Chapter 23: To Forever

Chapter 23: To Forever
Renee’s POV
Paris looked like a dream dipped in gold.
The sun was bowing to the horizon, turning the whole sky warm and soft. As our car glided through the streets, every building seemed to glow. Fashion houses stood like royalty… Dior, Chanel, Louis Vuitton… each one elegant and unapologetically proud. High-end restaurants framed the streets, windows lit with soft chandeliers, laughter spilling out like music.
I pressed my palm to the window and whispered,
“God… Paris is even more beautiful than I imagined.”
But then…like an unwelcomed ghost…my heart tugged backward.
Clark.
He’d once seen my wishlist and promised to re-propose at the Eiffel Tower, if he finally made it as a Pro Hockey player. 
It had been on my little college wishlist.
I had wanted my father to fulfil the wish list for me but then we fell out because of Clark.
And like everything I ever wished for with him…
it became ashes.
I destroyed those dreams long before he ever could.
A sigh slipped out of me.
Andy glanced over.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I forced a smile, lifting my chin. “The city is just… overwhelming.”
He nodded, accepting it… no pressure, no interrogation.
Minutes later, Andy reached into the console and pulled out a red silk scarf. I raised a brow.
“What’s that for?”
“This,” he said, voice playful but eyes soft, “is for your next surprise.”
“No.” I scooted away. “Absolutely not. You know I hate blindfolds. I have a phobia of anything that makes me feel helpless.”
He took my hand gently… not pushing, just holding.
“Renee… do you trust me?”
That question hit deeper than it should have.
My voice softened.
“Yes.. I do but….” I began
“No buts..” he cut in… “I need you to trust me with this too.” He squeezed my palm in his, grounding me.
I swallowed, then nodded.
He tied the scarf around my eyes… gentle, careful, like he was handling glass.
“It won’t be long okay? We’re close,” he murmured. And I nodded
Minutes later, the car stopped.
My heart drummed as the door opened and Andy helped me out. Wind brushed through my hair… cold, crisp, Parisian.
He guided me forward, one careful step at a time.
Stairs.
Then I felt a glass door as I pushed it forward and Andy helped.

Someone’s voice…French, soft…
“Bienvenue.”
I smiled at the sound of the greeting. 
He lead me forward until we came to a stop again. 
“Are we there?” I asked again.
“Not yet..” then came an elevator chime.
My pulse quickened.
We stepped into the elevator and the moving sensation almost caused me nausea.
I was moving up yet seeing nothing.. but I trust Andrew, so I held on.
Seconds later the chime came again as the elevator came to a stop.. 
He led me out and paused.
“We’re here,” he whispered, untying the scarf.
Light poured in.
The world sharpened.
And my breath…
stopped.
Flower petals created a trail in front of me…scarlet and perfect…leading toward a table set for two. Candlelight flickered against crystal glasses. Musicians stood waiting with violins and cellos, and the moment my eyes widened, they began to play.
Soft. Romantic. Beautiful.
We were standing at the very top of the Eiffel Tower..
My chest tightened and suddenly I couldn’t move.
Andy stepped in front of me, offering his hand.
“My lady… may I have this dance?”
“I…” I laughed breathlessly. “I’m a terrible dancer. I might step on you.”
“I’ll risk it,” he smirked.
I placed my hand on his shoulder, his settled on my waist, and slowly…we moved. The music, the air, the skyline…it all felt unreal.
After a moment, he spoke.
“Do you remember our first set up dinner date?” he murmured.
I snorted. How could I forget?
“Oh God. Yes. I showed up looking like a homeless art student just to scare you off.”
“And I showed up looking like a man about to deliver a TED Talk,” he chuckled.
I laughed louder.
“You looked so serious. I thought you’d recite a stock market forecast before ordering coffee.”
He shook his head, smiling.
“I was nervous. I wanted you to like me. Even if you tried to make me hate you.”
My throat tightened at that.
Because I loved that ungrateful fool.
“I’m sorry Andy.. I did treat you badly..”
He shook his head, voice lower.
“You don’t have to be Renee, I’ve always loved you. Even when life tried to tear us apart. The night I saw the ripped pieces of your wishlist… I made myself a promise.”
I blinked up at him.
“That I would fulfill every single dream on it. One by one.”
Emotion swelled, thick and overwhelming.
“So far… I’ve completed four.”
Yes he had, in just one week.
He looked at me…eyes steady, warm, certain.
“And by the time I complete the last one… I want you to already be my wife.”
He stopped moving.
My heart hammered.
He lifted his gaze toward the sky.
“Look.”
I turned.
Fireworks burst into the night…bright, wild, breathtaking.
Words formed in glittering sparks:
I LOVE YOU, RENEE
My lungs stalled.
Then another burst:
THAT’S WHY I WANTED TO ASK…
Then…
The final explosion painted the sky:
WILL YOU BE MY FOREVER?
My hand flew to my mouth as my eyes burned.
I turned…
And Andy was already kneeling.
Ring box open.
Voice soft, trembling but sure:
“Renee Collins… will you marry me?”
Everything inside me cracked open.
I had lived three years as a slave.
Two years learning how to breathe again.
And yet here I was… my 17-year-old wishlist being completed by the man I least expected.
Tears streamed down my face as I whispered…
“Yes… Andy. I’ll be your forever.”
He exhaled sharply…like he’d been holding his breath for years and then he laughed, emotional and loud.
“Yes! YES… she said yes!”
Fireworks exploded again overhead:
SHE SAID YES
He slid the ring onto my finger, pulled me into his arms, and spun me until the world blurred.
Musicians returned to playing.
My tears wouldn’t stop.
He wiped them without hesitation and said “from now henceforth you will only shed tears of joy.. I’ll never let you cry..”
I threw myself into his arms knowing that he meant every single one of those words.
We finally sat to eat…steak, wine, macarons… everything perfect, surreal.
We talked. We laughed. We existed in a world where only we mattered.
At one point, I looked at him…really looked and wondered:
How did this man wait for me?
How did he still love me after every version of me I tried to destroy?
And it hit me…
This wasn’t just romance.
This was redemption.
This was home.
This was forever.
And for the first time in years…
my heart felt whole.