Chapter 205
With Loretta's words, the matter was settled.
There was no longer any room for doubt.
No room for retreat.
Before the most influential families in the city, the Hunt family matriarch had publicly acknowledged Khloe as her granddaughter-in-law.
That single declaration carried more weight than any rumor.
More than any accusation.
More than any carefully laid trap.
Even if Khloe truly had a complicated past...
Who would still dare question her now?
Clarice forced herself to smile.
"I see."
Her tone remained as elegant as ever.
Only the slight rise and fall of her chest betrayed the frustration she struggled to suppress.
The smile on her face was flawless.
The one in her heart had long since shattered.
Beside Loretta, Leon laughed heartily.
"Exactly!"
He nodded again and again, his cheerful grin making his position unmistakably clear.
"Our family couldn't be happier."
His bright, open support spoke louder than any formal statement.
The Hunt family wasn't merely accepting Khloe.
They were embracing her completely.
Seeing this, Arista finally let out the breath she had been holding.
She smiled apologetically at Clarice.
"This was our oversight."
"We should have communicated with our in-laws sooner."
"If we had, none of today's misunderstandings would have happened."
She tilted her head slightly.
"Clarice... surely you won't hold it against us?"
"...Of course not."
Clarice answered almost immediately.
Her voice remained warm.
Only the stiffness around her eyes hinted at the anger she was desperately concealing.
Standing beside Nick, Khloe stared silently at the Hunt family.
Loretta.
Leon.
Arista.
One after another...
They had stood up for her.
Not because they were obligated to.
Not because she had earned it.
But simply because they had chosen to believe in her.
A sharp ache spread through her chest.
She had spent her entire life fighting alone.
Whenever trouble came, she had learned to endure it herself.
No one had ever stepped in front of her.
No one had ever said—
"We'll protect you."
Her eyes slowly reddened.
She wanted to thank them.
She wanted to tell them how much their trust meant.
Yet no words seemed enough.
Loretta caught the emotion in Khloe's eyes.
She smiled knowingly.
Instead of speaking to her, she turned toward Nick.
Their eyes met.
No words were exchanged.
None were necessary.
Nick immediately understood.
A faint smile touched his lips.
Still holding Khloe's hand, he took a step forward.
Then...
To everyone's astonishment...
He lowered himself onto one knee.
A collective gasp swept through the ballroom.
Even kneeling, Nick's back remained perfectly straight.
His tall figure resembled a towering pine rooted firmly in the mountains—steady, dignified, impossible to bend.
The crystal lights above bathed him in a golden glow.
Every eye in the room was fixed on him.
His gaze never left Khloe.
There was no hesitation.
Only unwavering sincerity.
"Khloe."
His deep voice echoed through the silent ballroom.
"Today..."
"In front of our families..."
"And before everyone gathered here..."
"I want to make up for what I failed to give you."
His fingers gently tightened around hers.
"I promise you..."
"For the rest of my life..."
"There will only ever be one woman by my side."
His eyes softened.
"That woman is you."
He paused briefly.
Every word that followed came straight from his heart.
"So..."
"Will you marry me?"
"Will you let me love you..."
"Protect you..."
"And walk beside you for the rest of our lives?"
The ballroom fell utterly silent.
No elaborate decorations.
No orchestra.
No sea of roses.
No dazzling fireworks.
Just one man.
One promise.
And a sincerity powerful enough to move everyone present.
Nick Hunt.
The man who stood at the summit of the country's financial world.
The man countless women dreamed of marrying.
Was now kneeling before a single woman.
Offering her no wealth.
Not status.
But his lifetime.
Khloe's vision blurred.
She had thought the tears she'd fought back earlier were already enough.
She was wrong.
Her heart overflowed.
She looked down at him.
At the man who had believed her without question.
Who had protected her before the world?
Who had chosen her...
Again and again.
Nick waited patiently.
His usually calm face revealed the slightest trace of nervousness.
His brows were gently knitted together.
Those deep eyes—dark as the midnight sky filled with stars—held only her reflection.
Nothing else existed within them.
The frozen corners of Khloe's heart finally melted completely.
Like winter snow disappearing beneath the warmth of spring.
A tear escaped first.
Then another.
She smiled through them.
A radiant smile brighter than any jewel in the ballroom.
"Of course..."
Her voice trembled softly.
"I'm willing."
She nodded.
"I'm willing, Nick."
The final words were barely louder than a whisper.
Yet they reached him more clearly than any shout.
A faint flush colored Nick's usually composed face.
Relief.
Joy.
Disbelief.
All flashed through his eyes at once.
He stood immediately.
Without caring about the countless guests watching...
He pulled Khloe into his embrace.
She wrapped her arms around him without hesitation.
The moment they held each other—
Thunderous applause erupted throughout the ballroom.
Cheers echoed from every direction.
"Congratulations!"
"What a perfect match!"
"May you grow old together!"
Several ladies dabbed at the corners of their eyes with handkerchiefs.
Many of them had enjoyed lavish weddings.
Grand ceremonies.
Perfect family arrangements.
Yet few had ever experienced a proposal that felt so genuine.
So wholehearted.
Watching Nick and Khloe together...
Even they couldn't help but feel envious.
After several moments, Nick reluctantly loosened his embrace.
Still holding Khloe's hand, he led her back toward their seats.
The awkwardness that had threatened to ruin the evening had vanished completely.
No one discussed the earlier accusations anymore.
Instead, every conversation centered on Nick's proposal.
His devotion.
The Hunt family's wholehearted acceptance.
In everyone's eyes...
If Khloe could earn the unwavering trust of both Nick and the entire Hunt family...
Then she must possess qualities that outsiders couldn't yet see.
Whatever rumors had surfaced tonight...
They no longer mattered.
Almost everyone had forgotten the man who had tried to expose her.
Almost.
At a nearby table, Veronica dug her nails into her palms.
Her jaw clenched so tightly it hurt.
"That shameless woman..."
She glared at Khloe with burning resentment.
"She's nothing but a fraud putting on a performance."
Beside her, Winnie didn't even bother hiding her sarcasm.
She took an elegant sip of her wine before replying coolly,
"A performance?"
She let out a soft laugh.
"Maybe."
She glanced toward the couple surrounded by congratulations.
"But it's a remarkable one."
Her eyes returned to Veronica.
"Certainly better than some people..."
"...who don't even have the chance to put on a performance at all."
Veronica's face instantly darkened.
The words struck far deeper than any slap.