Chapter 142 The ring box
Chapter 142 The ring box
The words had barely left his mouth when Richelle face-palmed dramatically behind him. Jasmine’s brows furrowed deeply.
“Without me?” she asked, crossing her arms. Her tone was suspicious, and the hurt in her voice was impossible to miss.
“Damn it,” Damien muttered under his breath, wincing. He immediately regretted his clumsy excuse.
Richelle jumped in smoothly, trying to salvage the situation. “We’re just running out quickly to bring back your favorites, sweetheart. We know you’ve been craving that pasta from Antonio’s, and we thought we’d surprise you with takeout.”
Jasmine watched the three of them carefully, her eyes narrowing. She clearly wasn’t fully convinced, but after a long pause she sighed and decided to let it slide. “Okay…” she said slowly, still glaring at them with a mix of suspicion and amusement. “But you three are acting really weird.”
Damien stepped forward and cupped her cheek gently, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to her skin. “We’ll be back soon, promise,” he murmured against her cheek, his voice warm and reassuring.
Jasmine nodded, but her eyes followed them as they headed for the door. She stood there watching them leave, arms still crossed, the suspicion lingering on her face long after the door clicked shut.
Damien drove them straight to the upscale jewelry store downtown. The moment they stepped inside, the soft lighting and gleaming display cases made the atmosphere feel intimate and luxurious.
Darcy and Richelle flanked him as he asked the attendant to bring out several ring samples.
He showed them a few options, but when the sales associate placed one particular ring on the velvet tray, everyone went quiet.
It was breathtaking a large, pear shaped diamond centerpiece surrounded by smaller brilliant-cut diamonds on a delicate platinum band. The stones caught the light perfectly, sparkling with fiery brilliance.
A thin diamond-encrusted chain necklace complemented it, the same elegant design resting against the model’s skin in the display.
Darcy gasped softly. “That’s the one. It’s perfect for her.”
Richelle nodded in approval, touching the ring gently. “She’s going to cry when she sees this.”
Damien didn’t hesitate. He paid for the ring and the matching necklace, his chest tight with a mixture of nerves and joy as the small velvet box was handed to him.
From there, they moved to an exclusive boutique nearby. They spent nearly an hour browsing through racks of designer evening gowns. After trying several options and debating colors and styles, they finally settled on one that took their breath away.
It was a stunning, floor-length red satin gown with a daring one-shoulder design. The rich crimson fabric draped beautifully over the body, ruched elegantly at the waist to accentuate curves.
A long, flowing cape-like sleeve cascaded dramatically from the shoulder, adding movement and elegance. The slit along the side revealed just enough leg with every step, making it both sophisticated and seductive.
The deep red color would look incredible against Jasmine’s skin tone, turning heads the moment she walked into the restaurant.
Darcy held the dress up with a proud smile. “She’s going to look like a queen in this.”
Damien ran his fingers over the smooth fabric, imagining Jasmine wearing it on the night he dropped to one knee. “This is it,” he said quietly, a small, hopeful smile breaking across his face. “Let’s get it.”
With the ring and the dress safely packed in the car, the three of them headed back home, hearts full and minds already racing with plans for the perfect proposal in two weeks’ time.
The drive back from the boutique felt lighter than the trip there. The ring box and the dress bag were safely tucked away in the trunk, but the three of them couldn’t stop smiling.
They had pulled off the first part of the secret plan without Jasmine suspecting too much—at least, they hoped so.
Damien turned the car into a quiet street and parked outside their favorite Italian spot. “I’ll run in and grab the spaghetti,” he said, already reaching for the door handle. “Won’t take long.”
As soon as he stepped out, Richelle leaned forward from the back seat, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. “Chicken,” she teased, her voice dripping with amusement. “I still can’t believe you told her we were going to dinner without her. ‘We’re bringing back your favorites’—really? You folded so fast, Damien. No guts at all.”
Damien paused halfway out of the car and shot her a look over his shoulder, but there was no real heat behind it. Darcy, sitting in the passenger seat, swatted Richelle’s arm lightly.
“Oh, leave him alone,” Darcy defended, chuckling softly. “He’s a man in love, Richelle. Completely terrified of his soon-to-be wife. You can’t blame him for panicking when she looked at him with those big brown eyes. I’ve seen grown men crumble for less.”
Damien rolled his eyes, but a reluctant smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “Thanks for the support, Mom,” he muttered sarcastically as he closed the car door and headed inside the restaurant. He could still hear their laughter following him.
A few minutes later, he returned with a warm paper bag filled with Jasmine’s favorite spaghetti carbonara, the rich aroma of garlic, cheese, and pancetta filling the car the moment he opened the door.
He handed the bag to Darcy and slid back behind the wheel. “Alright, let’s get home before she starts texting me,” he said, starting the engine. His stomach twisted with a mix of nerves and affection.
He knew Jasmine would be waiting, curious and probably still suspicious. That was why he had left the ring box and the elegant dress bag hidden in the trunk. He wasn’t ready to explain those yet.
The drive home was filled with easy conversation and more gentle teasing from Richelle, but Damien’s mind kept drifting to the velvet box waiting in the car. Two weeks. Just two more weeks and he would finally ask Jasmine to spend the rest of her life with him.
When they walked through the front door, the warm glow of the living room lights greeted them.
Just as Damien had predicted, Jasmine was curled up on the large sectional sofa, waiting for them. She sat up the moment she heard the door, her eyes lighting up with curiosity mixed with that familiar suspicious glint.