Chapter 42
COLE
In February, on Jiya’s thirtieth birthday, I planned a romantic getaway to Sierra Resort. By then, we had been dating for almost seven months, and during those months, I knew there was no other woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.
I loved everything about her.
The way she spoke passionately about her cafés and the restaurant, the way her eyes lit up when she talked about building something meaningful for the community.
I admired how fiercely devoted she was to being a mother, how she balanced work, home, and the children with a strength that constantly amazed me.
And I loved our children.
Lucas and Emma had become a vital part of my life.
The idea of calling Jiya my wife filled me with happiness that felt whole and undeniable.
I could see our future clearly in my mind, a home filled with laughter, shared breakfasts, chaotic weekends, and maybe even another couple of children running through the halls.
Earlier that week, when Jiya had gone out running errands, I had sat down with Lucas and Emma to ask them something important.
“I’m thinking of asking your mom to marry me,” I told them, pausing as I licked my lips. “What do you guys think?”
Lucas looked at me for a second before a slow grin crept across his face. Then he exploded with excitement.
“Yes! Yes! Yes, Dad!” he shouted, practically shrieking with joy.
The sound of it carried me back to the day I had brought Milo home. That was the day he had looked at me and called me Dad for the first time. My chest had tightened with emotion, deeply moved by how much that single word meant to me. I had never forgotten how proud I felt in that moment.
Emma’s squeal snapped me back to the present. She immediately joined in, jumping up and down beside him and squealing with laughter. She had no idea what was going on, but her happiness was contagious.
Watching them had made my heart swell. Their approval meant the world to me. It felt like the final piece I needed before moving forward with my plan.
Now, as Jiya and I stepped down from the private plane I had chartered for the weekend, I looked out at the breathtaking property spread out before us.
The Sierra Resort was stunning.
Tall trees surrounded the grounds like silent guardians, and beyond them the landscape opened into a sweeping view of mountains and water that shimmered beneath the winter sun.
I had chosen this place carefully.
It felt perfect.
The resort’s romantic getaway package offered everything I had hoped for, including a private villa tucked away in the forest. I had also spoken personally with the general manager and made a special request to ensure everything would be exactly the way I envisioned it.
After checking in, we placed our belongings in the villa before heading out for a sunset walk.
“Where do you think we should go for our first vacation?” I asked casually.
The light danced through the forest, illuminating plump tussocks of moss beneath the trees while the scent of cedarwood and pine drifted through the cool evening air.
Jiya tilted her head thoughtfully. “Hmm… how about Bali or Phuket?”
“I haven’t been there. I think Bali would be a nice place to visit.”
“I heard it has the most temples,” she said. “A part of the movie Eat, Pray, Love was filmed there. Have you watched it?”
I shook my head.
“I guess we know what we’re doing tonight then,” she said with a giggle.
We continued walking, talking about travel and movies, but my mind had begun to race.
This was the first woman I had gone away with since Eva.
I was happy.
Truly happy.
I knew I had found the one—the woman I wanted to marry.
But what if she did not want me to be her husband? The thought slid in and refused to leave. What if she said no? How would we move forward from that moment? What would happen to everything we had built together? And what about the children?
I had already asked for their permission. Maybe I should not have done that. Maybe I had been too confident that everything would work out the way I imagined.
I silently scolded myself for not considering the possibility that she might not be ready for something like this.
She had told me she loved me. But what if love did not mean she wanted to marry me? It had taken her time to acknowledge her feelings for me in the first place. What if the same hesitation appeared when I proposed?
“So, what would you like?” she asked.
My thoughts had been spiralling so intensely that her voice startled me.
“What would I like for what?” I asked, jerking my head back slightly.
The cool air brushed against my face, but I was sweating.
“For dinner, hun?” she said, looking at me with her eyebrows drawn together. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine,” I replied quickly. “Sorry about that.” I cleared my throat. “Don’t worry about dinner,” I added. “It’s already been taken care of.”
The truth was that almost everything about this weekend had been carefully arranged.
That evening, after building up an appetite from the hike, we enjoyed a sumptuous Chef’s Tasting Menu in a private seating area in the dining room.
The meal was extraordinary, course after course arriving like small works of art. Candlelight flickered across the table while soft music drifted through the room, creating an atmosphere that felt intimate and magical.
The next day, we went out on a cruise.
It was a majestic tour through towering landscapes where soaring peaks rose dramatically above sheer cliffs that plunged into turquoise waters below.
The boat glided past powerful waterfalls and rugged coastlines while seabirds wheeled overhead, and the occasional bear could be seen along the shoreline.
A picnic-style lunch was served as we cruised along, and I watched Jiya laugh and point excitedly whenever something caught her attention.
Later that afternoon, after returning from the cruise, we enjoyed a relaxing massage and a facial in the couple’s treatment room.
When the massage was finished, I excused myself. “I have some urgent work,” I said casually. “Meet me at the bar for drinks.”
She nodded and headed toward the villa while I went straight to meet the manager.
I wanted to confirm that the arrangements for that evening were ready.
When he showed me the setup, I felt a surge of excitement.
Everything was exactly the way I had imagined.
Back in the villa, I changed into a light grey suit and a crisp white shirt. As I adjusted the cuffs, my eyes caught a dark bruise on my arm.
I had accidentally walked into a door at the office a few days earlier. It had been there longer than I realized.
That’s strange. I studied it for a moment.
It didn’t hurt, which was probably why I had not paid attention to it before. I shrugged it off. I’ll keep an eye on it.
Before leaving the room, I slipped my hand into my jacket pocket and felt the small velvet box resting there.
The ring.
Taking a deep breath, I headed downstairs and waited for her at the bar.
As the minutes passed, my mouth began to feel dry.
A nervous flutter stirred in my stomach, like wings beating against a cage.
This was it.
The moment that could change the rest of my life.