A billionaire’s kiss

I sat on a wooden bench in the beach, my feet digging into the bronze sand and my hair blowing to the breeze humming past my ear. Moonlight twinkled on the rolling waves, the stars above aglow.

I closed my eyes and inhaled the salty air, the rustling of palm leaves nearby a lullaby. It has been a few months since Elisa was arrested but the internet was still flooding with the case.

Elisa was a monster. She had used SBS from the beginning to clear a path for Ian. She corned Nathan and killed him for Ian. She blackmailed the chairman using the SBS director for Ian. She did everything for her son but never cared about what her son truly wanted. She claimed she did everything for love but no, it wasn’t love. It was obsession.

She was obsessed with his succession but truly she only wanted to take control of every aspect of his life, even his marital life, first by bringing Melissa and then by using Isaac to frame me. Who knows how I would’ve ended up if she still walked free?

It was all thanks to Nathan’s clever mind that such a monster and her accomplice was put behind bars. He was a true hero, to sacrifice his life so that his loved ones may live. But my heart still aches for him and Alice. To do everything for love but end up losing each other, I can’t even bear that thought.

Leonard’s trials were still on going. He’s trying to slip through but considering the direction where the trials were headed to, it wouldn’t be possible.

After we found that video all doubts I had was cleared. That day when Leonard tried to kill me many things he said made me doubt him. He only talked about being removed from the chairman position. It was the only thing he was afraid of and not of jail time like I expected him to be after suspecting he killed Nathan. And now I understand why but he ruined it all by trying to kill me. That day he told me Nathan wasn’t privileged like Ian and that was why he was dead. He knew his wife had done something to his son yet he kept quiet for the sake of his position. But after seeing the video of Elisa ordering Mark to take him out too, he spilled everything of their past, of the abuse Nathan suffered behind closed doors and Ian sobbed in my shoulder for hours after that trial. It was truly heartbreaking.

The trials were a blow to Ian. It truly broke him so we stopped going after the first few and it took a great amount of convincing from both me and Alice to stop him from blaming himself.

He was well now but the scars still remain and I knew they would remain forever but at least the monsters are where they are supposed to be. Rotting in prison and they won’t be back to hurt or control anyone ever again. That thought made me sag my shoulders in relief.

“What are you thinking?”

I opened my eyes and Ian appeared before me in his blue linen shirt and white pants which he willingly wore but still continued to complain why clothes of such colours exist.

“I’m thinking about your blue eyes”

His lips twitched up and he cocked a brow. “You still want to steal my eyes sweetheart?”

I nodded.

Ian bit his lip to hide his grin and he kept one hand on the bench beside my head and leaned down. “Shame you can’t have them but-” He placed his other hand on my lower stomach. “The ones who will be here in the future will have them”

I gasped but couldn’t help the laugh itching to come up my throat. I swatted his hand. “Go away, shoo” Ian smiled and straightened up.

He held out his hand. “Come with me”

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see”

I groaned. “Not this again”

I placed my hand on his and he pulled me up. We walked along the beach for sometime and he brought me to a secluded area, away from all the noise. “Why are we here-” The question died in my throat as I saw a dinner setup, a four post wooden tent draped with silk, flapping against the wind. And inside, a small table with two chairs and surrounding the tent were small lights placed in a heart shape.

“We came for dinner”

A wide grin rose in my lips and I glanced at Ian. “Romantic”

He smirked. “Indeed” He tugged at my hand. “Come. Let’s go”

We walked over to it and sat down on the chairs. Ian poured wine for both of us. I swirled the glass and took a sip from it, my eyes wandering over the tent. “It’s lovely”

Ian looked at me from behind his glass and I could see a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He set the glass down and licked the wine from his lips. “So are you”

I chuckled. “Flirty Kingston” He winked at that.

I took another sip and stared at the vast sea glistening under the moonlight. The soft waves rolling were a sound of hush whispers as if the night itself has sang the sea into a deep sleep. The twinkle on the blue waters was like a duvet that covered the raging sea beneath, bringing about calm and peace.

I felt Ian’s eyes on me and I turned to him.

“Why are you staring at me?”

“Can’t I stare?”

“It’s creepy” I teased.

Ian scoffed. “How is it creepy to stare at your fiance?”

“It is when you stare with your lovey dovey eyes”Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“That’s because I am in love”

I laughed. “Just joking. Calm down home boy”

He narrowed his eyes. “Don’t call me that”

I grinned. “Okay asshole”

A soft laugh vibrated in his chest and he shook his head in dismay. “Let’s eat now. I have another surprise for you”

“What is it?”

“It’s called surprise for a reason right?”

I huffed. “Fine”

Ian cut my chicken for me and I sneaked a glance at him while he did so. His soft hair ruffled to the wind, small strands falling on to his eyes. The top buttons of his light blue shirt was undone and I could slightly see his firm chest underneath. He was the most handsome man I’ve ever met and he was all mine. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach at the thought.

“Now you’re staring at me”

I blinked. “What?”

Ian raised a brow. “You were staring at me”

“I…I wasn’t”

“You were” He smirked. “with your lovey dovey eyes”

I frowned. “They were not lovey dovey eyes. They were glaring eyes”

“Oh so you were glaring at me?”

I nodded. “Mmm, seems so”

Ian leaned forward, a teasing smile playing on his lips. “And what did I do to anger my sweetheart?”

My brows furrowed as I wrecked my brain for a lie. “Umm uhh I-I was thinking about the day you fired me” I nodded happily for finding a good one. “It was very unfair”

The corners of his mouth rose and he leaned back. “It wasn’t unfair”

“It was unfair. You fired me for no reason”

“There was a reason”

I snorted. “Please do tell me what that is”

“You disturbed my thoughts”

I frowned in confusion. “What?”

“That day when I came to the meeting I was summarizing what to discuss in my head but your hiccup disturbed me”

I gaped. “That was the reason?”

“Yep”

“So you took away my livelihood because I disturbed your freaking thoughts?”

“Well I technically didn’t take away your livelihood but yes, it disturbed me”

My nostrils flared in red hot anger and I stabbed the chicken with my knife. “I’m gonna kill you today”

Ian let out a soft laugh. “Please go ahead. Then you will be the only one left to pay for the dinner” A smirk twisted in his lips. “And might I add, a very expensive dinner”

I gritted my teeth and shot daggers at him through my eyes.

Ian chuckled. “Tell me, why did you hiccup out of nowhere that day? You were fine before I came in”

My cheeks reddened as I remembered the reason for my hiccup. No way I’m going to tell him that. He already has too much of a big head. Don’t need to add more.

“You’re blushing. Now I’m more than just curious. Tell me”

“No”

“Tell me”

“No”

“Then you’ll be banned from riding in my helicopters for the rest of your life”

I gaped at him. “My gosh! You’re impossible”

He smirked. “Just tell me”

I scowled “Fine” I muttered and took a deep breath, bracing myself. “That day at the meeting was the first time I saw you up close. And I found you handsome. Too handsome” I added reluctantly. “So my body decided to give a hiccup”

A grin curled in his lips. “That’s why you hiccuped? Because you thought I was handsome?”

“I didn’t say that” I mumbled, averting my gaze from his.

“Oh that is what you said. You should’ve told me that earlier. I wouldn’t have fired you”

I shot him a glare. “Shut up or I might really kill you”

Ian smirked and I muttered a curse that made Ian throw his head back and laugh.

After we had our dinner Ian held my hand and led me further away, soft waves washing over our feet as we walked in silence. He came to a halt and turned to me.

I raised a brow. “What?”

Ian smiled and raised my hand. His fingertips brushed over my ring. “I told you earlier that I don’t like this ring because I forced it on you”

I nodded. “Yeah what about it?”

Without answering me he gently removed my ring.

I looked up at him. “What are you doing?”

“Throwing it away”

Then before I could even begin to protest he threw the precious ring to the sea. I watched it sink with my mouth hanging wide open in shock.

“Oh my God, what did you do?”

“I told you I don’t like it”

“But you could’ve given it to me without throwing it away”

“What would you have done with it?”

“Pawn it of course” I sniffled.

Ian rolled his eyes and booped my nose. “Money money money. Anything else you care about?”

The corners of my mouth rose at that and I looked up at him. “You”

He laughed softly and pulled me to him. “That was smooth sweetheart” He purred and leaned down, pressing his lips on mine. Ian kissed me softly and pulled back, smiling.

He gave a squeeze to my hands before releasing them and took something out of his pocket. Something that looked like a remote.

“What is it?”

Without answering Ian pressed the button.

Suddenly the entire beach started lighting up with cylindrical lamps scattered all over the ground, brightening the bronze sand in a golden glow. The lamps spread as far as my eyes sight could go and every palm tree of the beach lit up with string lights draped around them. I heard gasps from people far away and I found my ownself gasping.

There were rose petals all around us, scattered on the beach floor like a hue of scarlet, glowing with the light of the lamps.

“Ian this is beauti-” I turned to him but my breath caught in my throat as he knelt down on one knee.

Ian smiled and opened a small box in his hand. Sitting inside was a beautiful diamond ring. My eyes started brimming with tears realising what he was about to do.

“Hailey Evans” He smiled softly. “I know we started our relationship by skipping a chapter but looking back, every moment we shared, starting from our bickering and then to falling in love, I cherish every part of it. You were my first in everything and I’m so glad I waited for you. It’s like a part of me always knew that it would be you. You have been the reason I smile and you have been the reason I feel alive. You will always be the best part of my day and words are not enough to express how I feel for you. I wish I could rip the whole goddamn dictionary and show it to you” I laughed through my tear filled eyes and he grinned. “But still not enough. You taught me how to love with passion, purity and unconditional acceptance. I’m not sure a lifetime is long enough to return all you have given me but I would love to spend the rest of my days by your side, overcoming all the hurdles of life together. You’re the best thing that happened to me and I can’t thank enough for that. So Hailey Evans” His own his eyes welled up and he laughed softly. “Will you marry me?”

Tears streamed down my cheeks and I nodded happily. “Yes Ian yes”

His whole face lit up like a Christmas tree and he launched to his feet, covering my mouth with his. His lips moved against mine in a heart clenching passion and I found myself falling in love with him all over again.

Ian pulled back and smiled brightly. He took my hand in his and put the ring on my finger. “We’re getting married” He said excitedly.

I wiped my tears. “Yes we are”

“You think your mom will like me?”

“Not sure about that”

“What should I do to make her happy?”

“Become the chief of justice”

We both burst out laughing and Ian pulled me to him, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “I can’t wait to get married Hailey” He murmured.

I smiled up at him. “So am I”

Ian grinned and then unexpectedly he scooped me up in his arms. I gasped.

He began walking and I looked up at him. “Where are we going?”

He smirked down at me. “To make love sweetheart”

I chuckled and shook my head in dismay. “Stupid Kingston”

He winked. “Your stupid Kingston”