Alice Martins was late again. She rushed down the sidewalk, a coffee cup in one hand, her phone in the other, heart pounding. This interview was her last chance. Then—*bam*.
She crashed into something solid. Her coffee flew through the air and landed right on a man’s chest. He looked down at the stain, then at her. His expression said he was about to call his lawyer.
“Okay, first of all, this was clearly your fault,” Alice said. The man blinked. “My fault? ”
“Yes.
You were standing right here, like a walking obstacle. ”
He crossed his arms, unimpressed. “Interesting theory. ”
Alice laughed nervously.
“Look on the bright side. Now your suit has a unique touch. ”
He took a deep breath, clearly trying not to strangle her. “I don’t have time for this.
” He shot her one last deadly look and disappeared into the building. Then Alice realized—she was about to have an interview. In that same building. She ran inside, repeating to herself that nothing could go wrong now.
A few minutes later, the receptionist called her. “Mr. Scott is expecting you. ”
Alice walked into the meeting room.
And there he was. The coffee man. Sitting behind an imposing desk, looking straight at her. David Scott.
The CEO of Scot Tech. The owner of the company. The man she had just turned into a walking Frappuccino. “So you’re here for the secretary position,” he said, clearly amused.
Alice sat down so quickly she nearly missed the chair. “Your resume is very good,” David said, flipping through a file. “But tell me, why do you think you should be my secretary? ”
Alice opened her mouth.
Nothing came out. “Well,” she finally said. “I’m efficient. Very efficient.
And organized. ” She paused. “I don’t usually spill coffee on my bosses. ”
A silence filled the room.
Then, to her surprise, David smiled. It was quick, almost imperceptible. But it was there. “I’m highly organized, proactive, and I work well under pressure,” she continued.
David raised an eyebrow. “You work well under pressure? ”
Alice realized her mistake. “Well.
Maybe not under all kinds of pressure,” she muttered. David tapped his fingers on the desk. “Why do you want this job? ”
“Because I’m competent and I know I can contribute to the company.
”
“And because you desperately need the money, right? ”
Alice’s eyes widened. “What? Of course not.
”
David turned another page. “You have a history of short-term jobs. Late bill payments. And if I’m not mistaken, an eviction notice was sent to your apartment last week.
”
The blood drained from Alice’s face. “How do you know that? ”
“I run background checks. ”
“That’s illegal.
”
“Not if you have good lawyers. ”
Alice had to bite her tongue to keep from cursing. David set the file down and clasped his hands. “I have a proposal for you.
”
Alice kept her voice steady. “What kind of proposal? ”
“I want you to be my wife. ”
Alice blinked.
Then laughed. “Wait. I think my hearing just stopped working. Did you say *wife*?
”
“A contract marriage,” David said calmly. “Six months. We appear to be in love. Then we separate and go back to our normal lives.
”
Alice stared at him. “I’ve barely worked here for two weeks. And now we’re engaged? ”
“Trust me, I’m perfectly fine.
”
“Well I’m not,” she whispered. David leaned forward. “I’ll cover all your mother’s medical expenses. And you’ll have a very generous salary.
”
Alice’s heart pounded. The money would change everything. It would help her mother. Secure a better future for her sister.
But a fake marriage with David Scott? “If someone gets suspicious,” she said slowly, “we’ll make it convincing. ”
David met her gaze. “We’ll live together.
Dinners, public appearances, events. And of course, you’ll move into my house. ”
“That wasn’t part of the deal. ”
“It is now.
Do you want to say no? ”
Alice opened her mouth. Then closed it. Damn it.
He knew she needed this. “I need time to think. ”
“You have twenty-four hours. ”
That night, Alice stayed wide awake.
Pros: enough money to pay the bills. Help for her mother. A short contract. Cons: everything.
Absolutely everything. The next day, Alice walked into David’s office with dark circles under her eyes. “I have a condition. ”
“What is it?
”
“No emotional involvement. ”
David gave a small smile. “I thought that was already obvious. ”
“And if I want to walk away, I can.
”
David studied her for a moment. “Deal. ”
He extended his hand. Alice looked at his outstretched palm, felt a knot in her stomach.
Her brain was telling her to run. But her financial problems were screaming louder. So before she could change her mind, Alice shook his hand. “Deal.
”
And just like that, she had traded her sanity for a fake marriage contract. Days later, Alice found herself standing at the entrance of David Scott’s luxurious apartment, holding a suitcase and trying not to panic. “Welcome to your new home,” David announced. Alice looked around.
The place was huge, modern, spotless. The complete opposite of her messy life. “This looks like a five-star hotel. ”
“I don’t spend much time at home,” David said, tossing his jacket on the sofa.
“Here I thought rich CEOs spent their time sipping champagne and laughing. ”
David gave her a blank look. “That’s a common misconception. ”
Alice smirked.
“I bet you have a butler named Alfred hiding somewhere. ”
David sighed. “Come on. I’ll show you your room.
”
He opened a door revealing a spacious guest room with a massive bed and a panoramic view of the city. “Wow. My entire old apartment could fit inside this room. ”
“I’m glad you like it.
And one important rule—respect my privacy. ”
Alice crossed her arms. “Don’t worry. I have no interest in spying on your secret business meetings.
”
“Good. Now, as we discussed, we need to look like a convincing couple. We’ll have to go out together, attend events, and act like we’re in love when others are around. ”
Alice forced an overly dramatic smile.
“Oh darling, I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life by your side. ”
David raised an eyebrow. “That was terrible. ”
“Sorry if my acting isn’t Oscar-worthy.
”
“Tomorrow we have dinner with some board members. You’ll need an appropriate dress. ”
“Great. We can go to the mall.
”
David looked offended. “I don’t shop at malls. ”
“Oh, you really have it tough. ”
He ignored her and picked up his phone.
“I’ll have a stylist come over tomorrow. He’ll bring a few options. ”
The next day, Alice spent three hours trying on ridiculously expensive dresses. David looked completely bored, scrolling through his phone.
“This one, this one, or this one? ” she asked, holding up two dresses. He glanced up for half a second. “The black one.
”
“You didn’t even look properly. ”
“Black is classic. It’s called efficiency. ”
Alice rolled her eyes but ended up picking the black dress.
Hours later, they sat in an upscale restaurant surrounded by millionaires. Alice tried to play the role of a loving fiancée, but her mind was elsewhere. David never truly smiled. He always had that controlled expression.
So she decided to have some fun. She picked up her glass and looked directly at him. “To the love of my life,” she announced, loud enough for everyone to hear. The executives smiled, pleased.
“From the moment we met, I knew he was the one,” Alice continued. “I will never forget that day. Such a magical, romantic moment. ”
David shot her a sharp look.
“That moment when I spilled coffee on him and he looked at me like he wanted to fire me. That’s when I knew it was forever. ”
The executives laughed, charmed. David closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
On the drive back, he broke the silence. “If you do that again, I’ll double your contract to a year. ”
Alice laughed. “You should be thanking me.
I made it more believable. ”
David glanced at her from the corner of his eye. “If convincing means embarrassing, then yes. ”
Alice leaned back, pleased with herself.
But something nagged at her. “Can I ask you something? ”
David sighed. “As if I could stop you.
”
“Why did you really agree to this fake marriage? ”
David was silent for a moment. “Business. ”
“That’s it?
”
He looked away. “That’s it. ”
Alice sensed there was more. But she decided not to push.
When they pulled up to the apartment, David got out first. But before Alice could step out, he extended his hand. “After all, we’re a couple, aren’t we? ”
Alice hesitated, then took his hand.
And for the first time, she felt something different when she touched him. As the days passed, life in the fancy apartment settled into a strange routine. Alice noticed David hiding behind his cold, controlled exterior. But sometimes, when he thought no one was watching, he seemed different.
More human. “Have you always been like this? ” she asked one night. “Like what?
”
“So robotic. Do you ever let yourself relax? Do something just because you want to, not because you have to? ”
David was quiet for a moment.
Then he simply said, “That doesn’t interest me. ”
He stood up. “Good night, Alice. ”
And he left, leaving her with a strange feeling in her chest.
The next morning, Alice walked into the kitchen and found David reading a physical newspaper. “You actually read a physical newspaper? ” she teased. “I like the habit.
”
Alice sat down, watching him with curiosity. “You know what this apartment is missing? ”
“What? ”
“Life.
Everything is so cold. No pictures, no mess, not even a comfortable couch. ”
“This is how I like it. ”
“No.
This is how a robot likes it. ”
David sighed. Before he could respond, his phone rang. He answered, and his face turned serious.
“Yes, I’ll be there soon. ”
He hung up. “I need to go to the office. Want to come with me?
”
Alice frowned. “You never invite me to anything at work. ”
“We’re engaged. We need to be seen together.
”
When they arrived, Alice noticed people whispering. Looking at her, looking at David, then back at her. “Okay, what’s going on? Why is everyone looking at me like I’m an alien?
”
David sighed. “There’s a story in the press about our engagement. ”
Alice grabbed her phone. The headline read: *Cold and Calculating David Scott Shocks Everyone and Announces His Engagement to His Assistant.
*
“They called me unassuming. Is that an insult? ”
“Depends. ”
She hid her face in her hands.
“I’m going to need a new identity. ”
That night, back at the apartment, Alice flopped onto the couch. “Want to watch a movie? ”
David raised an eyebrow.
“A movie? ”
“Yes. Something like a rom-com. ”
“I don’t watch that kind of thing.
”
“Come on, you need to broaden your horizons. ”
Before he could escape, Alice grabbed the remote and started the movie. David rolled his eyes but sat down next to her. At first he seemed bored.
But then, during a particularly funny scene, Alice heard something she had never heard before. David laughed. A real laugh. Alice looked at him, shocked.
“Oh my God. You laughed. ”
He immediately stopped. “It was a reflex.
”
“No, it was a laugh. We need to document this moment. ” Alice grabbed her phone and pretended to take notes. “Historic day.
David Scott laughed. ”
David rolled his eyes, but he was still smiling. Alice felt her heart beat differently. Something was changing.
And she wasn’t sure if she was ready for it. Then came the charity event. Alice wore a stunning red dress. “You look beautiful,” David said casually.
Alice almost choked on her own saliva. “What? ”
“I said, you look presentable. ”
Alice rolled her eyes.
“First rule for compliments—try to sound sincere. ”
David stepped closer, his eyes scanning every detail of the dress. Alice felt her heart race. “You look really beautiful,” he said.
She swallowed hard. “Uh, thank you. ”
David smirked. “Was that convincing enough?
”
Alice wanted to punch him. Then, in the middle of the event, the unexpected happened. Among the guests was Lucas—her ex-boyfriend. The man who had broken her heart years ago.
“Wow. It’s really you,” Lucas said, smiling. David, who had been talking to a nearby investor, noticed the situation and walked over, his eyes assessing Lucas with surgical precision. “I’m Lucas.
Alice’s ex-boyfriend,” Lucas said, extending his hand. David didn’t shake it. He crossed his arms. “Interesting.
”
Lucas smiled, unaware of the danger. “I never thought I’d run into Alice here. By the way, I’m surprised to see her at an event like this. ”
Alice narrowed her eyes.
“What does that mean? ”
“Nothing. Just that this isn’t really your kind of world, right? ”
David frowned.
“So how did you two meet? ”
Alice opened her mouth, but David answered first. “It was love at first sight. ”
Lucas laughed.
“Really? Because Alice never really seemed like the type to believe in that kind of thing. ”
David smiled, but it wasn’t friendly. “Well, people change.
And Alice and I are inseparable now. ”
Then David pulled Alice by the waist and placed a firm, possessive kiss on her lips. Alice froze. Her mind short-circuited.
The kiss wasn’t fake. It wasn’t just acting. There was something about it that felt far too real. When David pulled away, Lucas cleared his throat, uncomfortable.
“Well, it was good seeing you, Alice. ”
He left in a hurry. Alice was still out of breath. She looked at David, her face burning.
“What was that? ”
David shrugged. “Just making sure he got the message. ”
“And what message is that?
”
“That you’re not available. ”
Alice crossed her arms. “Why does it feel like you were jealous? ”
David laughed, humorless.
“Jealous? Don’t be ridiculous. It’s part of our contract. ”
Alice watched him for a few seconds.
Something didn’t make sense. That night, Alice confronted him. “So, are we going to talk about this? ”
David looked confused.
“Talk about what? ”
She pointed to his lips. “About the kiss. ”
David didn’t blink.
“It was just part of the role. ”
“Seriously? Because it felt way too real to me. ”
David gave a half-smile.
“Did you like it? ”
She choked. “What? ”
“Did you like the kiss?
”
Alice opened and closed her mouth, feeling her face burn. “Stop changing the subject. ”
David smiled. “Good night, Alice.
”
He left the room, leaving her completely frustrated. Alice threw a pillow at the couch. “Why is this man like this? ”
A few days later, David walked into the office with a serious look.
“We’re traveling. ”
“Where to? ”
“Something came up. I need to attend an important meeting.
You’re coming with me. ”
“Is this part of the contract too? ”
David stared at her. “Do you want to stay?
”
Alice bit her lip. David Scott never asked questions like that. He gave orders. But in that moment, it seemed like he actually wanted to know if she wanted to go.
“I’ll go,” Alice said. “Good. Pack your things. The plane leaves in an hour.
”
“A plane? ”
“Yes. We’re going to a luxury resort. ”
Alice’s mouth dropped open.
“A resort? Like a five-star hotel with an infinity pool and expensive massages? ”
“Yes. But it’s a business trip.
”
Alice didn’t hear anything after *luxury resort*. “This is amazing. I need a new bikini. ”
David looked at her with no expression.
“Alice. You really didn’t get anything I said. ”
She smiled. “Of course I did.
You said Alice enjoys her paid vacation. ”
The flight was quick. When Alice stepped off the plane, she was speechless. Palm trees.
White sand. An infinity pool that seemed to touch the horizon. “I was born to live here,” she announced. David ignored her.
“We have a meeting in an hour. ”
“Seriously? Can’t you relax for a second? ”
“This is work.
”
“Fine, robot boss. But after, I’m going to the pool. ”
The meeting went smoothly. Alice ran to the pool as soon as it was over.
She was lying on a lounge chair, enjoying a colorful drink, when the sky suddenly darkened. Minutes later, the rain came pouring down like a giant bucket of water. Alice screamed and ran through the garden, trying to cover her head with her hands. A familiar voice caught her attention.
“Alice! ”
She looked back. David stood at the hotel entrance, completely dry, arms crossed. “What are you doing out here?
”
“What does it look like? Dancing in the rain? ”
“Get inside. ”
She ran in, soaked and shivering.
“That was a disaster. ”
David watched her, his eyes slowly scanning her body. Alice felt her face heat up. Her dress was clinging to her, revealing more than it should.
“What’s wrong? ”
He looked away. “Nothing. It’s just—you’re soaked.
”
“Great. Now I look like an extra from a 90s romantic movie. ”
David chuckled softly. Alice stopped.
“Did you laugh? ”
He cleared his throat. “No. ”
“You did.
You liked my disaster. ”
David turned his back. “Go upstairs and change before you catch a cold. ”
Hours later, the hotel reception called.
Bad weather had knocked out a generator, and some rooms were without power. Alice and David were told they’d have to share a room. “Great,” David muttered. Alice’s eyes widened.
“Share a room with you? ”
David sighed. “Relax. It’s not like I’m going to try anything.
”
Alice huffed. “Why do you say it like I’m not irresistible? ”
David gave a half-smile. “Good night, Alice.
”
The room was big, but the problem was the huge single bed in the middle. “Hey. How are we going to solve this? ”
David grabbed a pillow.
“I’ll sleep here. ”
Alice raised an eyebrow. “Wow. A real gentleman.
”
David took off his jacket and started unbuttoning his shirt. Alice quickly looked away. “What are you doing? ”
“Taking off my shirt.
You’ve seen a man without a shirt before, haven’t you? ”
Alice stayed silent. The truth was, David Scott without a shirt was a problem. A big one.
In the middle of the night, Alice woke up to the sound of thunder. She sat up and saw David awake on the couch. “You didn’t sleep? ”
“I’m not used to sleeping away from home.
”
Alice hesitated. Then she patted the bed. “Come. ”
David raised his eyebrows.
“What? ”
“Just for a while. The couch doesn’t look comfortable. ”
He studied her for a few seconds.
Then he slowly got up and sat on the edge of the bed. They were so close. She felt his warmth. She smelled him.
And for the first time, David seemed vulnerable. His eyes dropped to her lips. Alice’s heart raced. Then David pulled away.
“That was a mistake. ”
Alice felt a tightness in her chest. “Why do you always say that? ”
David didn’t answer.
He got up and went back to the couch. Alice stayed there, trying to ignore the feeling that she was starting to truly fall in love. The flight back home was quiet. Alice stared out the airplane window, trying to ignore the strange tightness in her chest.
When they returned, David was different. He wasn’t cold like before. He was distant. Which was worse.
Then one morning, Alice woke up to a strange smell in the kitchen. She went downstairs and nearly had a heart attack. David was trying to make breakfast. There was flour on the counter, broken eggs, and a smoking toaster.
Alice almost laughed. “What are you doing? ”
David turned around, looking lost. “Trying to make pancakes.
”
“You’re cooking? What happened? Did the apocalypse come and I didn’t get the memo? ”
David rolled his eyes.
“I just thought it would be a nice gesture. ”
Alice felt her heart soften. David wasn’t the type to make gestures. But for some reason, he was trying.
She took a bite of the misshapen pancake. “Wow. This is awful. ”
David crossed his arms.
“No need to exaggerate. ”
Alice smiled. “But it was a sweet gesture. ”
David looked away.
A few days later, Alice woke up to several messages on her phone. It was her birthday. She went downstairs, expecting the house to be the same as always. But then she stopped.
There was a cake on the table. And a gift next to it. David was leaning against the counter, watching her. “You did this?
”
He shrugged. “The housekeeper made the cake. But the gift is mine. ”
Alice carefully picked up the small box and opened it.
Inside was a delicate necklace with a small star-shaped pendant. Alice felt a lump in her throat. David seemed uncomfortable. “You keep saying you like to look at the stars.
So I thought—”
Alice smiled, her eyes shining. “You remembered that. ”
David looked away. “Yes.
”
Alice stepped forward and hugged him. David stiffened. But then, slowly, he hugged her back. And for a second, Alice wondered what it would be like if this wasn’t just a contract.
If it were real. Alice knew she was falling in love. And that was dangerous. But there was something David was hiding.
A fear. A block. And Alice was determined to find out what it was. The next morning, Carmen the housekeeper appeared.
She had worked for David for years. “Carmen, has David always been like this? ” Alice asked. “Like what?
”
“Closed off. Robotic. Hard to deal with. ”
Carmen smiled.
“He wasn’t like that before. ”
Alice’s attention sharpened. “So something happened. ”
“Nothing… What I know is that David used to be more human.
But something made him change. ”
Alice felt a cold sensation in her stomach. David had a past he didn’t want to share. So that night, Alice grabbed her laptop and started searching.
She found an old article about a scandal. *David Scott betrayed and publicly humiliated by his fiancée at the altar. *
Years ago, David was about to marry a woman named Isabella. On the day of the wedding, she ran off with another man.
Alice felt a knot in her stomach. She looked at the photo. David stood in front of the empty altar with a completely broken expression. So this was it.
This was why he was so cold. He didn’t want to get involved because he knew what it was like to get hurt. Alice closed the laptop. Now she understood.
The question was, what was she going to do with this information? That night, Alice went downstairs and found David sitting on the couch, drinking whiskey. “Want to go out for dinner? ” she asked.
David looked surprised. “Dinner? ”
“Yes. A normal dinner.
No meetings, no contracts. Just the two of us. ”
They ended up at a small, cozy restaurant. For the first time, they weren’t playing roles.
They were just being themselves. Then Alice took a chance. “What happened to you? Why are you so afraid of getting involved?
”
David was silent for a long moment. “Because I’ve been hurt before. ”
“Isabella? ”
David stared at her.
“You researched me. ”
Alice shrugged. “I needed to understand you. ”
David looked away.
“There’s nothing to understand. I was an idiot. I believed in something that didn’t exist. ”
Alice bit her lip.
“Have you ever thought that maybe she didn’t deserve you? ”
When they got home, David stopped at the door of Alice’s room. He looked at her for a long moment. Then he said something that made her heart stop.
“You make me want to feel again. ”
Alice couldn’t sleep that night. She was in love. Completely.
Desperately. And for the first time in her life, that scared her. The next morning, Alice gathered her courage. She found David in the kitchen.
“We need to talk,” she said. David lowered his newspaper, cautious. “About us. I need to say this, and please let me finish.
” Alice took a deep breath. “When this started, I thought it was just a contract. But at some point, it turned into something else. ” She felt her heart race.
“I fell in love with you. ”
Absolute silence. David froze. He opened his mouth, then closed it.
Then he did the one thing Alice didn’t expect. He stood up and walked out. Without saying a word. Alice stood there in shock.
She expected anything but this. David had just run away. Like he didn’t even have the courage to face her. She swallowed her tears.
If David couldn’t handle what she felt, then there was no reason for this fake marriage to continue. That night, Alice packed her bags. She placed the signed contract on the table, along with the fake ring. She wrote a short note:
*You win, David.
This time it was you who left me at the altar. * — Alice
And then she left. When David got home and saw the note, his heart stopped. Alice was gone.
He knew this would happen. But why did it feel like something inside him had broken? The apartment was too quiet. Alice wasn’t there anymore.
And for the first time in a long time, he felt a void he couldn’t ignore. David didn’t go to work that day. He spent hours in the apartment, replaying every moment. Her laugh.
The way she teased him. How she seemed to see through the mask he wore every day. On the third night without Alice, David finally admitted to himself: he loved her. And that realization terrified him.
Because loving meant exposing himself. It meant allowing himself to be vulnerable. But now he knew—if he kept running, he would lose Alice forever. And that was a thought he couldn’t bear.
David grabbed his phone. He called her. The phone rang once, twice, three times. “Hello?
” Alice’s voice sounded on the other end. David felt his heart race. He wanted to say everything that was stuck inside him. But at the last second, fear took over.
He closed his eyes. And hung up. Because he realized that words weren’t enough. He needed to prove it.
The next day, David made a decision. He was going after Alice. No matter what it took. He spent the day trying to find her.
He called her dozens of times. No answer. He sent messages. No reply.
He went to her old apartment. Alice wasn’t there. The only person he found was Clara, Alice’s younger sister, who opened the door with an unfriendly expression. “What are you doing here?
”
“I need to talk to Alice. ”
Clara rolled her eyes. “Oh, now you need to, huh? Where was this urgency when you broke her heart?
”
“I made a mistake. I need to fix this. ”
Clara studied him for a moment. “Too late.
”
David felt a chill down his spine. “What do you mean? Where is she? ”
Clara hesitated.
Then she answered, “She left. ”
David’s heart sank. “What? Where did she go?
”
Clara crossed her arms. “She went to get some time away. She said she needed to distance herself from everything. Especially from you.
”
David remembered a conversation they had months ago. She had mentioned a small cabin by the beach where her family used to spend summers. It was his only clue. Without wasting any time, David grabbed the car keys and drove non-stop.
When he arrived at the cabin, it was already night. David parked, gathered his courage, and knocked on the door. Seconds later, Alice opened it. Her eyes widened when she saw him.
“David? What are you doing here? ”
He swallowed hard. “I came to get you.
”
Alice blinked. “What? ”
David took a deep breath. “I was an idiot.
I let you go because I was scared. But I can’t ignore it anymore. ”
“Ignore what, exactly? ”
David looked her in the eyes and, for the first time, said what he really felt.
“I love you, Alice. I tried to deny it. I tried to run. But I can’t.
”
Alice held her breath. “You never showed that you felt anything. ”
“Because I was scared. ”
Alice stayed silent.
Then she whispered, “And now? ”
David took her hands. “Now I want to be with you for real. No contracts.
No rules. No pretending. Just you and me. ”
Alice felt tears welling up in her eyes.
Because even though she was hurt, she still loved him. She had always loved him. “David, I need to think. ”
David nodded, even though the fear of losing her was consuming his chest.
“I’ll wait as long as it takes. But I won’t give up on you. ”
The next morning, David appeared on the porch holding two cups of coffee. “You’re still mad at me,” he said.
Alice took a deep breath. “I’m not mad. ”
“Then why does it feel like you’re one second away from kicking me out? ”
“Because I don’t know what to believe.
”
David turned fully toward her. “Believe what I’m telling you. ”
Alice let out a low, humorless laugh. “You want me to just forget that you left me?
That you ignored what I felt and ran away like I was a problem to be avoided? ”
David closed his eyes. “Alice, I spent my whole life thinking it was easier not to feel anything. But then you showed up and messed everything up.
”
He gently cupped her face. “My solution was to deny the obvious. But I can’t do that anymore. I love you, Alice.
And if I have to spend the rest of my life proving that to you, I will. ”
Alice felt her eyes fill with tears. “I need time. ”
David nodded.
“I’ll wait as long as it takes. ”
Alice looked at him for a long moment. Then she whispered, “Then prove it to me. ”
And for the first time, David understood exactly what he needed to do.
That morning, he left the cabin and drove into town. Alice watched him disappear down the road. He didn’t say where he was going. When the sun started to set, Alice heard the sound of the car arriving.
David got out and grabbed something from the trunk. Two suitcases. When he finally got closer, Alice noticed the change in his expression. He looked lighter.
“What’s this? ” she asked, pointing to the suitcases. David opened one and pulled out a stack of papers. “I’m resigning.
”
Alice froze. “What? ”
“I asked the board to accept my resignation. I’m no longer the CEO of Scott Tech.
”
Alice couldn’t believe it. “You’re kidding. ”
“Do you think I would joke about something like this? ”
“But the company is your life.
”
David gave a small smile. “It was. ”
He stepped forward and took her hand. “I’m staying here with you.
”
Alice blinked, still trying to process. “You gave up everything for me? ”
David nodded. “I gave up everything to finally live.
And that means being with you. ”
In the days that followed, David seemed like a different man. He wasn’t in a hurry. He took Alice on beach walks, made breakfast even though his cooking skills were still a disaster, and made sure to enjoy every moment with her.
Then one day, David proved he could still surprise her. It was late afternoon. The sky showed shades of orange and pink. David asked Alice to meet him on the beach.
When she arrived, her heart nearly stopped. There was a path of candles lighting up the sand, flower petals scattered around. And right in the middle, David stood. Holding a small box.
He knelt down. “Since the day you came into my life, everything has changed,” he began. “You turned my boring routine into something unpredictable. You made me feel again.
I spent so much time running from love, thinking it would make me weak. But then you came along and showed me that love doesn’t destroy me. It completes me. ”
He opened the box, revealing a stunning ring.
“Alice Martins, you’re the one thing I don’t want to lose. Will you marry me? ”
Alice sobbed. Her heart was beating so fast she thought she might faint.
“Yes. A thousand times yes. ”
The wedding took place a few weeks later, in an intimate seaside ceremony. Alice walked down the aisle barefoot on the sand, her heart racing with every step.
David waited for her at the altar, his eyes full of emotion. When it was time for the vows, David took her hands and smiled. “I’ve never been good with words. I spent my life running from feelings, thinking they were a risk.
But then you appeared and showed me that the biggest risk was living without love. Today, I promise you that I won’t run anymore. I promise to stay every day for the rest of our lives. ”
Alice felt tears stream down her face.
She didn’t know it was possible to feel so much. The officiant smiled. “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.
”
David pulled Alice close and kissed her with all the love he had kept hidden for so long. The reception was held under the stars. There was an improvised dance floor in the sand, lights hung between palm trees, and soft music played in the background. As they danced, David whispered in Alice’s ear, “I still can’t believe I got to marry you.
”
Alice laughed. “Well, believe it. You’re officially a married man now. ”
He twirled her slowly.
“And I can’t wait to spend every second of my life by your side. ”
Alice smiled, feeling happier than she ever imagined. In the distance, the waves crashed on the shore. The music played on.
And in that moment, they both knew they were exactly where they were meant to be. Together. Forever.
