Veronica's eyes watched me as I paced inside my office. She watched me with deep concern in her face. With a sigh, she pours a bit of wine for me and gives me the glass. She gives me a tentative, unsure kind of smile as she does so.

"Thanks." I clocked out, my voice heavy with the nervousness.

I've been a nervous wreck since the ring was delivered to me by a close friend of mine, which happened over a week ago. I made sure that it was one of a kind, a customized ring that only my shortcake would have the privilege of wearing for, hopefully, the rest of our lives.

The red velvet box rests heavily on my right hand. It felt like a heavy rock that had been entrusted to my hand. It didn't feel real. It feels like a dream.

A dream soon to come true.

I can't count on one hand the number of times I have dreamed of this since leaving for college. I was well aware of our age gap. That she, at that time, was very much nothing more than a juvenile. A teenager. A kid I watched grow up. I was still in denial of my feelings. I reasoned with myself in front of the mirror countless times. I told myself I was just missing her. That I was too close to her and I wasn't used to not seeing her every day.

While denying my feelings, I went out of my way to date a few girls. Never had I had a relationship that lasted more than three months. Every little thing they did, I compared to what Mara would do. I would find the smallest differences between each of them and Mara. It wasn't until I had a long talk with Alec did I finally accept that I do love Tamara.

When Alec first found out, he was furious. He ended the call between the two of us and avoided my calls for a total of three weeks before he finally relented. That was only because Mara was crying on the phone and he couldn't get her to stop. Alec has never been good with calming down a crying Mara. That was my job. I was good with her in all of her mood swings. That day, she called me three times. I knew there was something wrong but with Alec and I not talking, I thought I would take some time to get over my feelings.

I was one of those guys. I don't want to lose my best friend because I fell in love with his much younger sister.

After I calmed Mara down, Alec and I talked. Only after that talk did Alec smile at me. He was happy that I would be there for Mara. After that day, all I could think of is having Mara as my wife and the future mother of our kids.

"Mark's here," Vero announced, snapping me out of my thoughts. Mark entered my office with confident strides and a smile on his face. He greeted his wife with a soft kiss on the lips and Vero closed her eyes with a content smile.

Would Mara and I be like them in the future?

"What's wrong?" He asked immediately as his eyes landed on me. He was worried and eyes the glass of wine on my table. "Why are you drinking?"

I shake my head, exasperated with myself. I plop down on my chair like a tired man, squeezing the bridge of my nose. "Were you like this when you proposed to Vero?" I asked him. I am truly worried and nervous. It feels like nothing I had ever felt before. It's almost like my confidence has been sucked right out of me when I needed it the most.

I'm not sure of what Mara thinks of me. Or if she even does think of me. Does she even like me? Or does she still think of me as the brother she can run to when her playmates bully her?

It's crazy to think that a man as confident as I am is worried about a woman. She has me wrapped around her fingers without even trying. I can only wonder how I would be once she does try.

I heard Vero laugh at my question. I think she finds it amusing to have me almost shitting my pants and not barking orders at her like I usually do. "Alright, you boys settle this and I will check on the venue."

"Okay baby. I love you."

"Love you too."

I looked up once I heard the door closed. We were alone. Mark chose to sit in the little receiving room that I have. He looked relaxed on the couch like he owned the place. If I wasn't already nervous, I would have laughed at him.

"You know, when I proposed to my wife, I was all over the place. Nervous and messed up." He said, smiling like he was reminiscing when he proposed to Vero. "But I was sure of one thing."

"Which was?" I asked, curious as to how they got engaged. I was still in college when they graduated and traveled to Paris for their seventh anniversary. When they got back, Vero was sporting a large diamond ring on her finger.

"That I would rather face humiliation than face the rest of my life without that amazing woman." He said and grinned at me. "I think you feel the same way."

I nod, laughing at the thought. "I've never been this nervous," I admitted to him. "Although, she has to marry me. I still want to make this right."

"And you will. Mara is lucky to have you." He said with so much sincerity. I smile gratefully at him. Mark is the only older brother-figure I have. There are times when he acts like he's stupid and careless but Mark is neither of those. He's the type of person who loves to joke around but is serious whenever you need him to be. Mark may not seem like it, but he is more responsible and mature than I ever hoped to be.

Being an only child isn't the best feeling in the world. But I grew up with Alec and Mara, which made things better on my part. I had Alec, someone who would always have my back and let me do half of the stupid things I wanted to do. My brother-like relationship with him is incomparable to that I have with Mark. Mara made me feel like someone who is responsible for another human. It was almost like being an adult, having to raise Mara, minus the drama that comes along with it.

"Thank you." I said to Mark, my nervousness calming a little with his words. I agree with him, I'd rather get humiliated than lose her.

"Get your ass up and let's get this show started," Mark said, leading the way out of my office. Letting out a deep breath, I followed after Mark with much more confidence than before Mark came in.

I held my hand out to her as she stepped up to the stage. Her small hand was cold and sweaty from her nerves. Squeezing it gently, I tugged her closer to me and dropped a gentle kiss of encouragement on her forehead. Once we were at the center of the stage, I dropped to one knee without saying anything.

Gasps were heard from the audience but my eyes on Mara did not falter. Releasing a breath, I took out the ring that sat heavily in my pocket and presented it to her. I stared amazed as emotions crossed her eyes without any form of remorse. She looked surprised yet she looked down at me with love shining in her eyes.

Or maybe it was just my imagination?

"Will you marry me?"

It was quiet. No one seemed to be breathing as we all waited for her answer. You could hear a pin drop in the room. Her silence was scaring me. Rampant thoughts and what-ifs ran through my mind as I waited down on one knee, looking up at the woman who held my heart in her hands since I could remember.

Then, just as I was ready to give up, she said the word I have been waiting for. "Yes."

Slipping the ring into her finger, I stood up and hugged her close to me. "I love you, Mara. I'll protect you." I whispered to her ear. Although, by the stiffness of her body, I doubt she heard a word I said. Releasing her, I address our audience. "Thank you everyone for coming. Enjoy the party."

In seconds, we were surrounded by business partners congratulating us and wishing us well. I did all the talking with my arm securely around Mara's waist as I carefully assisted her around and to our table in her dazed state.

Alec meets us halfway. A big grin on his face as he looks at the both of us. I wanted to slap that smug grin off of his face. "You did good man."

"Well of course he did. Unlike someone."Rory said, joining our group and throwing shade towards Alec.

"I distinctly remember buying a yacht just to propose," Alec said with a hissed as Rory walked away from him. I let out a laugh at their childishness. "She's as stubborn as ever."

"That's what you love about her." I reminded him with a smile. Alec and Rory's love story is complicated. Only the two of them know what happened that day when they were supposed to get married.

"Unfortunately." He mutters, his eyes stuck on Rory who started talking to one of the guests. He gave me a small nod and followed after Rory without so much as another glance. I watched as he stopped at a distance and watched her.

I looked at Mara and was not surprised to see her still unaware and still unresponsive to her surroundings. I led Mara back to our table. I pulled a chair and guided her to sit down before taking a hold of her hands. "Shortcake? Are you alright?" I called out worriedly to her.

As if she heard my voice, her eyes snapped to focus on mine. I give her a tentative smile. "Here, drink some water," I said, handing her a glass of water. It didn't take long for Alec to come back to the table as he watched Mara drink the glass of water in one straight shot. I guess his eyes were not really glued to Aurora.

"What's wrong?" He asked immediately.

"I think she's still in shock Alec," I tell him with a small chuckle. I took hold of Mara's hands and her eyes focused on me. "Hey, say something," I whispered to her almost pleadingly and tucked a piece of fallen hair behind her ear.

"Dy." She mumbles in that soft voice of hers. I can feel her hands shake as I try to soothe her down with my touch.

Did I overdo it?

I'm worried. She might have hated how I approached the situation. Maybe she wanted a more private setting? This whole charity ball is just a bonus to make Mara happy. Did I make her happy?

I know she hates being in the public's eye but with this, I'm hoping to lessen the impact on the press. If we kept the engagement a secret, they would be more curious as to why. They will ruin Tamara from the inside out. I know that for a fact. I don't want to be cautious all the time.

I just wanted her life to somehow still be normal after this. But what if this was already too much for my shortcake to take in?

"Shortcake. You are always scaring me. Always making my heart beat so fast." I said gently.

She smiles at me, still shaking from the previous events of the night. I gently run my thumbs on her hand to help her relax. "I'm sorry Dy. I'm okay."

I wanted to ask her if she was certain but Alec beat me up to it. "Are you sure?" he asked. Just by looking at her brother, I could tell he has a calming effect on Mara. I see her body visually relax from all the tension it has.

Smiling at him, she nodded her head softly. "I might just be tired from my classes or hungry."

Alec is quick on his feet as he tells us he would ask one of the servers to bring Mara a plate of food. I watch Mara as she watches her brother walk away.

"Hey. We can go after you eat." I tell her with a smile of my own. I don't want to force her to stay for the event if she's too shocked to move around the room. Just by squatting in front of her chair, people were already looking at us. I can feel their gaze at the back of my head like a burning iron.

"But this is your charity ball." she reasoned. I was ready to counter an answer when she added that she saw something from the Auction hall which she wanted to buy. Well, if that is what my shortcake wanted, that is what she will get. I dropped a kiss on her hand and stood up from my position as a server put a plate of food on the table for Tamara. I thanked her and took a seat beside Mara. "Eat. We'll check the auctioned items after you're full."

The night continued with ease. Mara was back to herself after a plate of food, which she took her time separating the vegetables she hated, before eating what she wanted from the plate. As I have promised, we went around the auctioned items and took note of the items we wanted to buy, and made a bid on them.

The night was successful enough that we raised millions of dollars with just the auctioned items.

When the time came for the night's auction dance, people gathered on the dancefloor and bid on the people who agreed to be the winning bidder's partner for the rest of the night. That is until Rory went on stage and was auctioned. Alec went crazy with the bidding as a lot of the guests were people who Rory also knew.

"$50,000!" The announcer said as a man in a black suit raised his number and gave a smirk to Alec.

Alec raised his number and shouted "$1M!" he shouted angrily. I could tell he's already pissed off. I wanted to laugh as he looked smugly at the announcer and his enemy who were both too shocked to say anything. I shake my head at his antics.

"You won't be laughing when it's Mara's turn," he told me without taking his eyes off of Rory who wasn't happy that Alec won the rest of her night. "You better win, you asshole."

Did I say that once you win, you can't bid again? Alec will even be more furious, if that is even possible, if Tamara had to dance with any of these people.

"And, lastly, let's welcome Miss Tamara." The announcer said and everyone's eyes snapped to Mara as she gracefully walked to the center of the stage, a blush covering her cheeks. She smiles timidly at the audience. "Mr. Franco is generous enough to let his new fiancée be part of this auction."

I smile, shaking my head at him. "I'll win on this bid," I shouted as a reply. Everyone chuckled at my determined face.

"Looks as if we have a lot of possessive high ballers tonight!" he said, referring to what Alec just did. "Let's start."

I immediately raised my number. "$500,000"

"$1M!" someone shouted. I almost got whiplash from the fast turning of my head as I stared at a man, you look right about Mara's age bidding.

I shook my head at him and smugly smiled as I raised my number again. "$1.5M"

"2M"

"$3M."

The man was about to bid again if it wasn't for the man beside him who pulled his arm down and whispered in his ear. He frowns and shakes his head at the announcer as he waits for his bid. The man-made him stop from bidding anything higher than he already has.

"$3M, going once... twice... Sold to Mr. Franco!" The announcer said. "Congratulations, Mr. Franco."

I walked closer to the stage and held my hand out for Tamara as she walked closer to my end of the stage. With a grateful smile, she took my hand and gracefully walked down the three-step stairs. "Well, that was fun," I said with a grin to her once she was safely down the stairs.

She rolls her eyes but I can see the twinkle of amusement in them as she does. "I'm worth that much, huh?" she brags to which I couldn't help but let out a loud chuckle. It made people look at us. But I couldn't hold in my laugh at my shortcake bragging about the money I spent just to make sure she doesn't have to dance with anyone else tonight.

"Oh shortcake. You are worth so much more." I said. I smiled fondly at her as a blush crawled up her cheeks at my words.

In a few months, she will officially be my wife.