The Royal Contract

He took her hand in his and held it firmly in front of him. On the other hand, he took out the ring that her grandmother had worn on her engagement day. It was a family heirloom that passed down through generations.

He had promised his Nanna that he would only give this ring to the person who held his heart. It was not just a ring but a symbol of love that would last as long as eternity.

"Please marry me?" She heard him, as well as the whole crowd watching them.

She had waited for this moment ever since he said he loved her. She had looked forward to them talking about marriage, but she did not expect he would go to all this trouble.

She was speechless as she watched him down on his knees. She never thought that he would propose in front of their families and friends.

"I love you so much. I want to declare that in front of all the people that mattered to us." He continued when she remained quiet. He had never felt this nervous before, afraid that she might reject his offer.

He would do anything to make her happy and would give the world to her if that was what it would take. But for now, he knew that declaring his love for her to their parents was the first step.

He was calling off the contract but replacing it with something real, a marriage that would bind them for eternity. He was going to prove that a life with her was all he needed.

"I..." She started to say with trembling lips, unable to continue.

She suddenly felt a tear came down from her cheeks, not because she was unhappy by his action. It was the opposite as she felt overjoyed. She quickly wiped the tear away, not wanting to cry on such a great day.

She had dreamt of this day, wished that someone would truly love her for who she was and not her background. Now, the prince of her dreams knelt before her, declaring his love for her.

"Please put us all out of misery and answer the man." She heard the voice of her father shouting amongst the remaining crowd.

It was only then that she realized that the music had stopped, and all eyes were focused on the two of them as they stood in the center of the stage.

She looked at the expectant eyes of the crowd. She had no idea what was going through their mind. As far as they knew, Alex had already proposed to her from the lie they fed them.

"I love you too." She finally focused on the eyes that never left hers. She could read them clearly as he bared his soul to her. She held his cheek with her hand. "And, of course, I will marry you."

"Thank you for making me the happiest man alive." He knew that it all sounded so cheesy, but as of now, he was willing to do anything to make sure that she understood how much she meant to him.

He quickly took the ring and replaced the other one that he bought for the show. At this point, the charade was over, and it was time for the real deal.

She could hear everyone cheering for them, but her heart was drumming too loudly for them to matter. She could only focus on the ring on her finger and the man now standing in front of her.

"You also made me so happy." She whispered to him, not wanting their spectator to hear her words. "You outdid yourself with this one. Now, how can I ever top this one?" She teased him.

She never liked it when he did all the surprises. It was not fair in their relationship if he was the only one making an effort. So, once in a while, she also threw in some of her tricks to return the favor.

"By marrying me." It was the only answer she got from him before she enveloped her in his arms.

She felt his lips moved softly on hers, waiting for her to grant him access. When she finally opened wide, she finally had lost control. She allowed him to dominate the kiss and do whatever he wanted.

But unfortunately, they were not alone as people started shouting around them. She suddenly realized that they had to stop before they did more than kissing in front of their parents.

"Ok. You two. Maybe you should wait for the honeymoon before making us some grandchildren." Ethan voiced out his opinion.

"But I don't mind having some little ones running around as soon as possible." Katherine also expressed her wish for a grandchild.

"Would you two stop? Let us focus first on the wedding. We still have to set a specific date." Laura stated with excitement, seeing how happy her daughter was with Alex's surprise.

She felt her daughter was lucky to have a man like Alex. How many men would go through the trouble of proposing twice so that her family could witness it?

It was an experience that would forever remain in her memories and something that she would tell her children and grandchildren. She could only wish her daughter and Alex many more of this unforgettable life-changing experience.

Jacky and Lance finally joined them on the stage and congratulated them. "Let me see." Jacky scrutinized the ring and looked at it with awe. "It is so beautiful. It is so perfect for you."

She was genuinely happy for her friend. She had her doubts about Alex at the start, with her judgment clouded by what Marcus did. But

that quickly changed when Alex proved time and time again that he was different.

"Congratulations, Alex and Dani. You certainly deserve to be happy." Lance expressed his support for his cousin's plans.

A minute later, a few more of their friends also joined them on stage. They also started congratulating them, which was a bit redundant since they were already getting married.. But the couple still accepted it, knowing that officially, this was the only proposal they ever made.