Chapter 200: Dominic’s surprise proposal

Several months later...

Dominic’s hand had fully recovered. He could finally return to his normal activities. He could drive again, work without restrictions, and even fight if necessary.

Business matters had consumed the past few months. With the Bellini Empire finally under his control and Russo Holdings expanding rapidly, Dominic had been busier than ever.

There were days when he barely had time to return home.

He had missed dinners with Mila. He had missed spending time with Cassian. And although Mila had never complained, Dominic knew he had been neglecting his family.

Tonight, however, he intended to make it up to her.

A smile curved his lips as he checked the banquet hall on his laptop.

The final preparations were almost complete.

"Sir, the event planner called. The decoration is finished," the man said with a slight bow. "Everything has been arranged according to Madam’s preferences, just as you instructed."

"Fine. You can leave."

The man bowed and walked out.

Dominic picked up his phone and dialed Mila.

She answered after a few rings.

"Hello?"

The moment he heard her voice, a smile appeared on his face. He leaned back in his chair.

"Are you busy?"

"A little. But I can talk to you for a while."

Her cheerful voice made his smile widen.

"Then I want some of your precious time. Is that possible?"

Mila laughed softly. "You are impossible. How can I not have time for you? Even if I have to abandon my duties for a while, I will."

"No." Dominic chuckled. "I don’t want you to abandon your duties. I can’t have the entire hospital cursing me for stealing their director."

Mila giggled. "You really know how to make me laugh."

She paused. "Alright, come to the point. What are you planning? Are you coming home early tonight?"

Dominic didn’t answer immediately. His smile slowly faded.

A pang of regret settled in his chest.

Over the past few months, he had rarely managed to come home early. He had missed dinner with his wife more times than he could count.

But tonight would be different. He would remind Mila just how much she meant to him.

"No," he finally said. "We are going out."

"Out?"

"We’ll have dinner together." His voice carried a hint of mystery. "And there is something else I’ve prepared for you."

Mila immediately became curious. "Something else?"

"Meet me at the Imperial Palace banquet hall. I’ll be waiting for you."

Her eyes lit up. "Are you planning a surprise for me?"

"Yes." Dominic smiled. "Just be on time."

"Alright. See you this evening."

"See you, my love."

After ending the call, Dominic looked at the time.

Tonight had to be perfect.

~~~~~~~~~~

By evening, the Imperial Palace banquet hall had been transformed into a breathtaking romantic setting.

The entire hall was decorated in Mila’s favorite shades.

At the center of the hall stood a circular platform surrounded by white roses and candles. And behind it was a large floral arch covered in cascading orchids.

Hundreds of delicate white roses and pale pink peonies lined the aisle leading toward the center of the hall. Small clusters of baby’s breath filled the spaces between the larger flowers.

The theme was elegant and timeless—a romantic garden beneath the stars. The ceiling had been decorated with hundreds of tiny lights, creating the illusion of a starry night sky.

Everything was elegant without being excessive. It was exactly the kind of beauty Mila loved.

When Mila entered the banquet hall, she stopped in her tracks. Her eyes widened. For several seconds, she could only stare.

Every detail had been chosen according to her preferences.

The flowers she loved, the colors she adored, and the soft, romantic atmosphere she had always found beautiful.

She slowly turned around. Then she spotted Dominic standing a few steps away.

He was dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit. A warm smile spread across his face.

Mila walked toward him, grinning brightly. "What is this?"

Dominic chuckled. "You like it?"

"I love it." She looked around again, her eyes shining. "But why did you do all this?"

Dominic didn’t answer. Instead, he stepped toward her.

To Mila’s complete surprise, he lowered himself onto one knee.

"Dominic..." She covered her mouth with both hands, sensing he was going to propose to her.

Dominic reached into his pocket and took out a small velvet box. He opened it.

Inside was a breathtaking pink diamond ring. The rare diamond sparkled beneath the warm lights.

Dominic looked up at Mila. His heart began pounding. Strangely, he felt nervous.

He had faced enemies without fear. He had stared death in the face without flinching.

But standing before the woman he loved, asking her to marry him, made his heart race as though he were confessing his love to her for the very first time.

"Mila..." His voice softened. "We never had a proper wedding. I never had the time to give you the wedding you deserved. I regret that."

His gaze remained fixed on hers. "So this time, I want to do everything properly."

"Dominic..." Her eyes immediately became watery.

He took a breath. He slowly extended the ring toward her. "I want a grand wedding. I want to stand beside you in front of everyone and call you my wife."

His lips curved into a foolishly happy smile. "Will you marry me, Mila?"

Tears spilled down Mila’s cheeks. She nodded frantically.

"Yes." A laugh escaped through her tears. "Yes... A hundred times yes."

She immediately stretched out her hand.

Dominic’s eyes gleamed with excitement. His fingers trembled slightly as he took her hand and carefully slipped the pink diamond ring onto her finger.

The ring fit perfectly.

Mila stared at it, tears still shining in her eyes. She couldn’t stop smiling.

Then suddenly, music filled the hall.

Mila almost jumped. She looked toward the stage.

The musicians stood beneath the soft golden lights, their instruments filling the hall with a beautiful, romantic melody.

Mila looked back at Dominic in astonishment. "What? You even arranged a live orchestra?"

"I wanted everything to be perfect." He rose to his feet and took both her hands in his. His thumb gently brushed over the new ring on her finger.

"I wanted this evening to be something you would remember forever."

"This is already special." Her smile grew brighter. "I love it."

Dominic gave her a playful look. "The music is beautiful." He extended his hand. "May I have this dance with you?"

Mila smiled. "Of course."

She placed her hand in his.

Dominic led her onto the dance floor.

The orchestra played a slow, graceful melody as they moved together.

His hand rested gently at her waist while Mila placed hers on his shoulder. They moved slowly across the floor, perfectly in sync.

Mila’s dress swayed softly with every step, while Dominic guided her with effortless confidence. At one point, he spun her gently beneath his arm.

She laughed.

Outside the banquet hall, however, someone stood completely still.

Ethan.

He had frozen the moment he saw the couple dancing through the open doors. He never imagined the woman inside would be Mila.

After Smith Group went bankrupt, Ethan had struggled for a long time. He had lost almost everything and spent months trying to rebuild his life.

Eventually, after countless setbacks, he managed to establish a small event-planning company. It was still new, but he was determined to make it successful.

When he received an order to prepare a banquet hall for a marriage proposal, he accepted immediately. The payment was generous.

He had never imagined that the client would be Dominic.

And he had never imagined that the woman his client was about to marry would be Mila, the woman he had once loved and then foolishly lost.

Ethan’s eyes stung. He stared at her.

Mila looked genuinely happy. There was no trace of the woman who had once waited desperately for his attention.

In the past, Ethan had betrayed her. He had conspired against her with Bianca, believing he could have both women whenever he wanted.

Ethan had taken Mila’s love for granted. He had believed that no matter how badly he treated her, she would always return. As long as he gave her a few sweet words, he thought she would forgive everything.

He had believed she loved him too much to ever leave. But he had been wrong.

She had walked away. And she had found someone far better than him.

Mila was happy, successful, and loved. Meanwhile, Ethan was still struggling to rebuild a life that had been shattered by his own choices.

His heart ached. He pressed a hand against his chest.

"If I hadn’t fallen for Bianca’s lies, could our fate have been different?"

A bitter chuckle escaped him.

The question no longer mattered.

"It’s too late to regret it now. She hates me now. She’ll never come back to me."

He stood there for another moment, watching the woman he had once taken for granted dance happily in another man’s arms. His eyes were filled with tears. Yet a genuine smile slowly appeared on his face.

"I wish you a happy life, Mila."

Then he turned around and walked away.

The dance eventually came to an end.

Dominic pulled Mila into his arms.

She rested her head against his chest, listening to his strong, steady heartbeat. A contented smile appeared on her lips.

Dominic lowered his head. "There is one more thing. I’ve already planned the wedding. The invitations have already been sent."

Mila stared at him in disbelief. "Really?"

Dominic nodded. "The wedding is in a few days." He smiled mischievously. "I hope you’ll love the wedding dress I prepared for you."

Mila’s eyes widened even further. "You prepared the dress too?"

"You’ll see."

Before she could ask anything else, Dominic leaned down and kissed her gently.

Mila smiled against his lips.