Chapter 283: Proposal?
Stefan reached for Genevieve’s hand, curling his fingers around hers. "So, now that all of that is out of the way, would you reconsider my proposal?"
Her eyes widened. "Proposal?"
Stefan’s smile deepened, his eyes never leaving hers. "Yeah. Let’s get married here. Just the both of us. Before we go back next week."
She gasped, surprised that he was bringing that up again. "Do you really mean that?"
Without giving her a response, he rose from the couch and walked into his bedroom. He came back with a small velvet box.
Genevieve’s breath caught when he opened it. Inside lay a set of wedding bands and an engagement ring.
Her hand flew to her mouth. "You didn’t just ask me impulsively last night? You planned to marry me even though you knew everything?"
Stefan took out the engagement ring and knelt in front of her. His eyes glowed with quiet certainty. "Yes. I chose to bring you here because I believed you’d open up to me and hopefully we’d get married right here before leaving. I want to love you and protect you, Genevieve. I want to take you back to Ludus as my wife. When I look at you, I don’t see your past mistakes. I see the woman you can be under the right circumstances with love. I want a future with you."
Her heart broke open. Tears slipped free as her chest shook. "How can you be this way? I don’t deserve someone like you. I don’t deserve any of this."
Stefan smiled as he brushed her tears away. "You do. You deserve a lot more than you think, and I’m going to make sure you see yourself like the priceless gem that I know you are. So, marry me, Genevieve. Last night you said you couldn’t trust yourself with tomorrow. I’ve figured it out for you. You said you wished you could have been a hairstylist and makeup artist. I want you to live that dream. I’ve already spoken with someone in Ludus. She’s ready to let you work under her so you can learn how to run a spa and salon. We can get you your own place. You’d run it and do what makes you happy. And if along the line you decide that’s not what you want, we can keep figuring it out until you find yourself."
Genevieve broke into a sob this time. "I don’t understand this. How can you be this thoughtful? How can you love me this way despite everything? I feel so ashamed and embarrassed to face you. I can’t even face myself."
He cupped her face, wiping her tears with his thumb. "Everyone deserves a second chance. You do, Genevieve. Your life was stolen from you, too. You’re a victim, too. And no matter what has happened in the past, I see a woman with strength, kindness, and a heart I’d trust with mine. You are such a beautiful person, Viv. And I want you."
She sobbed softly, covering his hand with hers. Her voice trembled as she whispered, "No one has ever loved me this way."
"Then let me be the first. I’m happy to be the first," His voice was steady, filled with promise.
Her lips wobbled. "I... I don’t know what to say."
"Say what’s in your heart," Stefan whispered.
She shook her head, tears spilling. "My heart keeps saying yes. But my head keeps saying no. That I don’t deserve this. That you’re too good for me. What if you realize you made a mistake and change your mind later?"
Stefan smiled as he leaned closer. His voice remained calm. "Your head is afraid. But your heart knows the truth. And I choose your heart’s response," Stefan said as he took her hand and slid the ring down her finger.
Her breath caught as she looked down at the ring. "It’s beautiful."
"You’re more beautiful," Stefan said softly.
Her tears flowed fresh as she embraced Stefan, holding him tightly.
When she pulled back, she looked down at the ring then took it off as she looked at him again. "I love you, but I want to listen to my head. I don’t want to get married to you yet."
"Why not?" Stefan asked, looking at her with curious eyes.
Genevieve sighed softly. "I can tell you’re rushing with this because you want me to feel at ease and have a sense of belonging when you take me to Ludus. I’m thankful for your kindness and thoughtfulness. But even though you’re being so understanding, I don’t think it should be this easy. I don’t believe I deserve their forgiveness yet. I’ve done nothing to earn it. Especially Abigail’s. I was mean to her. Yes, my Dad made me take up her identity, but I played along and I treated her with so much hatred and transferred all my aggression on her. When I think about the things I did to her I can barely look at myself in the mirror. I bullied her. I really want to earn her forgiveness. I’m not sure how yet, but I want to do my best until she can find it in her to truly forgive me. I don’t think I deserve to be this happy with you or myself until I’ve earned Abigail’s forgiveness. I want to marry you only when I can look at you and myself without feeling so ashamed. It might not matter to you, but it does to me. I need to be able to be proud of myself before I take such a step. I can’t get married when I’m still feeling so unworthy."
Stefan nodded slowly as he processed all she’d just said. He was sort of glad that she was thinking that way. Not because he thought she was unworthy or underserving, but because it showed that she deeply understood the gravity of what she’d done and she was sorry.
"Okay. If that’s what you want. I will support you however you want me to. But you’ll go back to Ludus with me, right?"
"I need to see Abigail and apologize properly. I need to apologize to the Hank family, and I also need to see my father since you said he is headed there. Before you correct me, I know you don’t like me calling him that," she said with a small smile before Stefan could correct her, "but that’s what he is to me. He might not be my biological father or care about me, but he raised me. And no matter how terribly he has treated me, he hasn’t done worst than my own mother," she said, and Stefan sighed deeply as he patted her hand.
"Will you live with me? I have two bedrooms..."
Genevieve shook her head. "As tempting as that sounds, I think I need to live alone for some time. I need to get to know myself. I don’t know who Genevieve is. So, let’s be in a relationship and get to know each other better as I also discover myself."
"What about the spa and salon?" Stefan asked, and she smiled.
"I will go for it. Thank you. I will give my heart and time to it," she said, and Stefan raised her hand to his lips.
"Okay. You have my full support. When we get back we can find you an apartment."
Genevieve returned the engagement ring to him, "Here."
"No. Keep it. I proposed, and you accepted. But we are not getting married until you’re ready. This resort is not going to witness another disastrous proposal, especially not mine," Stefan said with a grin and Genevieve laughed.
Stefan took the ring from her and slid it down her finger again. "I didn’t just propose because I wanted you to feel at ease. I proposed because I love you and want to be with you. Wanting to go slowly doesn’t change the fact that I want to marry you be it in a year or two or five."
Genevieve nodded. "Okay."
"Now that we’ve settled that, I should probably get my phone and give Jamal a call. I’m sure they’ve seen the news and are probably worried about you," Stefan said as he rose.
Genevieve rose as well and before he could leave she wrapped her arms around him his waist and embraced him, resting her head against his chest.
"Thank you, Stefan. Thank you for being on my side and for being so understanding. Thank you for seeing good in me and believing that I’m capable of change," she said softly.
Stefan patted her back and kissed the top of her head. "You really didn’t answer my question yesterday, though."
Genevieve’s brows pulled together as she pulled back to look at him. "What quest..." she trailed off when she saw the gleam of amusement in his eyes and realized he was teasing her again. "Stefan!"
He chuckled as he walked away to go get his phone while Genevieve smiled as she watched his disappear into the hallway.
She sighed deeply as she looked down at the ring on her finger.
No matter what it would take, she was going to make herself deserving of Abigail’s forgiveness, and Stefan’s love.