This moment was impossibly peaceful.
"Sasha's here," Mark announced from the door.
Nikolai closed the tablet and stood.
The door opened. Sasha stood there leaning on his cane, left leg saved but his gait still uneven. His expression was serious. "Mr. Pakhan, Ivan is at the estate gate. Says he wants to see you."
Nikolai raised an eyebrow, face blank. "Tell him I'm busy."
Sasha hesitated. "He said... he wants to see Ms. Cole too."
I was about to respond when Nikolai looked at me. "Do you want to see him?"
I thought about tomorrow's book signing and the pile of other things to do. "No," I waved it off. "Send him home."
"You heard her?" Nikolai told Sasha. "Show him out."
Sasha turned to leave. I caught a glimpse of pink fabric poking from his jacket—one of Mia's handmade embroidered sachets with crooked sunflowers.
"Wait," I called out, winking at Nikolai. "Sasha, did Mia give you another 'protection charm'?"
Sasha's ears went red. He nearly dropped the cane. "She... she said it wards off evil."
Nikolai snorted. "Go on."
Sasha practically fled.
I leaned against Nikolai, laughing until my stomach hurt. "Can't you tell? Mia's got it bad, and I bet Sasha's eating it up."
"Let them be." Nikolai wrapped an arm around my waist, unconcerned. "As long as they don't turn shootouts into date nights."
The next day, the book launch was packed.
Spotlights baked my cheeks as I held the microphone, finishing my speech about "rebirth and courage from the ashes." Thunderous applause. I smiled and bowed, scanning the crowd for that familiar figure.
Nothing. Strange—he'd been backstage with meminutes ago.
After the event ended, Mia grabbed me mysteriously. "Don't leave yet. Come with me."
"Where?"
"The roof."
The elevator shot to the top floor. The moment I pushed through the safety door, I froze.
Red carpet covered the concrete. White roses and eucalyptus lined both sides. Evening wind carried the scent of flowers. Above, the sky was deepening, and a helicopter passed low overhead, raining down pink petals like gentle snow.
At the end of the carpet, Nikolai stood waiting.
He'd changed into a sharp black suit, no tie, top two buttons undone. In his hands, a bouquet the color of flamingos—just like the one on my book cover.
He walked toward me, steps steady, eyes focused so intensely my heart skipped.
"Vivienne Cole." He stopped in front of me, voice low enough for only us to hear. "In your book, Aleksei created a very romantic proposal. I know that's what you hoped for. We've been through so much together. You're already an inseparable part of my life. Today, I want to ask you something—"
He dropped to one knee, pulling out a dark blue velvet box. In the fading light, the diamond refracted tiny, determined sparks.
"Will you marry me? Be my cherished partner for the rest of our lives?"
