AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She smiled, her eyes tearing up, “I'm happy too and I love you the most.” She leaned toward me and gave me a small kiss. “This is a perfect Christmas.”
It was tradition for my father to make a toast at the end of the meal every year, so with his signal, the staff walked around the table, filling everyone's glasses with champagne and Tanya giggled. She picked up her water glass instead.
My sister, Laura, happily reached over, grabbing her champagne flute, “I'll gladly take that!”
My father got ready to make a toast, but I raised my hand, interjecting, “Can I say something before you do that?”
He nodded, “Ok, my son.”
I stood, taking a deep breath. “As many of you know, I hid Isabelle from you, but it wasn't because I was ashamed.” I glanced at Tanya who covered her mouth to hide her smile. I turned my attention back to Isabelle, “When you love someone, you want to protect them and since the first moment I laid eyes on you, I have protected you with everything in me.”
William chuckled, muttering, “And you did protect her, almost to death.”
Alessandro snorted.
I shot them both a glare before resuming, focusing on Isabelle once again. “For the first time in my life, I cannot imagine myself without someone to truly love and worship.”
Laura covered her mouth, gasping under her breath,“Oh my God.”
Ignoring the sounds around us, I smiled, “But not just any someone, only you for the rest of our lives.”
A huge smile was plastered on her face, as she was frozen in both excitement and shock.
“You showed me what love truly was,” I proclaimed, “and took all my fear of commitment away, turning it into pure unconditional love. Thankfully, you now exist in my life and I no longer feel any emptiness."
She began to tear up again. She attempted to fight them back, but she failed.
I held back my emotions, murmuring, “Isabelle--.”
I placed my glass on the table and reached into my jacket pocket. She covered her mouth with both hands, gasping as I pulled out a navy-blue, velvet ring box. I slid my chair back, kneeling on my left knee in front of her. Slowly, I opened the box and a bright LED light, lit up the beautiful custom designed ring. Tears were now streaming down her cheeks as she rapidly fanned her face.
I gazed up into her eyes, grinning, “Will you marry me?”
