The afternoon sun cast a golden glow over the landscape. A clear river flowed through the lush greenery, its surface shimmering in the light. Leaves rustled, birds chirped, and a soft breeze carried the scent of wildflowers, creating a peaceful atmosphere.
Zinnia stood at the edge of the wooden balcony, taking in the serene beauty of nature before her. She smiled, a sense of tranquility washing over her. It was perfect.
Just then, warm arms wrapped around her waist from behind, pulling her into a familiar embrace. Samuel rested his chin lightly on her shoulder, his voice low and teasing.
"Enjoying the view?"
Zinnia nodded, her lips curling into a soft smile. "Yeah, it’s so pretty here."
They stood there in comfortable silence, simply savoring each other’s presence. The gentle rise and fall of their breathing synced together as they gazed out at the mesmerizing scenery. This was their moment—peaceful, unhurried, and filled with love.
But their tranquility was soon interrupted by the sound of hurried footsteps approaching.
"Do we really have to be here? You know this is supposed to be their honeymoon. Aren’t we intruding?"
Lily’s voice, tinged with frustration, broke the moment as she followed closely behind Timmy, who was struggling to carry their luggage.
Timmy came to a halt and turned to her with an exasperated look. "We have a business meeting here with someone. After that, we can leave them to enjoy their honeymoon."
Lily let out a dramatic sigh. "Why do I have to be here then? Why did you drag me into this?"
Timmy, putting on his best pleading expression, clasped his hands together. "You know they just got married, and they’re so lovey-dovey right now. I don’t want to be a third wheel. Just keep me company, please?"
Lily stared at his puppy-dog eyes for a moment before sighing in defeat. "Fine. I’ll keep you company."
Samuel and Zinnia, who had been watching the entire exchange, chuckled as they saw the two bickering their way to a separate cabin.
Zinnia smiled knowingly. "They sure match each other perfectly."
Samuel smirked. "Yeah, Timmy must take a leap soon."
He then gently pinched Zinnia’s cheek. "Enough about them, focus on us."
Zinnia chuckled, leaning into his embrace once again as they continued admiring the scenery together.
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Later that evening, as the soft glow of lanterns illuminated the surroundings, Zinnia called out from the hallway.
"Lily, let’s go now. Samuel and Timmy are waiting for us."
Lily, who had just finished getting dressed, emerged from the room, adjusting her hair. "Coming! Why are you in such a hurry?"
Zinnia’s eyes sparkled with excitement. "There seems to be an event in the garden. I can hear lovely music playing from there. I’m excited to see it."
Lily chuckled. "Fine, I’m ready. Let’s go."
As they walked towards the garden, something unexpected happened.
Each person Lily passed by handed her a different type of lily flower. At first, she was confused, glancing at Zinnia for an explanation, but Zinnia simply smiled and gestured for her to accept them and keep moving forward.
By the time they reached the center of the beautifully decorated garden, Lily was holding a bouquet of various lilies, and her heart was pounding with uncertainty.
Then she saw him.
Timmy stood there, holding a carefully arranged bouquet of lilies, his eyes locked onto hers. Behind him, soft romantic music played in the background, filling the night air with warmth and emotion.
Lily felt her breath hitch as Timmy took a step forward, offering her the bouquet with a nervous yet hopeful smile.
"Can I have this dance with you?" he asked, his voice gentle yet sincere.
Still in shock, Lily could only nod before placing her hand in his.
The moment their hands touched, Timmy guided her to the center, and they swayed together in perfect harmony with the music. The world around them seemed to fade away as they moved in sync, their hearts beating as one.
From the sidelines, Samuel and Zinnia watched with smiles on their faces.
"It’s about time," Zinnia murmured.
Samuel smirked. "Looks like Timmy finally found the courage."
The song slowly came to an end, and as Lily prepared to step back, Timmy suddenly knelt down on one knee.
A small gasp escaped Lily’s lips as she watched him take out a small box, revealing a simple yet elegant ring inside.
His voice was filled with raw emotion as he spoke.
"I don’t have the riches of the world. I don’t have a family to support me. I know our worlds are different—like heaven and earth. But despite our differences, I still want to spend my life with you. I hope you accept me for who I am, even if I don’t have much to offer except my love."
He took a deep breath, his eyes never leaving hers.
"Lily Aquila, will you marry me?"
Tears welled up in Lily’s eyes as she stared at the man in front of her—the man who had made her smile when she least expected it and made her feel what love is.
With a shaky breath, she nodded. "Yes. Yes, I will marry you."
The moment the words left her lips, applause erupted around them. Guests cheered, and petals rained down in celebration.
Samuel and Zinnia, clapping enthusiastically, couldn’t resist teasing them.
"Be sure to invite us to your wedding!" Zinnia called out.
Samuel smirked. "Yeah, and don’t take too long! We’re expecting an invitation soon."
Lily laughed through her tears, and Timmy, overwhelmed with happiness, pulled her into a tight embrace.
Under the twinkling fairy lights and the soft melody of music, their love story had just begun.
The End.
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Author’s Note:
Yay! I can’t believe this story is finally completed.
I achieved a continuous 147 days of writing this.
Thank you so much to everyone who supported me from the start until the end of this story.
I’m so grateful to have you here and for joining me on this journey.
I hope you enjoyed the story of Zinnia and Samuel, along with the other characters.
I can’t thank you all enough, my lovely readers.
Also, special thanks to all my author friends who supported me all the way: LotusLin, Slowestcook, Hansora, NispedanaSan, QueenFrieza, M0M0KA, TheOtherNoble, Sunny_Shumail, CaptainSadistic, and many more. I realized there are so many I can’t name them all. Hope you support their stories too.
Thank you so much, my lovely Little Flowers!
See you in my next book.
It will be coming soon, maybe in March, titled "Contract Marriage with My Secret Partner in Crime"
Hope you support it too.
Love you all!
Air_Ace