"Did you miss me?" Bet asked, his warm hand cupping her chin.


    They had been apart for over two months. Absence had indeed made the heart grow fonder. As their bodies pressed together, Yvonne could clearly feel his burning body heat and the hardness of his arousal.


    The hotel room lights were off. In the dimness, desire bloomed, and the air around them seemed to crackle with heat.


    Yvonne''s mouth suddenly felt dry. Her hand rested on Bet''s chest as she whispered, “Weren''t we going to eat?”


    “Right now, I want you first,” Bet murmured before lowering his head to kiss her.


    Perhaps because they had been apart for so long, Bet''s kiss was almost savage, leaving Yvonne breathless. His hot hands roamed her body.


    The sensations made her whole body ache with need, her limbs going weak as she leaned into his embrace.


    Fortunately, Bet still had some self-control and didn''t dare go too far while they were out.


    "I''ve missed you," he breathed, pinning her against the door. His lips brushed her ear, his breathing in hot, heavy pants.


    "Mmm," Yvonne murmured, her eyes half-closed, as she fumbled with the buttons on her shirt that he had pulled open.


    "Was the wedding march nice just now?" Bet asked, holding her close.


    "Mhm," Yvonne mumbled, still focused on buttoning her shirt.


    "So, what have you decided?" he asked.


    "About what?" Yvonne looked up, confused.


    "Is your memory that bad?" Bet gently tapped her nose. "Last time, you said you would consider marrying me if I agreed to a private wedding."


    "Well, I''ve thought about it, and I can ept that. So, what about you? Have you made up your mind?"


    Yvonne hesitated for a moment before remembering that she had indeed said that. But she had only said it casually, never expecting Bet to actually agree.


    Bet was a man of principle, yet for her, he kept bending his own rules.


    If she hadn''t sacrificed herself all those years ago, she thought, she and Bet would probably have been married long ago.


    “Is this a proposal, Mr. Thompson? There''s no ring, no flowers, no balloons, no cake, and you''re not even on one knee. Are you trying to be this perfunctory?"


    Bet chuckled softly at her words and nodded. “Right. I understand. A proposal needs to be a proper event."


    With that, they had reached a preliminary agreement. Bet would need time to n a proper proposal, and Yvonne needed to talk to Sandra. After all, her career was on the rise. No matter how carefully they kept th? marriage à secret, secret was impossible to guarantee there wouldn''t be any leaks. They would need to prepare a contingency n in case the news ever got out.


    After they had straightened their clothes, they left the room.


    By the time they emerged, the engagement party was over.


    As luck would have it, just as Bet walked out of the hotel hand-in-hand with


    Yvonne, they ran right into both families.


    The engagement party was over.


    Frank was pushing his mother out of the hotel in her wheelchair.


    Mrs. Thompson Sr.''s health was declining rapidly; she now struggled to even walk


    and needed the chair to get around.


    After the party, Frank had to take her back to the nursing home.


    Vincent and Belinda were there with Ynda and Eden. The two families were saying their goodbyes.


    Mrs. Thompson Sr. held Ynda''s


    hand, a loving smile on her face. "My


    dear, you two take good care of


    each other, and try to have a baby soon That let me grow old in peace."


    Ynda''s expression was stiff as the old woman held her hand.


    "Dear, where is the bracelet I gave you? Why aren''t you wearing it?" Mrs. Thompson


    Sr. asked, looking at Ynda''s bare wrist.


    "What stupid bracelet? It''s tacky and ugly," Ynda muttered under her breath. Fortunately, Mrs. Thompson Sr. was old and a bit hard of bearing, so she didn''t catch it.