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"Amara," I breathe, drinking in the sight of her like a man lost in the desert. "You came."
She nods, her eyes searching mine as she comes to a stop before me. "I told you I would, Grayson. I believe in us, in the love we've built. I just...I need to understand. To hear the truth from you, once and for all."
I take her hands in mine, marveling at the perfect fit, the way our fingers lace together like two halves of a whole. "Amara, I...I don't even know where to begin. The things Sophia said, the photos she showed you...I swear to you, on everything I hold dear, that it was all a lie. A twisted, cruel manipulation designed to tear us apart. The woman doesn’t know how to lose. She’s a heiress to a vast fortune, you understand. She doesn’t know how to accept no as an answer."
Amara nods, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I know, Grayson. In my heart, I know. But I need to hear it from you. I need to understand why she would do something so vicious, so calculated."
I take a deep breath, steeling myself for the painful truths I'm about to unveil. "We have a history. A messy, complicated one that I've never fully shared with you. And for that, I'm so deeply sorry."
I lead Amara to the blanket, settling us both down amidst the blooming flowers and lush greenery. "When I first met her, I was young and naive. Dazzled by her beauty, her charm, her seemingly effortless grace. I thought I was in love, thought she was the one I was meant to spend my life with."
Amara listens attentively, her hand still clasped tightly in mine. "What happened?" she asks softly, her voice free of judgment or accusation.
"I quickly realized that her beauty was only skin-deep," I confess, my chest tight with long-buried pain. "Beneath that polished exterior was a woman consumed by greed, by a desperate need for power and control. She used me, manipulated me, twisted my love for her own gain."
I swallow hard, forcing myself to meet Amara's gaze head-on. "When I finally found the strength to end things, she...she didn't take it well. She lashed out, threatened to ruin me, to destroy everything I'd worked so hard to build. I thought I'd seen the last of her when I walked away, but...I was wrong."
Amara's eyes widen, a flash of understanding dawning on her face. "And now she's back, determined to make good on those threats."
I nod, my throat tight with emotion. "She can't stand to see me happy, to see me in love with someone who isn't her. And so she's stooped to the lowest of lows, fabricating evidence and lies, all in a desperate attempt to shatter what we've built."
Amara is silent for a moment, her gaze distant as she processes my words. Silence parts her lips in a motion so alluring, it takes all my strength not to finish my explanation with my mouth on hers. Then, to my surprise and immense relief, she turns to me with a soft, understanding smile.
"Grayson," she murmurs, reaching up to cup my face in her gentle hands. "I...I can't imagine how difficult it must have been, to carry that pain and that fear for so long. And I'm so, so sorry that she has chosen to resurface in such a vicious way."
I lean into her touch, my eyes fluttering closed as I savor the warmth of her skin against mine. "I should have told you sooner, Amara. I should have been fully transparent about my past, about the demons I've fought so hard to leave behind. And I...I understand if this changes things, if you can't trust me in the same way anymore."
But Amara just shakes her head, her eyes fierce with love and determination. "Grayson Winthrop, you listen to me. Your past, your scars...they don't define you. They don't change the man I know you to be, the man I've fallen so deeply, irrevocably in love with."
She takes my hands in hers, her grip strong and unwavering. "I trust you, Grayson. With my heart, with my future, with every breath in my body. And no amount of lies or manipulation from a bitter ex can change that."
I feel a wave of emotion crash over me, so intense and overwhelming that it steals my breath. "Amara," I choke out, my vision blurring with tears. "I...I don't deserve you. Don't deserve your forgiveness, your unwavering faith in me."
She just smiles, leaning in to press a soft, sweet kiss to my lips. "Yes, you do, Grayson. You deserve all the love, all the happiness in the world. And I intend to spend the rest of my life giving you just that."
In that moment, amidst the blooming flowers and the golden sunlight, I feel a sense of peace settle over me. A bone-deep certainty that, no matter what storms may come our way, Amara and I will weather them together.
And so, with a heart full of love and a soul bursting with hope, I reach into my pocket and pull out the ring that has been burning a hole there for weeks.
"Amara Jeffries," I whisper, sliding to one knee before her. "You are my light, my love, my everything. You've stood by me through the darkest of times and loved me through my flaws and my scars. And I...I can't imagine spending another day without you by my side."
Amara's eyes widen, her hands flying to her mouth as realization dawns. "Grayson," she breathes, her voice trembling with emotion.
"Will you marry me, Amara?" I ask, my heart in my throat as I hold out the gleaming diamond. "Will you be my partner, my soulmate, my forever love?"
For a moment, the world stands still, the only sound the pounding of my own heart in my ears. And then, with a tearful, joyous laugh, Amara launches herself into my arms, nearly knocking us both to the ground.
"Yes," she whispers, peppering my face with kisses. "Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. I love you, Grayson Winthrop. And I can't wait to be your wife."
As I slide the ring onto her finger, marveling at the perfect fit, I feel a sense of rightness settle over me. A certainty that, no matter what the future may hold, Amara and I will face it together.
Hand in hand, heart to heart, ready to conquer the world and build our happily ever after, one precious day at a time.
21
AMARA
The morning sunlight streams through the gauzy curtains of Grayson's bedroom, casting a warm, golden glow over our entwined bodies. I stretch languidly, my heart full to bursting with the events of the past 24 hours.
