Chapter 16 - THE PROPOSALJulian never proposed with diamonds.
Instead, he took Clara to the place where they had first met outside the mansion years earlier.
It was raining.
The city lights reflected across the wet pavement.
Clara laughed.
"You brought me here in the rain?"
Julian smiled.
"I wanted somewhere real."
He took her hand.
"I don't know what the future will look like."
"Neither do I."
"I may never rebuild the empire my father left me."
"I don't care."
"I may spend the rest of my life fixing things I didn't break."
Clara smiled.
"Then I'll help you."
Julian looked into her eyes.
"I love you."
Clara's eyes filled with tears.
He didn't kneel.
He simply held out his hand.
"Will you build a life with me?"
Clara took his hand.
"Yes."
Behind them, fireworks suddenly illuminated the skyline.
Leo was watching from the car with Evelyn and Victoria.
Victoria smiled.
May you like
For the first time, she wasn't jealous.
She was happy.
