"Now, my darling, open your eyes," he whispered in my ear and I gently opened my eyes only to see us standing on a terrace.

"Ace..." I gasped.

The entire terrace was decorated so beautifully that I didn't even realize the glistening of my eyes. Red and black roses were perfectly hung everywhere in a symmetric pattern, with golden fairy lights illuminating the place.

I turned around to look at Ace, only to find him staring at me with a faint smile on his face.

"This is...beautiful," I whispered in disbelief.

"I know. Still not a match for you," he leaned down and put his lips on my cheek and a wide smile made its way on my face.

"When did you get so sappy?" I chuckled lightly against his lips on my cheek.

"Come sit," he led me to the table set in the middle which had golden fairy lights hung at the foot of it which made it seem so pretty I almost wanted to sit back for a while and stare.

He sat me and disappeared into the penthouse again as I breathed in the cool air and closed my eyes in contentment.

Ace was always so unpredictable. But in a good way.

"Here's your food, milady," he put the cutlery and the tableware as I watched mesmerized while he set all the food on the table in front of us.

After he was done he sat opposite me and I smiled at him and put my face in my hands as I stared at his pretty face. His breathtaking smile. The beautiful scar right beside his eyebrow. His deep forest eyes.

Everything about him screamed perfect. And I kept losing myself in it every single day not knowing to get a way out of it.

"Eat up," he lightly nudged me and I nodded and looked down at the food which might I add smelled so perfect I couldn't even fathom making food this presentable.

He had made quite a few dishes. There was risotto with roasted shrimp, balsamic roasted chicken, salmon potato cakes, pork chops, and a couple more.

"How did you manage to make all thi—"

"Would you start eating already?" he cut me mid-sentence.

"Geez okay," I said and dug in the food as I moaned out in pleasure.

Now you see, I basically hated people who made noises while eating but with this food—especially when your boyfriend had done it all while you were sleeping like fucking sleeping beauty, I couldn't help myself.

"This is amazing," I said with my mouth full of pork chops and he laughed a little.

"Yeah well...I'm perfect," he smirked and I rolled my eyes yet there was a smile lingering on my lips.

After a while when we were done with the food and Ace was done clearing up the table, I took off my heels and sat on the railing of the terrace looking out towards the beach with a wide smile on my face.

"You know you can let go of my waist, right?"

"You know you can fall off, right?" he said without a moment of hesitation and I rolled my eyes and diverted my attention back to the starry night.

"Come here," Ace grasped my hand and dragged me towards the middle of the terrace.

"Whattt?!" I asked impatiently as I watched him put his hand in his pocket with a faint smile on his face.

Just when he did that, music started playing from all four sides and I looked around and then up to him to find him taking steps closer to me.

It's late in the evening

She's wondering what clothes to wear

I smiled as Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton, one of my favorite classics, might I add, started playing and Ace held out his hand for me to take.

She puts on her makeup

And brushes her long blonde hair

I put my hand in his as he swiftly wrapped one of his arms around my waist and twirled me around.

And then she asks me, "Do I look alright?"

And I say, "Yes, you look wonderful tonight"

I laughed out as the wind blew my hair and they landed in Ace's eyes as he gently held them in one of his hands and put them on my shoulder.

We go to a party

And everyone turns to see

"You didn't have to do this all you know," I lightly whispered with a smile and Ace pressed a kiss to my cheekbone.

"I wanted to."

This beautiful lady

That's walking around with me

I looked into his eyes, the ones that had captivated mine since the first day I saw him. I stroked his jaw, his cheekbone, the small scar beside his eye. Ace was breathtaking, and he was mine. I didn't know how but the mere thought of losing him, scared me to my core.

And then she asks me, "Do you feel alright?"

And I say, "Yes, I feel wonderful tonight"

It felt home. Ace felt home. And I couldn't ever imagine life without him.

I feel wonderful

Because I see the love light in your eyes

I didn't know if Ace ever thought of our future together, but me, it scared me that every thought that occupied my mind was somehow related to him. Related to us.

And the wonder of it all

Is that you just don't realize how much I love you

"You said you wanted to dance," he closed his eyes and pressed his nose against my cheek.

"Yeah...this is exactly what I wanted," I whispered back, my voice was small and timid as if scared that somehow it would ruin the moment.

It's time to go home now

And I've got an aching head

So I give her the car keys

She helps me to bed

"Princess?"

"Mhm?"

"You look wonderful. Tonight, and every day I look at you."

And then I tell her, as I turn out the light

"You keep finding new ways to mesmerize me each time I look at you."

I say, "My darling, you are wonderful tonight"

"I need you to know that I've never felt this vulnerable around anyone. But with you, it doesn't scare me. It comforts me. You're exactly what I need and what I've needed all my life, Isabelle."

Oh my darling, you are wonderful tonight

"The moment I saw you for the very first time will be stuck into my memory till the end of the days because it was the day when my life took a whole new direction," he let go of my hand and took a step back from me.

"That day when I saw you climbing that bus carrying a bag bigger than yourself—", he chuckled to himself, his eyes shining brightly, "—I still remember how you smiled at that driver for stopping the bus for you. And I still remember how your eyes scanned the entire bus looking for an empty seat and then that satisfied grin when you saw one beside me. I'll always remember the lovely scent of jasmine that lingered in the air when you sat right beside me and oh how could I ever forget that smile—that damned smiled which unknowingly made me fall for you, the very day I saw you," his eyes held an intensity I had never seen before, and the way he said it all made me tear up. I didn't know why Ace's words hit right where it felt the most.

"Five years later, I saw you, stumbling inside my office and how I hated myself for recognizing you right away," he looked sideways and chuckled a little.

"Isabelle, I'm not sure how you feel about all this and well—about me. But I want you to know that I have loved you the very moment I saw you and though I have tried pushing you away God knows how many times but the only thing it made me realize is how much you draw me towards you and no matter how much I try to stay away, I always, always give in to you. And oh how much your presence, your care, your support, and well, your existence has done for me," he took a step forward so that now he was towering right over me and his chest was against mine, nothing in between.

"Princess...I love you and—" his voice broke with emotions and I lifted my hand up to stroke his cheek as tears welled both of our eyes and my breath came out in gasps.

He held my face in his hands, looked straight into my eyes, and then leaned down to press an intense yet sweet kiss to my lips.

Right at the exact moment when we parted, lights illuminated from behind me and I frowned and turned around as my breath got caught in my throat and a shiver ran down my spine.

The back wall was decorated with flowers and in the middle, with light, was written:

'Marry me, Princess?'

I hysterically started crying and turned around to look at Ace who was now knelt on one knee in front of me and was smiling and trying to hold back his tears at the same time.

He took a ring out of a blue ring box and lifted his hand up.

"Will you spend the rest of your life with me?"

The moment those words left his mouth, tears of happiness poured out of my eyes like a waterfall and I nodded my head as he put the ring on my finger.

"Yes," I cried and he stood up and pressed his lips against mine.

"You don't know how happy you make me," he kissed my nose.

"I promise to be a good husband, I swear," he pressed another kiss to my left cheek.

"I promise to be by your side through every thick and every thin," he kissed my right cheek.

"We'll be a perfect family, baby. I promise you that," he kissed my forehead and stayed there as both of us found peace in each other's embrace.

And just like that, the love I thought I'd never find was right here in my arms, for the rest of the life. And I knew, deep in my heart, that despite every hurdle, every adversity life would throw at us, we'd always, always make it through because I believed in us.

We believed in us. And we were here to stay.

******************

IT'S DONEEEEEEEE. I FINISHED IT SHSAQUWJAL

sorry I'll go back to my cave now...

but for real idk how to thank you all for existing and giving me the motivation and energy to finish this book ohmygod ily all 😭😭😭😭 I'm tearing up god damnit what the fuck😭😭😭

I'll be uploading the epilogue sometime this week lmao stay tuned.

Vote and share bubyeee❤❤

Peace out!