Chapter 78 – Yes

Chapter 78 – Yes
For three days.
Three long days.
Romeo Petraglia behaved himself.
And that was terrifying.
Very terrifying.
More terrifying than the kidnapping.
More terrifying than Pietra.
More terrifying than discovering that Fercondiny was my brother.
Because a quiet Romeo never meant peace.
It meant planning.
And planning was dangerous.
Especially when it involved that man.
“He’s up to something,” I announced over breakfast.
Betina didn’t even look up from her phone.
“I agree.”
“You don’t even know what I’m talking about.”
“You’re talking about Romeo. So I automatically agree.”
I sighed.
“It’s been three days.”
“I know.”
“Three days without flowers.”
“I know.”
“No presents.”
“I know.”
“No ridiculous notes.”
“I know.”
“No declarations of love.”
Betina finally looked up.
“You do realize you’re complaining because your boyfriend stopped romantically stalking you, right?”
I fell silent.
Because that sounded terrible.
“That’s not what this is.”
“That’s exactly what this is.”
“It isn’t.”
“Mikaella.”
“Fine.”
Maybe it was.
A little.
Just a little.
That same evening, I received a message.
One single message.
From Romeo.
Meet me.
Simple.
Brief.
Direct.
Typical Romeo.
I frowned.
That sounds like a threat.
His response came immediately.
Maybe.
I rolled my eyes.
You’re impossible.
You like it.
Unfortunately.
I really did.
An hour later, I was standing in front of the old Petraglia Publishing House.
Completely empty.
Completely dark.
Completely unsettling.
“If a serial killer shows up, this is your fault,” I muttered.
The front door was open.
I stepped inside.
The place felt different.
Quieter.
Emptier.
More nostalgic.
This was where everything had begun.
The arguments.
The encounters.
The provocations.
The disasters.
Romeo.
Mostly Romeo.
I walked slowly through the hallways.
Recognizing every corner.
Every memory.
Every moment.
My heart began to race.
Because something was happening.
I could feel it.
At the end of the main hallway, there was a light.
The only light turned on in the entire building.
And I already knew who was waiting for me.
Of course I did.
Romeo was sitting on one of the desks in the newsroom.
His shirt sleeves rolled up.
His hair slightly messy.
His hands in his pockets.
And that look.
Always that look.
My heart immediately started pounding.
Traitor.
“You enjoy making dramatic entrances,” I commented.
“I learned from Don Aragão.”
“God forbid.”
“I agree.”
I smiled.
Romeo did too.
But his smile quickly disappeared.
Because he was nervous.
Truly nervous.
That immediately caught my attention.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Nothing.”
“Liar.”
“Maybe.”
“Romeo.”
“Mikaella.”
“Don’t start.”
He took a deep breath.
A long one.
Like someone trying to organize his thoughts.
Which was rare.
Very rare.
Romeo usually spoke first and thought later.
“I brought you here because this was the first place where my life began to change.”
My heart sped up.
“Romeo…”
“Don’t interrupt.”
“That never ends well.”
“I agree. But keep listening.”
I crossed my arms.
But I stayed.
Because I wanted to hear him.
Because I always wanted to hear him.
Damn it.
Romeo slid down from the desk.
He walked toward me.
Slowly.
Unhurriedly.
Without exaggerated charm.
Without seduction.
Just sincere.
And that was even more dangerous.
“When I met you…” he began.
“I thought you were going to be a problem.”
“I was a problem.”
“The biggest one.”
“Thank you.”
“That wasn’t a compliment.”
“I’m going to pretend it was.”
Romeo smiled.
Small.
Beautiful.
Genuine.
“You turned my life upside down.
You changed my plans.
You changed my priorities.
You changed everything.”
I swallowed hard.
Because I knew.
I knew he was being honest.
“Before you, I thought I had everything.
Money.
Power.
Status.
Freedom.
Then I realized I was wrong.
Very wrong.”
Silence filled the room.
“Because I had everything.
But I had no one.”
My heart tightened.
Painfully.
“Then you showed up.
With your sharp tongue.
Your impossible temper.
Your irritating habit of challenging me.”
“I really was charming.”
“You still are.”
I smiled.
Despite the tears.
Because they were already forming.
Traitors.
Always them.
Romeo took my hands.
Both of them.
Holding them firmly.
As though he wanted to make sure I wouldn’t run away.
“I’m not asking you today because I’m afraid of losing you.”
My breath caught.
“I’m not asking because I’m lonely.
I’m not asking because I need someone.
I’m not asking because you almost died.
Or because we had a difficult year.”
My heart beat faster and faster.
“I’m asking because, for the first time in my life, I’m certain about something.”
The tears began to fall.
And I didn’t even try to stop them.
Because I already knew.
I knew exactly what was happening.
I knew.
Romeo took a deep breath.
Then he did something I would never forget.
He knelt.
Right there.
In the same place where so many things had begun.
My heart simply stopped.
Completely.
“Oh my God,” I whispered.
“I thought the same thing,” he replied.
Idiot.
Even at that moment, he managed to make me laugh.
And cry.
At the same time.
The small box appeared again.
The same one.
But now it was different.
Because I was different.
There was no more fear.
Not like before.
Not controlling my decisions.
Not controlling my life.
“Mikaella.”
His voice was low.
Rough.
Vulnerable.
Perhaps the most vulnerable I had ever heard it.
“I can’t promise that we’ll never fight.
I can’t promise that I’ll never make mistakes.
I can’t promise you a perfect life.
Or a perfect marriage.
Or a perfect love.”
The tears kept falling.
“But I can promise that I’ll choose you.
Every day.
Even on the difficult days.
Even on the horrible days.
Even when you’re unbearable.”
“So every day,” I answered through my tears.
Romeo smiled.
“Exactly.”
He squeezed my hand.
“So, Mikaella Vergara…”
My heart raced.
One last time.
Perhaps harder than ever before.
“Will you spend the rest of your life putting up with me?”
A laugh escaped along with my sob.
Because that was so Romeo.
So absurdly Romeo.
“That was your romantic proposal?”
“Yes.”
“It was horrible.”
“I know.”
“Ridiculous.”
“I agree.”
“Arrogant.”
“Definitely.”
I took a deep breath.
Looking at him.
At us.
At everything we had been through.
At everything we had survived.
At everything we had chosen.
And for the first time…
Without fear.
Without doubt.
Without running away.
I smiled.
And answered:
“Yes.”
Romeo’s smile disappeared.
For one second.
As though he couldn’t believe what he had heard.
“What?”
I started laughing.
“Oh my God.”
“Mikaella.”
“Yes.”
“Did you say yes?”
“I did.”
Romeo stood up so quickly that he nearly knocked over the desk behind him.
“You said yes!”
“Romeo!”
“You said yes!”
“I know!”
But it was too late.
Because he pulled me into his arms.
Spun me around.
Laughed.
Kissed my forehead.
My face.
My nose.
My cheek.
Until I started laughing uncontrollably.
“You’re completely insane.”
“Your insane man.”
My heart melted.
Because this time…
I liked hearing it.
I liked it very much.
Later.
When we left the publishing house.
Hand in hand.
With the ring gleaming on my finger.
One certainty filled my heart.
Love wasn’t a prison.
It wasn’t a tragedy.
It wasn’t a mistake.
It was a choice.
And for the first time in my life…
I had chosen without fear.