Chapter 31
Lyra's POV
Orion's words plunged the private room into a brief silence. I could even clearly hear the sound of my own heartbeat.
A moment later, Orion released my hand, pulled out his phone from his pocket, swiped the screen a few times, then handed the phone to me.
"Look at these wedding dresses and see which one you like best."
I took the phone. The screen displayed several sets of exquisitely designed wedding dress sketches.
There was a classic A-line lace gown, a gorgeous mermaid style, and a simple satin fitted design.
Each one was so beautiful I couldn't look away. As I browsed, I glimpsed the designers' signatures—all internationally renowned names.
Only then did I belatedly realize that the wedding date was approaching.
From when I'd agreed to this marriage until now, time had flown by, and Orion had quietly arranged everything.
Rings, wedding dresses, even the designers had been contacted—just waiting for me to make my selections.
Looking at those images, I didn't know which one to choose for a moment.
Each was beautiful, each made my heart race.
My finger slid back and forth across the screen, hesitating between several wedding dresses.
Just then, an extremely soft laugh came from above my head.
I looked up in surprise to see Orion watching me, the slight curve at the corner of his mouth not yet withdrawn, his entire person appearing especially relaxed bathed in sunlight.
"The way you're struggling with this," he said, his tone carrying unconscious tenderness, "is very cute."
My face instantly flushed, heat spreading from my neck all the way to my ears.
I'd never imagined I would be described by him as "cute."
This word, so obviously inconsistent with his style, coming from his mouth with the seriousness of delivering a meeting summary, paradoxically multiplied its lethality.
Inexplicably, my heart raced, even my breathing becoming somewhat unstable.
Afraid he would notice my condition, I frantically lowered my head, continuing to flip through those exquisite designs, trying to use this to hide my embarrassment.
But just then, I heard the sound of suit fabric rustling, and immediately after, a velvet box appeared in my line of sight.
I froze. In the next second, Orion knelt on one knee before me.
He opened the box. Inside lay a ring, resting quietly.
It was a platinum ring, the main stone a perfectly cut diamond that sparkled with brilliant light under the private room's soft lighting.
The ring's design was simple yet elegant, without excessive decoration, yet radiating a kind of understated luxury.
"Proposing here really doesn't befit my status," Orion looked up at me, his voice low and serious, "but seeing you injured, I can't bear it any longer. Lyra, I want to marry you and take you home right now."
My eyes suddenly grew hot.
I reached out my hand trembling, even my fingertips shaking lightly.
Orion grasped my hand and slowly pushed the ring onto my ring finger.
The size was perfect, not off by a fraction.
The ring fit snugly on my finger, that sensation real and warm, making me certain this wasn't a dream.
He stood up, holding my finger to examine it for a moment, his thumb lightly brushing the ring's edge, his gaze focused and gentle.
"Very beautiful," he said, satisfaction in his voice.
I looked at the ring on my hand, tears blurring my vision.
I wanted to say something, wanted to tell him how moved I was, but my throat felt blocked by something, unable to speak any words.
Just then, the private room door was suddenly knocked on.
I startled, instinctively hiding my hand behind my back, my heartbeat suddenly accelerating.
Orion noticed my movement, his eyes darkening slightly, the pressure around him instantly dropping several degrees.
"Come in," Orion said coldly.
Kael pushed the door open, an ingratiating smile on his face, holding that contract from earlier in his hands.
"Mr. Blackwood, I've had the legal department review the contract—there are no problems whatsoever. Please take a look, and if it's acceptable..."
Orion expressionlessly took the contract, casually flipped through two pages, then picked up a pen and signed his name on the final page.
The entire process took less than a minute, decisive and efficient, without any hesitation.
The moment Kael saw the signature, the smile on his face became even more radiant.
He was overjoyed, repeatedly expressing his thanks, trying to draw closer to Orion.
"Mr. Blackwood, it's my honor to cooperate with you. In the future, if there's anything you need, please don't hesitate to ask..."
Orion stood up, adjusting the cuffs of his suit, and said blandly, "Pleasant cooperation."
His tone was all business, giving Kael no opportunity to continue the conversation.
Kael nodded knowingly and turned to look at me.
"Let's go, Lyra. Don't disturb Mr. Blackwood's rest."
I followed Kael toward the door. Passing by Orion's side, I could feel his gaze continuously resting on me.
I didn't dare lift my head to look at him, to prevent Kael from noticing anything unusual. I just quickly followed Kael out of the private room.
On the drive back, I sat in the rear seat. Taking advantage of Kael's concentration on driving, I carefully removed the ring, wrapped it in tissue, and tucked it into my inner pocket.
The instant the ring left my finger, I felt an inexplicable sense of loss, but I knew now wasn't the time.
After securing the ring, I remembered the wedding dress hadn't been finalized yet, so I took out my phone and, while Kael wasn't paying attention, sent Orion a message, half-jokingly asking, "I haven't chosen the wedding dress yet. What should I do?"
I'd thought Orion would send me the pictures to choose from again, but his reply exceeded my expectations.
"All the wedding dresses have been sent to my private villa in Chicago. You can come try them on directly tomorrow. I think you'll look beautiful in a wedding dress too."
Immediately after, he sent the villa's address.
Looking at that message, the corners of my mouth unconsciously curved upward. I typed a reply: "Would ten o'clock tomorrow morning work?"
"Yes. I'll wait for you."
Three simple words, yet they stirred a warm current in my heart.
I held my phone, unable to suppress the smile on my face.
Tomorrow, I would see him again.
Tomorrow, I would try on those beautiful wedding dresses.
Just then, Kael's voice suddenly came from the front, breaking into my thoughts.
"Smiling so happily—what are you looking at?"
I looked up. In the rearview mirror, I saw Kael staring at me, suspicion and scrutiny in his eyes.
"Nothing," I tried to make my tone sound calm. "Sera just sent me a funny emoji."
At that moment, the car happened to stop at a red light. Before I could explain further, Kael suddenly reached back toward the rear seat, trying to snatch away my phone.