The Royal Contract

Adams's plans seemed to mirror her own. She guessed, just like him, she also dreamt of forming roots in one place, building a place to call her home.

She would admit she used to love to travel. But she guessed she was getting old for that kind of routine. She was tired of moving from one place to another and staying at hotels for long periods.

She was finally ready to stay in one place and build a family.

"What else could you possibly need?" She asked, thinking Adam had picked a perfect spot for his dream home.

She would have chosen the same spot if she had seen this place first. Therefore, she could not understand what else could be missing from his plans.

"The most important one." Adam moved closer, and then she felt his hands on her shoulders as if guiding her. "You..."

One second, she was looking at the magnificent view.

The next thing, she was staring into his majestic eyes.

And she felt like the world had stopped spinning.

Everything vanished except for the two of them as they got lost reminiscing the past, staring at the present, and imagining their future.

You.

The word echoed in her ears.

As if angels were singing, lifting her spirit in the sky, making her float with the clouds, feeling incredibly exhilarated as she shone brightly with the stars.

"Me?" It sounded like a question, but she was questioning more herself than him.

How could he still want her after what she did to him? After she had sent him away? After she rejected his explanation, not giving him even a chance to defend himself.

How could he still love her and think of building a life with a woman like her, a seriously damaged good? How could she call a kettle black when her life was never as clean as a whistle?

"Only you." He repeated, enunciating each word to emphasize his meaning if it was unclear yet to her. "I only want to build a life with you."

Her eyes searched for any sign that he was teasing. And nothing about this was real. But she did not find one. Instead, she only saw the intensity shining in his eyes, probably reflecting what she felt for him, too.

"Why?" Serena asked as doubt and insecurity crawled inside her. Somehow, she felt that she did not deserve a man like him.

Suddenly, all that Roseann said to her made sense. And she finally realized that Adam could never hurt her. It was just not possible. Even with her track record, he still loved her wholeheartedly.

On the other hand, she had easily accused him, judging him because of her past experiences with men. She did not give him a chance.

Now, did she even deserve a chance to have him?

"Because not enough words could describe how I felt for you. Not enough reasons could explain why my heart beats only for you.

And it keeps getting harder to breathe when you are not around. You are my world, Serena. And it stops existing without you."

It was not the best line she heard in her entire life. And she had heard many great romantic lines from incredible writers she had worked with.

However, those words pierced straight through her heart, but instead of destroying her, it seemed to sew the pieces back into place.

It made her feel whole again.

"I don't know what to say." For someone who had memorized a thousand lines, she had never been lost for words before.

But now, she was speechless, unable to utter what she felt inside.

"You don't have to say anything..." He suddenly pulled her into his body as if he had been dying to have her in his arms again. "Not yet."

He did not say it in words, but she felt it in his touch, in the way his heart beat inside his chest.

"I just want us to stay like this for a few more minutes." He continued.

And she thought that was the best idea she had heard all day as she buried her body deeper into his arms.

She had no idea how long she had stood in that spot, overlooking the majestic sight of the city. It could have been minutes or hours, but all she could remember was the feeling of coming home.

The funny thing was. There was only land. But yet, it already felt like she was in the safest place in the world.

"Are you ready?" He asked as he slightly moved, pushing her gently away from him, but all she ever wanted was to remain in his arms.

She did not want to go home yet. Because, somewhat, she felt her heart already belonged in this place.

She felt his fingers on her chin. Suddenly, he tilted her head so she would look directly into his eyes again. What she saw was enough to make her eyes teary.

"Are you ready?" He repeated his earlier question, but it only confused her. Maybe she had wrongly interpreted his intentions.

"Ready for what?" She asked again, afraid that she might not like the answer. But what could she be missing?

"For this." He did not explain in words what he meant by that. But his actions told her everything she needed to hear.

In the middle of the dark, empty grassy lot, he knelt before her, enveloping her hands in his. But his eyes had never broken contact with hers, keeping her hypnotized in her place.

"What are you doing?" She asked, even though her brain already told her what would happen next. Still, she found it hard to believe that this was happening.

She had dreamt of this scene a thousand times, wishing against countless falling stars for her dream to come true.

But now that it seemed her most coveted dream was about to happen. She was afraid it might not be for real. And she would wake up with another broken heart.

"What I should have done a long time ago?" He answered her with a beaming smile on his lips.

"I should have told you how I felt. I should have fought harder for us instead of running away." He continued as he held on to her trembling hands. Or was it his?

"You only did what I asked you to do." She did not like hearing him blaming himself. She understood now that he only did what she had asked him.

She wanted space. And Adam gave her all the space she needed. But he never left her. That was the difference. He had always been there for her.

"Now, I guess it is my turn to ask something from you?" He looked away from her temporarily as if seeking something from his clothes.

But no matter how he patted his pockets, she noticed he failed to find whatever he sought. She could only guess it must be a ring or something.

At least, that was what was going through her mind. She could not help the disappointment that spread through her. She guessed she wanted this man to propose to her at that moment and this spot.

"Wait a minute!" He suddenly stood up, kissing her hands that were still empty of a ring.

Then, he ran away, sprinting fast toward the car, leaving her more confused about what was happening.

She had no idea if she should follow him back to the car or keep standing in the dark.

But before she could decide on what she should do, she saw him running back toward her. He almost stumbled in the dark, which had her slightly laughing.

Well, she had not seen him act this way before. It was so out of his character. He seemed more nervous than she was.

"I am sorry about that." He quickly took his place as if he had never left. Then, he knelt again, pulling her hands in his. "There was a technical malfunction."

If she had a camera, this would be just an instant replay of what had happened a few minutes earlier. But she guessed this was the more comical version.

Still, she did not want to jump to any conclusion. Although it would seem Adam was about to propose, it was a bit unlikely. Why would he carry a ring while waiting for her outside the hotel?
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She could think of a hundred possible scenes that could happen in a few seconds from now. Adam could have bought her an earring as a peace offering. It did not necessarily mean he was giving her a ring.

Still, she waited patiently.

"Adam, what is it?" She finally asked, tired of waiting, hating the suspense, afraid of the anticipation and the outcome.

"I guess you are now ready." He said as the smile on his face faded, but his eyes continued to glisten with the stars above them.

He finally scooped a box from his pocket and placed it on his open palm, offering it before her. Of course, it could be an earring, she told herself.

"Open it." She heard him say.

And with trembling hands and a mountain of anticipation, she took it, prying the lid until it revealed what was inside.

Honestly, despite the darkness, the sparkling stone blinded her eyes. She could barely see what she was looking at. But she already knew what it meant as tears rolled down her eyes.

She wondered if he even popped the question because she had not heard one. But who cared about the question? She only had one answer for him.

"YES!"

It was the only word that slipped through her lips.

But in her mind, she was shouting at the top of her lungs.

"I will marry you." That was all that mattered.