Chapter 65


    Chapter 65


    HAZEL


    FIVE YEARS AGO


    I knew I owed Ravel a date, whether or not I was contemting ending things with him. I quickly


    apologized to the makeup artist and stylist for the dy, urging them to work swiftly since I didn’t want


    to keep Ravel waiting any longer than


    necessary.


    In just under an hour, my makeup waspleted and my hair styled. Slipping into the dress Ravel had


    given me and adorning myself with the diamond set he’d gifted me on myst birthday, I felt a twinge of


    nostalgia. There had been a point when I had considered selling this set to alleviate some financial


    strain, particrly when Kelvin’s financial demands had grown insistent.


    A light knock sounded on my door, followed by Adam’s entrance. “The car is ready,” he informed me.


    Nodding in response to Adam, I slung my purse over my shoulder and left the room. I should have


    been excited; spending time with Ravel usually brought a sense of excitement, but tonight, the


    impending news of our breakup hung heavily over me. Maybe after the dinner, I would muster the


    courage to convey my intentions to end our rtionship.


    Settling into the car, I leaned back and closed my eyes, attempting to calm my racing thoughts.


    Whenever I nced up, I noticed Adam’s gaze on me through the rearview mirror. He likely wondered


    about Kelvin, but I had no obligation to provide an exnation to him.


    As the car pulled up at a hotel, Adam emerged, opening the door for me and ensuring I didn’t step on


    my dress. Stepping out, I moved toward the hotel’s entrance. However, Adam took hold of my hand


    and steered me toward a different wing of the building.


    Baffled, I looked back at the parked car. “Where are we going?” I queried, my confusion evident.


    “To where Mr. Southwark is,” came Adam’s curt reply. His words left me speechless as I obediently


    trailed behind him. The path led us to a dimly lit structure adjacent to the hotel. Slowly, his hand


    released mine, leaving me in the darkness.


    Panic began to gnaw at me. “Adam!” I called out, my voice trembling. Fumbling in my purse, I searched


    for my phone’s shlight. But before I could retrieve it, a spotlight suddenly burst to life, illuminating a


    man poised at a piano. I stared, a mixture of curiosity and surprise swirling within me. The man’s


    fingers began to dance on the piano keys, producing soft, melodic tunes.


    As he yed the first stanza of ‘Perfect’ by Ed Sheeran, the music came to a gentle halt. Then, another


    spotlight illuminated Ravel. And then, another light revealed Elenor, followed by Raymond, Adam, and


    several unfamiliar faces. They held letters that, when read together, spelled out the words, “Will You


    Marry Me?”


    My eyes widened in a mix of shock and disbelief, unshed tears shimmering as I watched Ravel


    approach me with a nervous smile. “What’s happening?” I silently mouthed, utterly taken aback by this


    unexpected turn of events. How did things evolve to this point?


    Coming to a stop before me, Ravel gently took my hand in his, his expression a blend of nervousness


    and earnestness. “Hazel,” he whispered, his voice carrying a tender weight. “From the very first day I


    crossed paths with you in that hallway, my life has been transformed by your love, bringing me endless


    joy andughter.” His azure eyes danced with affection and admiration as they locked onto mine.


    “You’ve be my constant thought, my eternal desire to be in your presence. When you moved in


    with me, returning home to you became my most cherished wish.”


    He moistened his lips nervously, his words quivering with sincerity. “I don’t want this to end, Hazel. I


    yearn to lie beside you in bed for eternity, to wake up each day with your face as my first sight until my


    last breath.” His figure slowly sank to one knee, his vulnerabilityid bare. “Hazel Brown, would you do


    me the honor of making me the happiest man alive by saying yes to spending forever with me?”


    A surge of desire to say yes coursed through me. The thought of a future with Ravel, building a life


    together, having children, and growing old side by side, had always been my aspiration. Yet, the


    shadow of my past loomedrge, threatening to sabotage everything. I tore my gaze away from him,


    ncing at the faces surrounding us.


    Chapter 65


    Elenor appeared genuinely joyful, Raymond seemed to hold onto a glimmer of hope, Adam’s pride wasC0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    evident for having yed a role in orchestrating this surprise, while the other unfamiliar faces bore a


    mixture of envy and happiness, perhaps yearning for a simr moment. Anne, of course, was absent. If


    her own son didn’t care enough to bring her here, why should


    I?


    Finally, I shifted my gaze back to Ravel. With all those eyes on us, it didn’t feel like I could utter a


    negative answer. But why should I say no? There was every reason to embrace happiness, not just for


    him, but for myself as well. It was time to let him decide whether my past was a deal-breaker or


    something he was willing to look beyond.


    Moistening my lips, I nodded, a quiet affirmation. “Yes,” I breathed, lifting my hand to disy the fingers


    that would soon carry the ring. “Let’s face the future together, Ravel.” A broad smile lit up his face as he


    slid the ring onto my finger. Standing, he enveloped me in his arms and pressed his lips tenderly


    against mine.


    The gathering erupted in a chorus of cheers, coos, and yful whistles. Disregarding the attention, I


    entwined my arms around Ravel’s neck and deepened the kiss, intent on sealing this moment with the


    intensity of my emotions.


    After what seemed like an eternity, we eased away from the kiss to catch our breath. Ravel’s forehead


    rested gently against mine, and an uncontainable smile spread across my face. “When did you start


    nning all of this?” I asked, unable to contain my curiosity.


    His grin was infectious. “I’ve been thinking about marrying you for quite a while now, but I began


    nning this surprise about a month ago.”


    The joyous atmosphere embraced us, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of happiness. There was,


    however, the pressing matter of discussing Kelvin with him. For now, I needed to reach out to Kelvin


    and halt any potentially damaging information from being published. Ravel needed to hear it from me


    first.


    “Congrattions, girl!” Elenor’s exuberant voice rang out as she enveloped me in a warm hug. “You


    two are going to have the most gorgeous babies.”


    She had mentioned she was going to spend her vacation in Paris. “Weren’t you supposed to be


    traveling?” I inquired.


    Elenor nonchntly shrugged. “I’ll do whatever it takes to make Bluey happy and to sp i ke Anne’s


    blood pressure.” We shared a chuckle, appreciating her dark humor. Congrattory words followed


    once Elenor released me from the embrace.


    Ravel handed me a ss, and together we raised a toast to new beginnings and an eternal future. As


    the music began ying and the food was served, Elenor imed the dance floor, while Ravel excused


    himself briefly to attend to some phone calls. Elenor had already uploaded the news to her Instagram


    ount, setting the inte abuzz.


    Seizing the moment, I excused myself from the festivities and retreated to a quieter corner to call


    Kelvin. He answered on the second ring. “You crazy bit ch!” he snapped in response. “You said you


    ended things with him. So what’s this engagement


    news all about?”


    My hand clenched into a fist, my frustration evident. “He proposed, and I couldn’t refuse,” I responded


    tersely. “Please don’t publish the photos. I’ll get the money to you soon.”


    Kelvin’s chuckle carried a sly edge. “You must be naive to think I’d settle for the same amount. You’re


    in a much more vulnerable position now, Hazel, which is why I’m asking for two million dors.”


    My eyes widened in disbelief. “Kelvin, you can’t be serious. Two million is excessive!”


    He scoffed dismissively. “Perhaps it’s a bit much for Southwark’s girlfriend, but it’s definitely not


    excessive for Southwark’s future wife You’ve got a fortnight toe up with the money, or I’ll be


    approaching the next newspaper outlet. I’ll be waiting for your call.” The call ended abruptly, leaving me


    speechless and my heart racing.


    Just how insatiably greedy could Kelvin be? Demanding two million dors, money he didn’t earn or


    deserve? I refused to be extorted by him, no matter the circumstances.


    “Hazel?” Ravel’s voice cut through my thoughts. “Why are you out here?”


    Putting on a smile, I turned to face him. “The music was getting to be a bit overwhelming, and I was


    starting to develop a headache. So, I stepped away from the noise.”


    Chapter 65


    His nod was thoughtful. “Who were you on the phone with?”


    Feigning innocence, I asked, “Who are you talking about?”


    He gave me a pointed look. “I saw you on the phone. Everyone you know is inside. Who could you


    possibly be calling?”


    This was the moment. I took a deep breath. “Kelvin,” I whispered.