Chapter 68

**Annika**

It’s been a month since the kidnapping, and things are finally settling down. The kids have healed nicely from the injuries they sustained while with Blanche. They don’t really talk about her, and honestly, I can’t blame them. We discovered I was pregnant the day we rescued them, and now I’m three months along. We shared the news with the kids, and they’re super excited to welcome their new sibling. I finally opened up to my parents about Raffaele and suggested they meet him. Fingers crossed they hit it off.

Raffaele took us to one of his vacation homes in Thailand.

"Why is he acting so strange today?" I asked Tad as we strolled to the mall. I was spending the day with Raffaele and the kids, and Caterina wanted to do some shopping.

"He’s not acting strange," Tad replied.

"Yes, he is," I insisted. He’s been acting all jittery and was up way earlier than usual. He’s always up before me, but today he’s been glued to his phone.

"I didn’t notice," Tad said. I sighed and walked over to Raffaele, taking his hand. He looked down and kissed the top of my head.

I could feel his hand shaking a bit. "Are you okay?" I asked.

"Why wouldn’t I be?" he replied.

"I don’t know, that’s why I’m asking," I said.

"I’m fine, baby girl," he reassured me.

We entered the store, and Enzo dragged Flavio and Tad to the toy section, which made me laugh. He always makes them carry everything and run wild in stores.

"Try on some things for me," Raffaele whispered. I noticed almost every woman in the store eyeing him again. I’ve gotten used to it, even if it still bugs me a little.

"Like what?" I asked.

"Whatever you want," he said.

"Why do I feel like you have something up your sleeve?" I teased.

"I do. Tonight, my driver will pick you up, and I want you to choose some dresses you’d like to wear," he explained.

"Well, I need to know what the occasion is," I replied.

"A beautiful dress. Just pick something you love," he said.

"Like fancy?"

"Fancy but comfy," he said, and I nodded in agreement.

Sure thing! Here’s a different version of your text:

Alright then. I nodded and started browsing through the dresses, already spotting a few I liked since the mall was just stunning. The vacation sets and dresses were totally my vibe.

I grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the dressing rooms. These dressing rooms were actually pretty private, unlike some others that were always a bit too see-through.

As we stepped inside, I felt him press against me, his body close and his breath tickling my neck, which almost made me lose my balance. I turned around with a giggle. "You wait outside," I said, playfully nudging him out and shutting the door.

I decided to try on the first dress, a lovely white one. I took off my bra to see how it would fit, and it looked amazing. The dress was soft and strapless. I opened the door and stepped out to find Raffaele lounging in a chair.

"What do you think of this one?" I asked, noticing his eyes roaming over me. He seemed distracted, and I soon realized three other guys were staring at me like I was their next meal.

He jumped up and positioned himself in front of me, making me laugh. "Nope," he said, causing me to pout.

"You know I love white," I replied.

"I swear, I’ll take out every guy’s eyes in this place," he declared.

"So, you’re not a fan?" I teased, watching him look away. "Exactly," I smirked, then walked off, feeling a playful smack on my backside that made me gasp as I headed to try on the next dress.

I chose a baby blue dress and slipped it on, admiring how well it fit. It had a V-slit at the waist, and the rest was beautifully covered. I opened the door and nearly jumped when I saw Raffaele standing there. He rushed in, closed the door, and pressed against me.

"And what’s your plan in here?" I teased.

"Trying not to go on a rampage," he replied, making me laugh.

He placed his hands on my thigh, lifting me up and pressing me against the wall. I wrapped my arms around him as he kissed me, his tongue slipping into my mouth.

He gently sucked on my bottom lip, and I let out a soft moan, feeling the warmth of his lips against mine. His hand squeezed my thigh while he started to slide my dress up. "Raffaele," I whimpered as he moved my underwear aside.

"We shouldn't be doing this; they might hear us," I said.

"Then you’ll just have to keep it down," he whispered, kissing my neck. My body reacted the way it always did when he touched me; his fingertips on my skin sent waves of heat through me.

"Raffaele—"

"I can clear this whole place out, babe. Just say the word," he interrupted. I bit my lip, wrapping my legs around him, craving him inside me right then.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and I glanced at him. "Just ignore it," he said.

"Have you seen my daddy?" Enzo's voice came through, making me gasp. He set me down, and I quickly adjusted myself while he opened the door.

"Enzo," he sighed, picking him up while I stayed by the wall, trying to look inconspicuous.

"I picked out some things," Enzo said, grinning.

"Really? Let’s go check it out," he replied, and I closed the door behind them, letting out a deep breath to calm my racing heart.

The driver had picked me up, and I stood nervously by the front door, unsure of what the surprise was.

"Get in the damn car," Flavio shouted from the window, making me roll my eyes. I walked over, willing my legs to cooperate, and climbed inside, fixing my hair and dress.

"Don't be nervous," the driver reassured me, and I nodded, sensing they all knew what was coming.

After about 30 minutes, the car finally stopped. The door opened, and I looked up to see Derek extending his hand. He helped me out and wrapped his arm around mine.

“Do you know the surprise?” I asked him.

"We all do," he replied.

As we made our way down the steps, I was hit with a wave of flashing lights, flowers, and candles all over the beach. I felt him release my hand, leaving me a bit puzzled as I moved closer, my legs feeling like jelly. Then I heard some noise above and looked up to see a jet plane trailing a banner with bright neon letters. The massive letters read "Marry me." As the plane flew off, tears welled up in my eyes, and I stepped back, only to feel someone behind me, prompting me to turn around.

There he was.

Raffaele was down on one knee, holding out a stunning diamond ring, and I gasped, covering my mouth in shock. I felt like I was crying uncontrollably at that moment. The tears just kept coming.

"I never thought I’d be doing this. I grew up in a different world, so this was never on my radar. The day you walked into my life, I thought I’d dislike you, just like all the other women I’ve known. But you were nothing like them. You didn’t care about material stuff; you just cared about me. That’s something I’ve never experienced before. No one has ever taken the time to really know me or ask how my day was. You embraced my three kids as if they were your own, and I’ve never expressed how grateful I am for that. I didn’t realize how much they needed that change until you came along. I love you, Annika. I love you so much that words can’t capture it. I want to give you everything. Will you spend your life with me and marry me?" he concluded.

I was so overwhelmed that I could barely speak; my throat felt tight with tears, and my vision was blurry. I shook my head in disbelief. "Yes?" he continued, rising to his feet.

"Yes? Are you really saying yes? Oh my God, she’s saying yes!" he shouted, lifting me off the ground. He twirled me around, and I wrapped my arms around him tightly before he set me down.