes darting back toward the exit.

Kassy followed her gaze but shrugged, stepping closer. “What’s with you? You’re all jumpy.”

Camellia forced her attention back to her friend and noted the mess of her makeup. Her voice came out cooler than she intended. “Did you give someone a private dance?”

Kassy’s eyes sparkled, her voice dropping conspiratorially. “I did. And guess who it was?” She leaned in, whispering. “The chief judge.”

Camellia’s heart stopped. Her stomach knotted in pains.

“What?” she whispered, though her throat felt tight.

Kassy giggled, her cheeks flushed with excitement. “Yeah! Can you believe it? He’s so down-to-earth yet... God, he looks nothing like sixty. He’s... vibrant.”

Camellia didn’t respond. Her head spun, her lips parting as if to speak, but no words came out.

Kassy lowered her voice even more. “Don’t tell anyone. It’s our little secret.”

Camellia nodded mechanically, her mind racing. The image of the chief judge in a nightclub, let alone requesting a private dance, felt absurd—and yet, it had happened.

As the evening wore on, she stayed restless, her thoughts too loud to ignore. She tried to focus, but Kassy’s words resonated in her mind alongside the stranger’s ominous warning.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, the sound jolting her. Zayden.

“Come to the hotel now,” his voice commanded through the receiver.

“Okay,” she replied, her voice steady, though her insides churned.

In the cab ride to the hotel, the mysterious man’s warning surfaced again. Zayden is more dangerous than you can imagine.

She shook her head, dismissing the thought. She needed to focus, to extract whatever information she could and put an end to this game.

The moment she stepped into the hotel, she didn’t have time to speak. He crossed the room quickly, his lips capturing hers in a kiss that stole her breath.

“I missed you,” he whispered, his voice low, his hand brushing her cheek.

Camellia blinked, her resolve wavering as he led her to the private room. She barely noticed the bed until they sat on it, their kiss deepening. His hands explored her body, igniting a fire she didn’t want to admit was there.

“Camellia,” Zayden whispered against her lips, his voice husky. “I want to make love to you. But only with your permission.”

Her body screamed 'yes' even as her mind hesitated. Slowly, she nodded, her heart pounding in surrender.

He kissed her deeply, their passion intensifying with every touch. Slowly, they undressed, their movements hesitant but filled with desire. As their bodies moved together, he thrust his cock into her with care, his gaze locked on hers.

She gasped softly, a mix of pain and pleasure rippling through her. “Are you okay?” he asked, his voice rough yet tender, concern etched on his face.

She nodded, gripping his shoulders as he thrust with gentle, deliberate strokes. The initial discomfort melted away, replaced by an overwhelming wave of sensation as his pace quickened, each movement drawing them closer together.

The world disappeared, leaving only the two of them, connected in a way she hadn’t anticipated as they both reached climax.

Afterward, as they lay entwined, Zayden held her close, his lips brushing against her neck. She could feel the weight of his unuttered emotions in every gentle kiss, every soft touch. Yet, as her head rested on his chest, a tear escaped from her eye.

This wasn’t supposed to happen. She wasn’t supposed to fall for him. And yet, with Zayden, nothing seemed to matter—not right or wrong, not plans or schemes.

But Zayden’s mind was a storm. His fingers traced idle patterns on her skin as he wrestled with emotions he hadn’t felt in years—if ever. Camellia was undoing him, piece by piece, and he didn’t know how to stop it. He didn’t want to stop it.

By morning, the air was thick with unspoken words. Camellia dressed quickly, eager to leave, but Zayden’s voice stopped her.

“I need to talk to you.”

Her stomach dropped. His tone was serious, heavy enough to make her heart skip. She nodded and sat, folding her hands tightly in her lap.

Zayden ran a hand through his hair, then met her gaze. “I want to break off the contract.”

Camellia froze, her breath hitching. Did he know? Did he realize she’d been playing him all along.

Before she could voice her thoughts, he continued. “I want to divorce my wife. We’ve been... distant for a long time.”

Her eyes widened, shock washing over her.

“I’m not a perfect man,” he confessed, his voice soft but firm. “I’m an illegitimate son. But I’ll take care of you. I’ll protect you, Cam."

Her lips parted in disbelief as he pulled a small velvet box from the drawer.

Zayden sank to one knee, opening the box to reveal a sparkling diamond ring. His gaze locked on hers, raw with emotion.

“I wanted to wait, but I can’t anymore. Will you make

me the happiest man alive? Will you marry me?”