Chapter 147

Adriano's POV

Six months later…

"Now that we're done with the ceremony, can we go on a proper tour of New York like I was promised?" Danny asked.

Roselyn hit him upside the head and said, "Don't be insensitive. Today is your sister's day."

"Ouch, Mom! That hurt," he complained.

"And you deserve it," Melanie's voice cut into the conversation.

"There's my favorite nurse!" Sam yelled.

"Dad, tone it down," she said.

"Nonsense. I would shout it at the top of my lungs if I had to so you can know how proud I am of you," he replied.

She smiled at her father and went to hug him then she did the same with her mom and brother who all congratulated her before she stopped in front of me.

"I always knew you were something else, little nurse," I told her. "From the first day I set my eyes on you, I knew you were better than the rest of us."

"Stop it you're going to make me cry," she said.

I opened my arms and she stepped into me for a hug.

My girl was finally a registered nurse and today was her graduation. In the weeks that led to her final exam, she was a bundle of nerves, worried that she might not be good enough but my Melanie had always been too good for everyone and everything else.

"Congratulations, little nurse," I whispered in her ear.

"Thanks, babe," she replied.

"I'm sorry Aria and my parents couldn't make it," I said.

"Nonsense. You don't need to apologize for that. Your dad took your mom on vacation and Aria had a business trip that she couldn't get out of. Besides, I already spoke with them today and they sent me gifts to congratulate me."

"Alright, love birds. Let's take some pictures with the celebrant," Roselyn demanded.

We took a few pictures before we called it a day and went home. I drove Melanie while her parents got into the car that Ralph drove here.

He didn't need to be here but I knew he used that as an excuse to attend Melanie's graduation ceremony and I didn't mind it. Ralph and my girl had a special connection and as long as he kept his hands to himself, I've learned to tolerate it.

After Melanie's kidnap six months ago, she decided not to keep what I did a secret from her parents anymore so we told what I like to call the PG version over video chat a few days later when the bruises on her face had healed.

To our surprise, they took the news pretty well. According to her parents as long as we loved and respected each other, then they didn't care what I did.

It hadn't been easy but Melanie and I had learned to move on from what happened six months ago. We were both in the wrong and we admitted to such.

Our relationship had only grown more beautifully. My parents loved her. She finally got to meet my grandparents and they loved her as well.

She was a part of my life in a way that I knew I couldn't live without her by my side and I was so fucking grateful to her for taking a chance on me.

I didn't deserve her but I was going to make sure I spent every day for the rest of my life making her feel like she made the right choice.

Alice had already prepared what she tagged, 'Melanie's graduation feast', and the moment we got home, we got home, we were assaulted with the aroma of different kinds of food.

We ate, laughed and watched movies late into the night, till we all decided to call it a night.

It was surreal that this was my life now. I had half expected to be alone for the rest of my life but that had taken a very positive turn.

Melanie and I showered together and I showed her how proud I was of her with multiple orgasms before we both settled into bed.

"Thank you for today," she murmured against me.

"You deserve every bit of it, little nurse so you don't have to thank me," I said.

"I know but I want to. You have made me happier than I can ever imagine. I didn't think my parents would get to witness my graduation but you made it happen," she added, referring to the fact that I had sent my plane to go pick them in Texas.

"Well, I had to reward you for graduating top of your class and officially becoming a full staff at the hospital," I replied.

She smirked at me. "I think the orgasms were enough reward," she said and we both burst into laughter.

"I love you, Adriano Alfonso," she said when we both came down from our laughter. "And I'm so excited to see what the future holds for us."

"Marry me, little nurse," I said.

She stared at me with wide eyes. "What!?"

I opened the drawer on my side of the bed and brought out the box that had been sitting there for a few weeks now.

"I've been waiting for the right moment to give you this but I realize that there's no such thing as right moment. I love you and I can't see a future without you in it so be mine in every sense of the word. Marry me, Melanie. Please make me the happiest man in the world by allowing me to be your husband."

I opened the box to reveal a three carat, pear shaped, diamond ring and Melanie gasped at the sight of it.

"So what do you say, little nurse?"

"Yes, yes, yes, a million times yes!" she exclaimed and jumped into my arms. I hugged her life she was my last life line and planted a soft kiss on her lips before I slid the ring gently onto her fingers.

"It's so beautiful," she whispered.

"Not as beautiful as you."

"Oh, I cannot wait to be your wife," she said.

"Neither can I, little nurse," I said.

I might have been a monster when she first came to me but Melanie showed me I could be so much more and I was excited for what life had in store for us.