I stirred slightly in my sleep, a dull ache reminding me of the awkward position I'd been in. I straightened up, realizing I was no longer nestled against Chris, and a wave of sleepiness washed over me. We were still in the car.
Hadn't we arrived already? I wondered groggily.
Then, I turned and caught Chris gazing at me, a tender smile playing on his lips. His beautiful blue eyes shone brightly with love.
"Hi," he cooed softly, his right hand gently caressing my hair. His smile was infectious, and I couldn't help but return it.
"Hi. Haven't we gotten to your surprise yet?" I asked, my voice still thick with sleep.
"Oh, we have actually," he said, his smile widening.
"Then why didn't you wake me?" I asked, a hint of playful annoyance in my voice. "How long have I been out?"
"A little over two hours," he said simply, as though it wasn't a big deal.
"Oh my God, why didn't you wake me?" I repeated, more insistently this time.
"You looked so peaceful. I didn't have the heart to wake you, and besides, it looked like you needed the rest," he said thoughtfully, his eyes filled with genuine concern.
I softened, touched by his thoughtfulness and then stretched languidly and nodded.
"Fine," I said, giving in. I reached for the door handle and got out of the car. "So, where are we?" I asked, looking around, trying to get my bearings.
Right in front of me was a gorgeous, tiered water fountain, its sculpted figures shimmering in the sunlight. And behind it, dominating the landscape, stood a towering, beautiful mansion. Its architecture was stunning, a harmonious blend of classic elegance and modern design.
"Welcome to our new home," I heard him say from behind me, his voice warm and laced with pride. He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me close against his chest.
"Our home?" I asked, shocked. It was the most magnificent house I'd ever seen.
"Yeah," he chuckled.
"This is the surprise?" I asked, turning in his arms to meet his eyes, which sparkled with mirth.
"Yes," he said simply, his gaze never leaving mine. "Do you like it?"
I nodded vigorously, unable to find the words to express the sheer awe I was feeling. Who wouldn't like this?
"Let's go inside. I bet you'll love it even more," he said, taking my hand and leading me toward the towering mansion.
Inside, standing in a neat, straight line, were several men and women, whom I guessed to be in their early thirties, along with two older figures who looked like they were in their early fifties.
"Welcome, Sir. Welcome, Ma'am," they chorused in unison, their voices warm and welcoming.
I turned to look at Chris, who just wiggled his eyebrows at me playfully.
"Love," he said, drawing me forward. "Meet Paul and Marta. Paul is the butler, and Marta is the head maid. Everyone, meet my fiancée and the love of my life, Eve Mikelson, the madame of the house," he said, his voice full of affection.
I chuckled at the last part. He could be so dramatic at times, but I loved it.
"Hi, I'm Eve," I said, extending my hand to Marta first.
"I'm Marta. We have heard so much about you, Ma'am," the head maid said cheerfully, taking my hand in hers. Her voice and demeanor were so warm and genuine, I just knew we'd become fast friends.
"I hope the things you heard were good things," I teased gently, and she beamed. "Of course, Ma'am."
"Hi, Paul," I greeted the butler, while he excitedly came forward to shake my hand.
"Nice to meet you, Ma'am, and it's a pleasure to work for you," he said, his eyes twinkling with sincerity.
After meeting the staff, Chris gave me a tour of the entire house. There were ten bedrooms and fifteen bathrooms, a mini cinema, a game room, a mini clubhouse, two parking lots, two swimming pools, and a beautiful garden at the back of the house, just beside one of the pools. There was also a meticulously manicured golf course and a tennis court. The property encompassed five hundred hectares of land, the largest in the city, and probably in the entire country.
"Babe, this house is absolutely magnificent, but don't you think it's way too big for just the two of us?" I asked later, while digging into a delicious meal prepared by the staff.
"Not too big for a family of seven," he said simply, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
It took a second for my brain to process what he'd just said. "What?! A family of seven?" I asked, shocked, before instinctively looking down at my stomach. He just laughed at my reaction.
"I was kidding," he said, still chuckling. "But how many kids do you want us to have, anyway?"
"Let me get through this twin pregnancy first, and then we can revisit this topic again," I chuckled, shaking my head in amusement.
"Alright then. Whatever you decide, I'll definitely get behind it. Any number is okay with me," he said, reaching across the table to take my hand, his eyes radiating love and devotion.
We rested a little bit after the meal before bidding the staff goodnight and leaving, promising to return soon.
We planned to officially move in on the day of the wedding. It would be where we would spend our honeymoon, where we would begin our lives as a married couple, and, eventually, where we would raise our children.
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"Babe, hurry up, the celebrant shouldn't be late," I heard Chris call from downstairs. I couldn't help but chuckle at his phrasing. In the showbiz industry, the celebrant was always the last to arrive, not the other way around. But I wouldn't expect him to know that anyway.
I glanced at my reflection in the mirror, pleased with what I saw. My dress fit perfectly, accentuating my curves, and my hair and makeup were flawless. Satisfied, I grabbed my purse and headed downstairs.
"You never cease to take my breath away," he said lovingly as I descended the stairs, his eyes filled with admiration. I took the hand he extended, and he brought it to his lips, pressing a tender kiss to my knuckles.
"You don't look bad yourself," I complimented, admiring his sharp tuxedo and perfectly styled hair.
We left a few minutes later and headed to the Mikelson residence for our engagement party.
Just as I suspected, everyone was already present when we arrived.
"There they are!" my mom called out happily as we walked into the ballroom. The room was decorated beautifully, filled with flowers, soft lighting, and the murmur of conversation.
"Mom," I greeted, as she pulled me into a warm embrace. "You look stunning, as always," I said, admiring her elegant gown.
"And you look dapper, too, my boy," she said, turning to Chris and patting him on the shoulder.
"Cannot be compared to you, Ma'am, you look divine," he beamed at her, his charm radiating outward.
"Well, that's a new one. Why haven't I heard that before?" I teased, pouting playfully.
"You're not jealous of your own mom now, love, are you?" he asked, chuckling as we moved through the crowd to greet the other guests.
"Now, what if I am?" I raised an eyebrow at him, playfully challenging him.
He stared at me for a few brief seconds, his expression softening, before bursting into a heartfelt laugh that attracted everyone's attention to us.
"Oh, you are so cute," he said, his eyes sparkling with affection, and he reached out to pinch my cheeks gently.
"What a lovely sight," I heard a voice say from behind us, and I turned to see Lexi and Cole, my brother. Surprisingly, she was holding him by the elbow, guiding him forward.
"You look gorgeous," she said, embracing me warmly.
"For someone who has held the title of the most beautiful girl in the country, I must say I am humbled by your comment," I said, teasing her, and she laughed.
"Oh, please," she giggled, waving off the compliment.
"I see you're with Cole," I said, narrowing my eyes at him, trying to read his expression. He just stared back, expressionless as always.
"Is she your date?" I asked him, but he just frowned.
"No," he said curtly, the single word conveying a clear lack of interest.
"Oh no, he isn't. My date is on his way," she giggled, her eyes dancing with mischief.
I noticed a flicker of something—perhaps jealousy, perhaps annoyance—pass across Cole's face as he turned to look at her, and a small smile tugged at my lips. For someone who seemed so uninterested, he certainly looked bothered.
"Grandma is waiting for you, too," Cole said abruptly, then turned and walked away, leaving Lexi with us.
We turned and headed for the main table, where all our families were seated, including Grandma.
"So, you two finally gave me not one, but two grandchildren," Grandma said loudly as we approached her, her voice carrying across the room. I felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment. It was as if she were announcing to everyone that I'd been having sex with Chris.
"Grandma, stop, oh my God," I whispered to her as I embraced her tightly, trying to shut her up.
"Why? Are you not pregnant with twins? It's a wonderful thing to celebrate," she said, her eyes twinkling with excitement.
"We are celebrating our engagement, not a baby shower," I said, chuckling, trying to deflect her attention.
"In the grand scheme of things, the baby is the most important thing," she insisted, straightening her shoulders and puffing out her chest, causing everyone to laugh.
"You have done well, my boy. Congratulations," she said, patting Chris on the back approvingly.
The party went well into the night before everyone began to retire to their respective homes, exhausted but happy. We slept over in my room, tired and content, surrounded by the warmth and love of our families. We had just two more days until the wedding, and I couldn't wait to finally marry Chris and embark on a well-deserved vacation.