Rose blinked, her eyes sweeping across the room, taking in every familiar and now suddenly unfamiliar expression. Every single one of Alejandro's friends, some of Nikolai's men, and even Sergei were frozen in a tableau of shock. Glasses paused mid-air. Forks hovered near mouths. Kile's mouth gaped as if he had just seen a ghost. Matt's jaw had locked into a perfect rectangle. Even Alexei's usual composed face was twisted with an almost comical, silent gasp.
Rose's chest tightened as the full weight of the moment hit her. She had expected surprises, parties, even chaotic shouting, but nothing—nothing—had prepared her for this. Nikolai Ivanov, the same man who could terrify a room into silence with one glance, was kneeling before her, a velvet box in hand and a diamond that seemed to glow with the intensity of a miniature sun.
She blinked, her mind fumbling through the myriad of emotions crashing over her—shock, disbelief, joy, awe… and, strangely, a kind of disbelief at herself for smiling so broadly despite it all.
"You… are hopeless, you know that?" she said, the words breaking through with a nervous laugh. Her voice trembled slightly, though she tried to mask it with humor.
Nikolai's brow furrowed slightly, his eyes searching hers as if trying to decode the comment. "What do you mean?" His voice, even kneeling, carried authority, yet there was a hint of vulnerability now, a rare crack in the stoic mask he always wore.
"You are supposed to ask if I will marry you, not tell me to marry you." Her words came faster now, a rapid-fire explanation as she gestured to the ring, the velvet box, the spectacle of it all.
Nikolai's lips quirked, almost imperceptibly. "I know. But asking… asking means I also have to expect a no from you." His voice was steady, measured, but his eyes betrayed the tension behind the words.
"You are impossible," she said, shaking her head and laughing, a sound that was equal parts exasperation and delight.
"And I am yours," he said, the words low, deliberate, carrying the weight of everything he hadn't admitted before this moment.
Rose's heart thumped wildly. She couldn't help but smile, a genuine, full smile that made her cheeks ache. She chuckled, caught somewhere between relief and happiness. This—this was unexpected. This man, with all his chaos, unpredictability, and emotional constipation, had just created a moment she would never forget.
"Okay, fine," she said finally, her voice quieter now, soft yet certain. "I will marry you."
Her hand extended toward him, a graceful, almost ceremonial gesture, and Nikolai's eyes softened as he took it, sliding the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly, snug yet comfortable, a symbol that somehow encapsulated everything they had been through.
Nikolai stood, towering above her, and pulled her into a kiss that was firm, claiming, and utterly perfect in its own chaotic way. The world outside seemed to fall away—the glittering city lights, the twinkling chandeliers, the shocked faces all became secondary to the electricity of the moment, to the heat of Nikolai's presence, to the thrill that she was finally standing in this reality with him.
Alejandro, standing just a few steps away, rolled his eyes so hard it was almost audible. "Okay, Rose," he muttered, voice tinged with annoyance and mock outrage as he glanced at the ring sparkling on her finger. "I can't believe this. Nikolai is such an ass for not giving us a heads up that he wanted to propose. We could've prepped something even bigger, something—"
"Don't be such a baby, Alejandro," Rose interrupted with a laugh, swatting his arm lightly. "It's fine. Honestly, this is perfect."
Alejandro's mouth opened, then closed, then opened again, clearly wanting to argue but knowing better. He let out a heavy sigh, muttering under his breath. "This guy… this guy is insane."
Rose couldn't help but nod to herself, a small, knowing smile tugging at her lips. Insane was exactly the word for him. First, he had gone and tattooed her face on his chest, with PROPERTY OF ROSE scrawled beneath it, a move so absurd and so overwhelmingly chaotic that she had barely processed it in the moment. And now this—kneeling before her, diamond in hand, declaring his love in front of everyone, proposing in his own Nikolai-Ivanov way.
She looked at him, studying every detail—the way his hair caught the dim light, the sharpness of his jawline, the subtle warmth in his eyes despite his cold, commanding exterior. She realized, in that moment, that she couldn't imagine her life turning out any other way.
He was chaos. He was insanity. He was unpredictable, frustrating, maddening, yet entirely, irrevocably… perfect for her.
"Rose?" Nikolai's voice broke through her reverie, pulling her gaze back to him. His hand was still holding hers, his thumb brushing against the back of her hand in a gentle, deliberate motion.
"Yes?" she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
He smiled, the rare, unguarded smile that made her stomach flutter. "You're sure?"
"I am," she said. Her heart raced, and she laughed softly, a sound full of disbelief and joy. "Yes, I'm sure. Absolutely sure."
Nikolai's smile widened, and he pulled her into another kiss, this one slower, almost reverent, a silent promise of everything that was to come. When they finally parted, his forehead rested against hers, his breath warm, steady.
"You look… stunning," he murmured, the words rough yet tender, carrying the weight of all his feelings in a way he hadn't spoken before.
Rose rolled her eyes, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "You better save all that charming talk, Nikolai. I already know I'm beautiful."
He chuckled, deep and low, his hands resting gently at her waist. "I'll save it, for when you forget," he teased.
The room erupted into chatter again, people clapping and cheering. Alejandro and Kile were hugging each other, clearly giddy at the turn of events. Matt was taking pictures, probably to blackmail both of them later. Alexei quietly observed, a small, approving smile gracing his scarred features.
Rose looked around the room, at everyone gathered for her, at Nikolai standing beside her, larger than life and yet deeply intimate in the moment, and she let herself feel it all. This—this chaotic, insane, passionate, unpredictable life she had stumbled into—was hers. And she wouldn't trade a second of it.
Nikolai's thumb brushed over her ring again, and she squeezed his hand lightly, a silent acknowledgment of everything. "You know," she murmured, voice soft, "you're still insane, you know that?"
"I know," he said, his lips brushing against her temple, "and you still agreed to marry me."
"Yes," she said, tilting her head back slightly to look at him, "and I wouldn't have it any other way."
Alejandro groaned dramatically from the side, hands on his hips. "You two are going to be the death of me," he muttered.
Rose laughed, warmth flooding through her chest, her eyes twinkling. "And yet, you'll be there every step of the way, won't you?"
Alejandro rolled his eyes but nodded reluctantly. "Of course," he admitted. "Even if this idiot doesn't give us a heads-up, I'm not letting him destroy you—or his credit rating—without witnessing it firsthand."
Nikolai's gaze softened as he leaned closer to Rose, lowering his voice just enough for her to hear. "You are mine, Rose. And that means… I'll protect you, annoy you, frustrate you, love you, and drive you insane for the rest of our lives."
Rose chuckled, her heart fluttering. "Sounds… terrifying," she whispered.
"But perfect," he added, his lips brushing hers in a soft, lingering kiss that left her breathless.
She nodded against him, eyes closed, heart swelling with everything she had never thought she'd have. Perfect chaos. Perfect insanity. Perfect man. Perfect ring. Perfect life.
And as the room buzzed with laughter, cheers, and the subtle clinking of glasses, Rose realized she had never been more certain of anything in her life.
Nikolai Ivanov—the man who had bought her, scared her, challenged her, and protected her—was now the man she would marry. Insane. Chaotic. Maddening. Perfect.
And she couldn't wait.