Five years later.
At exactly 6:00 AM, the alarm blared for the third time, piercing through the quiet like a drill.
From under the covers, Aryan groaned and blindly reached out to slam it off. Without even opening his eyes, he swung his leg out and kicked the lump of a person on the mattress next to him.
"Marco," he mumbled, half-asleep. "If that thing rings one more time, I swear you're dead."
Marco let out a muffled yelp as he rolled off the bed and hit the floor with a dull thud.
Rubbing his backside, he scrambled to his feet just in time to silence the alarm before it could go off again. "Uff… almost survived" he muttered, sighing in relief. Then he looked over at Aryan, who was already drifting back to sleep, face buried in the pillow.
A satisfied smile automatically spread across Marco's face. No matter how many times he looked at Aryan, it never felt like enough.
It had been a long road: four years of quiet patience, followed by one intense year of persistent pursuit before Aryan finally accepted his feelings. Now, waking up in the same apartment, sharing sleepy mornings and mundane routines, felt like a quiet dream come true.
Even now, a year into their relationship, they kept it a secret. With Aryan's career as a rising actor and model, his growing popularity made it difficult to go public. The spotlight came with scrutiny, and they weren't ready to face that—not yet.
After freshening up, Marco headed to the kitchen and started making coffee. Ginger, their ever-enthusiastic dog, circled around him with a wagging tail, eager for attention and maybe a few crumbs.
"Aryan, wake up! Here's your coffee," Marco called out, walking into the bedroom and handing over the mug with a smile. Then, as Aryan sat up and sipped his coffee, Marco headed to the wardrobe, selecting his clothes for the day.
"The blue one suits you well," Aryan said casually between sips, still half-drowsy.
"What about the tie?" Marco asked, laying the suit neatly on the bed and holding up two options, trusting Aryan's eye for style.
"That one," Aryan replied without hesitation, pointing to the navy tie. "Go get ready—I'll take care of breakfast." Knowing Marco had a business meeting later and not wanting him to be late, Aryan headed to the kitchen to take over.
Just as Aryan was about to leave the room, Marco reached out, gently catching his wrist.
"What's your plan for today?" Wish to hear a clear schedule, Marco asks.
"No shoots, no rehearsals... I'm completely free today," Aryan said, meeting Marco's eyes.
Marco smiled. "Then how about dinner tonight? It's been a while since we've gone out together."
Thinking about his schedule for a moment, he nodded. "Text me the location. I'll be there."
"Nope. I'm picking you up," Marco insisted, as usual. "Just send me your location if you step out."
Aryan gave a small chuckle. "Alright, alright."
After getting ready and quickly finishing the breakfast, Marco rushed toward the door — only to stop suddenly, as he remembered something.
"Did you forget something?" Aryan asked, watching him fumble.
"Yeah…"
"What is it?"
"My kiss," Marco said shamelessly, turning his cheek toward Aryan.
After getting what he wanted, he grinned and added, "You know, you still owe me two weeks' worth. When are you planning to pay it all back?"
Aryan shook his head, smiling as he walked him to the door. "How did I end up falling for such a sly fox?"
...
As Marco left, Aryan also left to his home while taking the toys and sweets he bought for Alisha [his younger sister] from the trip.
Meanwhile at the De Vilan mansion.
"Young lady, please, just one bite… Young Master might take a while to get here," the maid pleaded, following Alisha around with a spoonful of food.
"No! I won't eat a single bite until Brother comes home," Alisha declared firmly, plopping onto the sofa and keeping her eyes glued to the window.
The moment she spotted Aryan's car pulling into the driveway, she jumped up with joy and sprinted outside. As soon as he stepped out, she threw herself into his arms.
"My little princess, did I keep you waiting too long?" Aryan asked warmly, scooping her up with ease.
"Of course you did! I nearly starved waiting for you!" she scolded, puffing her cheeks. "So, as punishment, you have to stay with Alisha all day and play with her." Expressing her interest to spend time with Aryan, she spoke.
"Deal. But first, how about we put some yummy food in that empty tummy of yours?" Aryan teased, tickling her sides and making her giggle.
Since Adam wasn't home and Aryan had the day to himself, he spent the rest of it doing exactly as she wished—playing, laughing, and giving her his full attention
That evening, Adam returned home from the company, pleasantly surprised to see Aryan after nearly two weeks.
"When did you get here?" he asked, sitting down across from him.
"This morning, Dad," Aryan replied. "How have you been? Has the pain in your shoulder eased up?"
"Much better than before…" Adam answered with a tired smile, but his words trailed off when he noticed Alisha peeking shyly at them from behind the hallway wall. Even after all these years, the distance between them hadn't closed.
"Dad… don't you think it's time to move on from the past?" Aryan said gently, catching the moment.
Adam's face stiffened. "It's not like I didn't care for her," he muttered. "Everything she has—her food, clothes, home—it's all because of my hard work."
Aryan's eyes darkened. "Is that all a child needs?" he asked, his voice quiet but sharp. "More than anything, she needs your love. Your presence. If Mom were here, she'd be heartbroken to see this."
Adam stayed silent, unable—or unwilling—to respond.
Frustrated by the silence, Aryan stood up. "It's still not too late dad..." And with that, he left the room.
A few minutes later, Aryan's phone rang. Seeing Marco's name flash across the screen, a soft smile appeared on his face. Marco was calling to confirm Aryan's location so he could pick him up for their dinner date.
After tucking Alisha into bed, Aryan got ready and waited outside. Right on time, Marco arrived—but instead of just taking him to a restaurant, he surprised Aryan by gently tying a white cloth over his eyes.
"No peeking," Marco said with a grin as he guided him into the car.
They drove in comfortable silence, the night filled with quiet anticipation. When they finally reached their destination, Marco helped Aryan out and slowly removed the blindfold.
Aryan blinked at the sudden light—and gasped.
They were standing in the middle of a beautifully lit, secluded space. Strings of fairy lights shimmered in the darkness, and rose petals rained down like soft snow. It looked like a dream—something out of a movie set.
"What is all this?" Aryan asked, stunned.
Marco didn't answer right away. Instead, he dropped to one knee, holding up a simple yet elegant ring.
'Is he going to propose?'