Leanna

[Outrageous]

I woke awake in a foreign bedroom, but the scent and warmth kept me grounded with my emotions.

I got out of bed, but when my feet grazed the cold marble floor, I froze. I rubbed my eyes and blinked a few times, wanting to know if all I perceived were illusions.

The whole floor, even the bed, were sprinkled with red rose petals.

I tiptoed towards the exit to search for Cain, and when I opened the door –– a blurry red jolted my body back.

Cain was standing straight in front of the door, holding a large red rose. But what got me staring was not the gigantic rose, but that sparkly thingy, prettily standing at the center of it.

A seventy-carat emerald cut Vivid pink diamond laying on a vintage 18k rose gold ring!

"Marry me."

SLAM!

I shut the door and hurried back to bed.

This is a dream. After I wake up, I'll be in my cozy bedroom.

"Leanna."

Or not.

I shifted to see Cain sitting beside me on the bed, holding the rose with the gigantic diamond standing at the center of it.

Honestly, I'm amazed those petals can support that huge diamond.

"Leanna, I want to marry you."

Cain spoke it soft and slow as if he was explaining to a one-year-old kid.

The blood in my veins did a marathon, my heart pounded hard against my ribcage that it hurts, and breathing was so painful it put a tear in my eyes. I clasped my chest, trying to lessen the pain.

I seemed to be having a heart attack!

This man will be the death of me! The things he'd done were truly outrageous! I have to get accustomed to it quickly if I don't want to end ten feet under.

Cain let me took my time to compose myself. After I did, I sat on the bed, my back leaning on the headrest, and looked at him with a never seen seriousness.

"Cain, you do know that I'm not yet of legal age, right?"

"Yes, you'll be my fiancée until you turned eighteen."

See! Truly outrageous!

I massaged my forehead.

"I have so many things to say that I don't know where to begin."

Cain observed me for a short minute, seemingly trying to find something on my face.

"Let's hear it," he said.

I took a deep breath. "We're just starting to get to know each other. It's not even a week when we first met."

"And?" He raised an eyebrow.

"AND what if I'm not the kind of girl you think I 'am? What if we're not compatible with each other? What if our feelings change? What if we meet others along the way?"

Cain's frosty eyes draw a slit as his face darkened.

My limbs trembled, and I shifted my eyes elsewhere but his face. I wanted to hide, but I was locked between him and the headrest of the bed.

"You are MINE! I will kill whoever tries to covet you from me!" he said with gnashing teeth. And for once, his expression mirrored the anger in his voice.

Ahhh . . . From all the things I said, that's the only part you remember?

----

[Relationship]

I wanted to say something, but Cain held my hand and pressed his lips on my fingers while the intensity in his eyes burned me to cinders. The way he looked at me with affection and adoration took my breath away.

"Whoever or whatever you'll become, I'll still love you. Whatever our differences may be, I'll accept and compromise. All things will change, but my love for you will remain forever. For it is only you who made me love so much . . . much more . . . more than my life."

. . .

. . .

I couldn't respond, still waiting for my brain to catch up. My heart rate increased and increased than its specified specs that I was afraid it would burst.

Okay, I regretted I didn't record that.

Cain took the opportunity of my hesitation and attack.

"Will you marry me?"

This guy sure strikes when the iron is still hot.

"Cain, you do know that I can't possibly wear this gigantic diamond to school, right?" I said, more helpless than worried. Running out of ideas to reject him in a subtle way.

Cain's lips formed a lazy smile that was a little concerning. He brought out a small box made entirely of pink diamond. He opened it, exposing a simple, unadorned ring craft entirely of a rare vivid pink diamond.

"Marry me."

. . .

. . .

He had two rings prepared?! Who does that?!

I stared at it, not uttering a single word while I waited for my brain to generate more excuses.

Cain, however, seemed to know what I thought as he held my hand and slid the two rings on my ring finger –– gently kissing them afterward.

He leaned and aimed for my lips, but I recoiled back when I caught sight of his hand. A simple ring of Aquamarine diamond adorning his left ring finger.

"Wait!" I stopped him. "I have a condition before I agree."

I blocked my hand between our lips, and his brows twitched. "The rings are already on your finger. No use in disagreeing now."

More like you forced them on my finger!

I ignored him. "I'll only agree if we keep our relationship a secret . . . that includes the rings."

Cain stared at me, his face blank. But the loneliness and rejection were apparent in his eyes.

My heart twisted like crazy.

"You do know how famous you are, right? I want to have a peaceful life for both you and me. That is, until I graduate," I explained.

Think about all the paparazzi and all those women who'll harass me! Not to mention my parents when they got hold of the news that I'm already engaged after just a week of staying here!

Cain remained silent. But his eyes returned to its original luster. After a moment, he reached for my hair. He sniffed before kissing it, closing his eyes as he did.

"I want you to wear the rings, so the whole world will know that you belong to me," he whispered.

He opened his eyes, and I cowered at the intensity of his stare.

"But I guess I can only compromise."

Before I could even react, he pulled my hand away from my mouth and crushed my lips with his.