Chapter 69: Christian’s proposal
Unnoticed, but already a whole month has passed since Christian Lockwood took up his duties as Ruby’s governor.
As is often the case, time flew by faster than I expected. The initial awkwardness gave way to a familiar rhythm, and now his presence in the house seemed natural — as if he had always been part of our daily lives.
During this time, Christian really managed to show himself in the best light, demonstrating not only high professionalism, but also sincere care for the child. There was none of the strictness or cold distance that many tutors have. On the contrary, Christian knew how to find the right words, explain things patiently, and still be demanding — just enough for Ruby to feel respected and strive to meet his expectations.
His talent as a tutor was obvious. I never regretted entrusting him with such an important role in Ruby’s upbringing and education. On the contrary, with each passing day, I became more and more convinced that this choice was the right one.
My niece, in turn, was also clearly pleased with his work: Ruby happily attended classes and was eager to learn new things. Thus, I could say with confidence that things were going very well in this regard, and I was sincerely happy about that.
At the same time, I also continued to do my own things, which, as usual, were plentiful, and I had no reason to complain about a lack of activity. Every day brought me new tasks and concerns, but I had grown used to this rhythm of life and found a certain satisfaction in it.
On this particular day, as usual, I decided to start the morning with a short walk in our garden — it was a kind of morning tradition that allowed me to cheer up, clear my mind, and get in the mood for the tasks ahead. The garden on our estate could not be called luxurious, but over the past three years, it had undergone a noticeable transformation.
In addition to extensive renovations to the mansion itself, I had invited several experienced gardeners who had put a lot of effort into making the grounds look presentable. Now there were neat flower beds, well-maintained paths, and green lawns, creating a pleasant atmosphere of calm and comfort. It was in this garden that I most often spent my mornings, when it was not yet hot and a light breeze pleasantly refreshed my skin.
That day, I strolled leisurely through the garden, enjoying the birdsong and the soft rustling of the leaves. Silence reigned around me, broken only by the sounds of nature — all of which helped me relax and gather my thoughts before the start of the working day.
Suddenly, unexpectedly breaking my solitude, I heard a familiar voice:
"Lady Weinstein."
Turning around, I was surprised to see Christian Lockwood standing in front of me. He looked as impeccable as ever: neatly dressed, reserved, and at the same time radiating confidence, like a model gentleman from the pages of a fashion magazine.
"Mr. Lockwood?" I couldn’t hide my surprise. "What are you doing here?"
He looked slightly embarrassed and replied:
"I’m sorry to disturb you."
"No, no, that’s not it," I cleared my throat, trying to pull myself together. "It’s just that you don’t usually come here so early. Why did you decide to come earlier today?"
The thing was, Christian and Ruby were supposed to have another session today, but he usually showed up closer to the appointed time. It was still quite early, and his presence here seemed unexpected.
"Actually," he began, "I wanted to talk to you, so I decided to come early."
"Talk?" I asked, surprised by his words.
"Yes," he nodded, slightly embarrassed. "I didn’t want to distract you from your walk, but perhaps you wouldn’t mind if I kept you company?"
I usually liked to walk in the garden alone, enjoying the peace and quiet, but this time I decided it would be rude to refuse. Besides, I didn’t feel particularly uncomfortable with him there.
"Okay," I replied.
Christian smiled, and we continued our leisurely stroll through the garden together.
"So, what did you want to talk about? Is it related to Ruby’s classes?" I asked, assuming he wanted to discuss the educational process.
However, the man shook his head.
"Actually, no. The topic of our conversation has nothing to do with Lady Rubielle or my work."
"Then what is it about?" I asked with interest.
"I wanted to talk about you," he admitted.
"About me?" I asked, unable to hide my surprise.
"Yes... I wanted to ask if you would like to have coffee with me this weekend."
For a moment, I was stunned.
"But why?" I asked, still not understanding his intentions.
"I just want to get to know you better," he replied honestly.
I was somewhat stunned. His candor caught me off guard, and I almost choked on my surprise.
"Get to know me better? But why?" I asked, trying to understand his motives.
"Because... I think I’m attracted to you," Christian admitted, embarrassed.
I froze, not expecting to hear such words. It was completely unexpected and, to be honest, a little exciting.
"A-attracted?" I asked, trying to make sure I had heard him correctly.
God, it’s not what I thought...?!
My heart began to beat a little faster, and my mind tried to comprehend the situation that was unfolding before me with unexpected speed.
"Yes," he replied quietly, "but please don’t worry. I don’t want to burden you with my feelings or cause you any inconvenience. I just wanted to know if you would mind if we tried to get to know each other better."
I could hear the sincerity in his words, and the lack of pressure calmed me a little. However, I still felt uncertain inside.
"Actually," I admitted, "I don’t even know what to say... It was too unexpected, and I just didn’t expect such a confession."
Christian nodded, showing understanding.
"Of course, I understand your confusion. You can think it over and let me know your answer before the weekend, if you don’t mind."
I nodded, still trying to compose myself and make sense of what was happening.
"But... why did you decide to make this offer to me right now?" I asked, trying to understand his motives.
Christian took a deep breath, as if gathering his thoughts, and began to speak with unusual seriousness and candor:
"As you probably know from my résumé, I am the eldest son in my family. This comes with certain responsibilities and expectations. Recently, my parents have been asking more and more questions about my marriage and future. I didn’t pay much attention to it before, as I was completely focused on my career and professional growth. But you, ma’am, are the first woman in recent years who has really caught my attention and made me want to get to know you better," he said, looking at me with sincerity in his eyes.
I listened to his words, trying not to betray the surprise that overwhelmed me. His confession was so unexpected that I could hardly believe my ears.
"So, you asked me out on a date because you want to marry me?" I asked, not trying to hide my surprise and slight embarrassment.
Christian looked at me directly, without a shadow of doubt, and admitted honestly:
"Yes, I’ve thought about it. And if you don’t mind, I would really like to marry you."
These words truly stunned me. I was even speechless for a moment, not knowing what to say or how to react to such an unexpected confession.
"But... why me?" I finally managed to squeeze out, trying to understand what exactly had attracted his attention and caused such a serious desire.
Christian looked at me with his deep brown eyes, which seemed full of sincerity and warmth.
"Because you are the most extraordinary woman I have ever met in my life," he said seriously. "Your strength, intelligence, and kindness make you unique and admirable."
For a moment, I fell silent, slightly stunned, as if trying to comprehend the seriousness of his words and the depth of the feelings he expressed.
"That is why I ask you to seriously consider my proposal," he continued softly. "And even if you decide to refuse, I will accept it with respect and understanding. The most important thing for me is your happiness and your decision."
At that moment, Christian looked at me with such warmth and respect that I realized I was standing before a man who was willing to wait and respect my feelings.
I felt a strange, exciting feeling in my chest. I couldn’t call it mutual affection, at least not yet. Rather, I was simply very surprised that someone had decided so suddenly to ask me out on a date and make such a serious proposal.
And what was even more surprising was that it was Christian Lockwood, a man I had always known to be reserved and serious, focused primarily on his work.
After a short pause, gathering my thoughts and trying not to show my inner turmoil, I finally said:
"Okay... I’ll think about your proposal."
After my words, Christian’s face lit up with a smile, and I felt strange, still unable to imagine how such a turn of events could have happened in my life.