Chapter 227

Chapter 227

It was Alaric.

He wore an impeccably tailored black suit with a white shirt and dark gray tie. Standing there, he looked like a model stepping off a magazine cover.

His arm was still wrapped in bandages—the injuries he got from saving Harper days ago. The white bandages peeked out from beneath his black suit sleeve.

But his face wore a smile, and his gaze fell on Harper, gentle as spring sunshine.

Harper froze. "Alaric? How did you—"

Alaric walked up to her. Instead of answering, he turned to face the audience below.

"Everyone," he said, his voice carrying through the microphone across the entire hall, "today, I want to take advantage of this occasion to do something."

The crowd quieted. Everyone stared at the stage.

Alaric turned back to face Harper.

Then he dropped to one knee.

The hall erupted.

"Oh my God! Alaric's kneeling! Is he proposing?"

"The Stuart Group's CEO, publicly proposing on his knees?"

On the livestream platforms, comments instantly exploded, they were more excited than ever.

[Alaric is so handsome!]

[Harper, say yes!]

Harper also froze, standing there, almost at a loss.

Despite having been married, she'd never been proposed to. "Alaric, you..."

Alaric pulled out a velvet box from his pocket and opened it.

The box was deep blue, it was lined with white silk. It held a diamond ring.

The ring was large, glittering brilliantly under the main lights, its facets refracting rainbow colors.

"Harper," he began, his voice trembling slightly, "I've been waiting for this day for a very long time."

Harper's tears began falling.

Alaric continued: "I've been waiting all along. Even when you weren't with me, I hoped you'd be happy—but you weren't happy. I waited for you to be free—but you weren't free. I waited for you to look back at me once—but your eyes only ever saw others."

His voice caught, his eyes reddening. "All those years, I could only watch you from afar. Watch you smile, watch you cry, watch you suffer—but I could do nothing. I could only wait, wait for the day you might see me."

He took a deep breath. "I've waited all these years, and today, I've finally reached this moment."

He paused, speaking each word deliberately. "Harper, I love you. From the first time I saw you, I've loved you until now. And I will continue loving you forever. Will you marry me?"

The entire hall fell so silent you could hear breathing.

Everyone waited for Harper's answer.

Just then, the venue's lights suddenly dimmed.

People gasped, then the sky outside lit up.

Countless drones rose into the night sky, arranging themselves into patterns.

Those drones, carrying colored lights, formed massive displays in the night sky.

First Harper's name—giant letters shining in the night sky, each so large they could be seen from the south to the north of the city.

Then Elysian—that name everyone in design circles looked up to, slowly rotating in the night sky.

Next, a heart. A massive heart.

The drones kept transforming, finally forming a line of text: Harper, marry me.

Fireworks across the city launched skyward, blooming into beautiful patterns.

That line of text and the fireworks blazed in the night sky, illuminating the entire city.

The hall erupted in chaos.

"Oh my God! This is so romantic!"

"Did he rent out the entire city's night sky?"

"Alaric is so romantic! Harper, say yes!"

"I'm crying, this is too sweet!"

Below the stage, Bianca had become a teary mess.

She covered her mouth, tears streaming nonstop, her makeup was ruined,but she didn't care at all.

On stage, Harper looked at Alaric, at him kneeling there, at his gentle yet resolute eyes, at those lights outside lit for her.

Her tears fell like broken pearls, unstoppable.

She reached out her hand and gently helped him up.

"Alaric," she said, voice choked but each word crystal clear, "I do."

Alaric's eyes instantly lit up.

Brighter than those drones outside.

He slipped the ring onto her finger, then held her tightly.

The ring fit perfectly—after all it was custom-made for her.

Below the stage, applause and cheers merged into a wave, that nearly lifted the roof.

In the corner, Elowen watched all that was happening ,till she couldn't bare it.

She collapsed to the floor, face deathly pale, lips trembling nonstop, as if all her strength had been drained.

She'd done so much, schemed so hard, even stooped to cooperating with someone like Rupert, only to watch Harper gain everything.

Love, career, reputation, respect—Harper had it all.

She had nothing.

She'd lost.

Lost completely and utterly.

Someone noticed her.

"Isn't that Elowen?"

"What's she doing here?"

"Wasn't she arrested? How did she get out?"

"Security! Security!"

Several security guards rushed over and dragged Elowen up from the floor.

Elowen struggled, but her meager strength was useless.

She was dragged toward the exit, her feet scrapped the floor, to the extent he shoe fell off.

As she was dragged out of the hall, she looked back once.

On stage, Harper and Alaric were still embracing. Harper leaned in Alaric's arms, Alaric bent his head, whispering something in her ear.

Everyone around them cheered and applauded, flashbulbs blazing bright.

That radiance stung her eyes so she couldn't keep them open.

The door closed.

She was thrown outside, wretched like a dead dog.

Cold wind howled, making her shiver all over.

She curled up in a corner, listening to the cheers from inside, tears finally streaming down.

Inside the hall, the ceremony continued.

Harper leaned in Alaric's arms, looking at those lights outside lit for her, her lips curving into a happy arc.

"Alaric," she said softly, "thank you."

Alaric lowered his head and kissed her forehead. "Thank me for what?"

"Thank you for showing me what it feels like to be loved."

Online, trending topics had completely changed. Those posts cursing Harper had disappeared overnight. In their place—overwhelming blessings.

[Harper deserves it! Elysian deserves it!]

[Elowen is so vicious, spreading such slander!]

[Support Harper! Support Alaric—wishing you happiness!]

[This is true fairy-tale romance!]

Those who'd once cursed Harper either quietly deleted their comments or came out to apologize.

Of course, no one cared about them anymore.

Everyone's attention was focused on that newlywed couple.

On the man who'd finally found love after waiting so long.

On the woman whose life had hit rock bottom, who'd climbed out on her own and ultimately found happiness.