His and Ours

Shot 7: The Proposal

Bianca's POV:

Lights down. Music stopped. Voices hushed. 

And suddenly all eyes were on me. 

I stood there frozen to my spot. How did they know? I forced myself a nervous grin, dying in anticipation. This sure was gonna be worthwhile. Stefano's father put a brief hand on my shoulder before stepping back, the time had come. 

Suddenly a huge beam of light rushed in as the wide, elegant doors of the pitch-black ballroom opened. And there he was. Right in the middle, with a seductive smile: Stefano Fernandez.

Otherwise known as my husband-to-be. 

I could've sworn I heard someone drop as he carefully took a few steps towards me. I suppose he just had that effect on people. Once more the room was filled with sounds of gaping but this time not for me. I awkwardly fixed my hair as he started to quicken down the stairs, ruining the dramaticness of this all. Talking about drama, I needed to hunt down whoever scripted this movie of a proposal. I had to stop myself gagging from cringe as he finally walked up towards me. I looked into his eyes and could tell he didn't want this any more than I did. He cleared his throat and took my hands in his. For some reason, the look in his eyes suddenly became very earnest as if this was a real proposal. 

Then I heard clattering beside me. I gave a peek and saw a whole camera crew assemble. I tensed up: could this have gotten any worse? Suddenly, Stefano grabbed my cheek and made me face him once more.

"Ignore them," he mumbled and began smiling again. I sighed and smiled back. Here we go, I thought as he cleared his voice. 

"Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests, and most importantly, Bianca Russi," he started, his eyes smiling. Conversations started to spark up and I could've broken a wall with annoyance. This wasn't how it was meant to be. He shouldn't have been the one saying these words. Memories of Alessandro came flooding back to me but were soon cut short by Stefano's stupid voice. 

"Today, gathered in the embrace of love and companionship, I stand before you with a heart full of adoration and a soul overflowing with joy. For at this moment, amidst the beauty of this world and the warmth of our connection, I am compelled to express my love for you that words alone cannot ever explain." I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. We had known each other for what, 2 seconds? He was making it seem we'd known each other for years upon years, the irony. Yet, all I could do was stand there and smile like some flustered freak, occasionally breaking eye contact.

"Bianca, from the very first moment I laid eyes on you, you ignited a spark within me that has since grown into an unyielding flame of love. With each passing second, you have shown me the true meaning of compassion, understanding, and unwavering support. Your laughter is the melody that brightens my darkest days, and your touch is the anchor that steadies me through life's storms." What a load of bullshit. Had he even see me laugh? He wasn't even trying to hide the fact he was reading some script written by an AI, probably, or maybe Signor Giovanni? Either way, I was mad. 

"So, today, I ask you to embark on the greatest adventure of all, one that surpasses the boundaries of time and space. Bianca, will you join me in creating a future filled with boundless love, endless laughter, and infinite possibilities? Will you stand by my side as my partner, my best friend, and my beloved companion, as we navigate the journey of life together?" Too many questions! How was I supposed to think? I held back a sigh and remembered some advice my secretary had given me. Cry. That's what all those weak females did at times like these. So cry I did. 

I had mastered the arts by now and suddenly the crowd was no longer quiet as everyone threw sympathetic comments and looks at me. I was certain other people started to cry too like I said- weak females. Stefano gave me a genuine smile, I hope he didn't think I was actually crying. C'mon, he must have known better. Suddenly he pulled out a small box and fell to one knee and the gasps just became louder as he flashed the most gorgeous ring known to man. It was a petite silver ring studded with beautiful jewels and in the middle was the biggest, shiniest diamond I had ever seen before. I couldn't stop myself from gasping too, a real one, this time.

"It's beautiful," I whispered, barely being able to hear myself, as I looked down into his eyes which were glinting as bright as the ring in his hand. His smile only grew wider, he knew this one was coming from the heart.

"With this ring as a symbol of my commitment and my undying love, I pledge my unwavering devotion to you, cherishing every moment, celebrating every triumph, and embracing every challenge that comes our way. For in your eyes, I have found my home, and in your heart, I have found my forever," he said. I had to admit whoever did script this speech of his was quite the Shakespeare, that last bit about finding his forever was.. touching, to say the least. 

"So, Bianca, my love, my light, my everything, will you do me the honor of becoming my partner in life and make me the happiest man alive?..W-" he stopped suddenly and I looked at him. Aha! Was he scared to utter the 4 words that were about to change his life? 'Cause I was sure damn scared to hear them. The guests waited in suspense. Stefano glanced at his father who threw a warning look at him as they locked eyes. He looked back at me slowly and let out a deep breath. 

"So," he started once more, his voice quavering a bit. The confidently he continued..

"Bianca Russi, will you marry me?" 

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Oh my gosh! What happened to all his stupid talk? There's is no way this was all improvised. And Bianca.. what's with her and Alessandro? Find out the (part) truth in the next chapter!

Sorry that this chapter is slightly short, it's for the effect hehe (I'll make the next one extra long). 

I hope you enjoyed reading this love confession and decide to show this story some love by voting for it and commenting. 

Even without that, I love you guys all anyways!

Happy reading and see you next week (I was on time this week!) :)

-Fate xx