Joshua smiled cryptically. "Take a guess."
Ste thought for a moment. "When I celebrated your birthday with you?"
She could tell he had been genuinely moved that night.
Joshua offered a mysterious grin. "I think that was when you realized you liked me.
If you hadn''t, why would you have gone to so much trouble?
If it was just about saying thank you, Neville helped you plenty, but I don''t recall you throwing any surprise birthday parties for him."
Ste blinked, entirely speechless for a few seconds.
He... actually had a point.
It was just that at the time, her mind hadn''t been focused on romance, so she hadn''t analyzed her own actions.
Joshua continued, "I fell for you long before you fell for me, and long before I even realized it myself.
When I found out Leonard had ruined your hand, I was absolutely furious."
Ste smiled and asked, "Was that when you realized I was your ''Moonlight'' all along?"
Joshua simply smiled back. "I think it was even earlier than that."
He checked his watch, his tone turning secretive. "Star, I need to step away for just
a minute. Wait right here for me."
Ste was curious, but she didn''t press him.
"Alright."
She waited in the same spot for quite a while, but there was still no sign of Joshua.
A faint trace of worry began to ripple through her chest.
By now, the sky had turnedpletely ck.
A pale, luminous moon cast a sheer wash of silver over the grounds.
Ste strolled slowly along the marble pathways of the garden.
The surroundingmpposts flickered on, illuminating the dark.
The garden was blissfully serene, wrapped in the quiet embrace of an artificialke.
She walked a full circle but couldn''t spot Joshua anywhere.
Just as she was about to expand her search, the sweet, haunting melody of a violin drifted through the silent air.
Ste paused, captivated, before slowly following the music.
After turning a few corners, a breathtaking glow suddenly flooded her vision. Before hery an absolute ocean of baby''s breath.
The delicate, intoxicating fragrance of thousands of blooms floated through the air, instantly soothing her soul.
And right there, standing tall amidst the sea of flowers, was the man she loved.
The gorgeous notes flowed effortlessly from the violin tucked beneath his chin. He was ying Moonlight.
The moonlight cascaded over his shoulders, bathing him in a brilliant, ethereal halo.
Illuminated by the silver glow, his sharp, chiseled profile was so agonizingly handsome that her heart skipped a beat.
Ste froze, utterly spellbound.
The wless music echoed like a crystal-clear spring, profoundly moving and melodic.
Surrounded by the heavy scent of blossoms, Ste felt as though she had stepped right into a beautiful dream.
As the final note faded away, Joshua turned his head, his gaze locking unerringly onto hers.
In the brief time he''d been gone, he had changed into an impably tailored ck suit. His hair had been Hawlessly styled elevating his devastating looks to an entirely new level of perfection.
Perhaps it was the magnificent lighting, the overwhelming fragrance of the flowers, or the pure romance of the moment but as he slowly walked toward her, Ste couldn''t help but feel he was practically glowing.
Within moments, Joshua stopped right in front of her.
Before she could even fully process what was happening, he gracefully dropped to one knee, offering up a stunning diamond ring.
"Star, marry me."
Ste''s eyes widened in sheer shock, the breathpletely catching in her throat.
She stared down at the incredible man kneeling before her, totally paralyzed by the sheer magnitude of the moment.
When she married Haynes, there had been no romantic proposal; they had simply signed the paperwork.
Even when she had agreed to marry Joshua, she hadn''t given a thought to the tradition of a formal proposal.
ret
Their wedding preparations were already underway, yet Joshua had still gone out of his way to n something so spectacrly romantic just for her