Chapter 1 The Proposal of Marriage

It was a black night with heavy rain. The large house seemed muted, hushed as if it had been deserted. Emily was alone, as usual, sat there with an expression of sadness on her face.

She was too depressed even to turn on the light. Whoever would expect that Emily had been married for three years with Mark Archer——one of the most distinguished wealthy businessmen in this city.

Mark is the Chief Executive Officer of a large listed company. Emily, on the other hand, was not a well-known figure. She was just doing temporary secretarial work for Mark. She dressed simply and led a quiet life. Because of the ordinary job and an average family, almost no one would rate her a second glance.

But Mark was different. He treated Emily politely and gently shortly after she was hired. Mark is not only an excellent leader, but also a good gentleman who always invited her for a cup of coffee and even drove her home on rainy days. Fortunately, Emily had been living alone in this city and had no family or friends around.

Otherwise, they would definitely poke fun at them. As far as Emily is concerned, Mark is not only a smart man with a strong body, but also young and promising. So not surprisingly, Emily felt well-disposed towards this gentleman very quickly.

The job had Emily doing the same thing day after day. Shortly thereafter, it became another day, accompanied by a light drizzle. Emily would have thought that it was a dull and uneventful day, yet little did she know that this very moment would mark the onset of an unexpected turn of events for the better.

After a hard day's work, the clock finally struck 5 p.m., serving as a signal to Emily that it was time to finish her work. She was ready to clock off and relax. But deep inside, she expected that something will happen.

While packing up her belongings and contemplating whether Mark would offer her a ride home today, there was a knock on her office door.

"Emily, may I come in ?" Mark asked with a gentle and caring voice, as usual. His voice had a deep timbre made Emily's heart flutter.

"Oh, yes, of course you can!" Emily stopped what she was doing and waited nervously.

The door was opened with a click. Gently, Mark turned the knob and pushed against the door. He entered the office and closed the door. Emily felt her heartbeat quicken as he approached.

The office was a little bit tiny for two people. Mark sat down at her desk, and his long legs bent up in the confined space. Emily tried to appear casual, but she couldn't conquer her unease.

A small, unobtrusive smile curved the Mark's thin lips. He said, "It started to rain again." She was attracted by his smile.

Emily was still very nervous and waited for Mark's next words. She was quiet and a bit on the shy side. Mark didn't say anything but keep the smile.

After a few seconds, she answered with somewhat of a palpitating heart,"Umm, yes, today is a rainy day again."

He smiled and invited her as if he had not the heart to bantered poor Emily anymore:"Would you please give me an opportunity to accompany you home tonight?" He reached for her hand.

Emily was both flattered and surprised by Mark's attentiveness to her. Her face was suffused with the enchanting blushes.

She gave a slow nod of her head. Mark conjured up a smile and reached out to squeeze her hand. Hand in hand, the two young people walked from the office side by side.

Emily got into the passenger seat. She evidently felt that they were upon delicate ground. Maybe Emily was wrong and she was under the delusion that she was given special treatment by Mark. And she wasn't slow to realize that her speculation proved right.

Emily noticed that the car didn't slow down and turned when it approached the junction, but went straight forward. She couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking, so she asked," Where are we going?"

"Relax, don't be worried about it. When we get there, you'll see where we're going. Now, just let's enjoy the moments of being together." Mark had a charm which women found irresistibly attractive. Emily felt her heartbeat quicken, it was a moving moment for her.

Here, at long last, was the moment she had waited for. They have arrived at their destination. It is a fancy restaurant that Emily has never been to. The restaurant is luxuriously furnished and carpeted. Emily felt nervous and insecure.

She dressed down in casual clothes. Had she known to have dinner on such an occasion, she would have dressed properly, for god's sake. But she didn't feel embarrassed for long.

It was dinner time, but she felt surprised to find the big restaurant empty. She turned to look at Mark and asked," Did we come too early? There is no one in sight."

However, it was obvious that Mark was fully prepared for this dinner. He didn't answer the question but took her hand and guided her to the seat, which has a superlative night scene of this city.

His movements were gentle and deliberate. As Emily looked out over the window, this place commands a panoramic view of the city. She took a deep breath to calm her racing pulse.

They dined by candlelight. There's nothing like candlelight for creating a romantic mood. When they finished their meal, Emily asked, "Why did you do this?"

Mark chuckled, "Didn't you forget? Today is your birthday."

When she heard what Mark said, Emily had a moment of enlightenment and she answered," Oh, right. It's my birthday." But why does Mark know? Oh, she seemed to mention it when they sat around chatting.

But why did he care about it so much? It's not a big deal. Suddenly, her gaze met Mark's for a split second. She could even hear the beating of her own heart!

"And beyond that, I'm so sorry I never told you before. But you might have guessed. We've not known each other for long. However I fell in love with you at first sight. We seemed predestined to meet. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Emily May, would you please be my girlfriend?"

His voice was deep but gentle, almost sensuous. He watched her face intently to catch every nuance of expression, trying to find an affirmative answer.

Emily hesitated and didn't answer directly. But it didn't mean that she didn't love the man in front of her. Instead, Emily was touched by his constant companion and kindness. However, the news almost took her breath away. The happiness was all very sudden and unrealistic.

Mark noticed a certain hesitancy on her face, and he continued," You do not have to give me a definite answer at once. I hope you can consider the relationship between us fully before replying me. But today, I just want to wish you a happy birthday. Just enjoy it."

The restaurant staff who were standing by made their move as Mark stopped speaking. They brought the trolley with an elegant cake and a big bouquet of roses. The roses have come into bloom. The air was full of the fragrance of roses. Beautiful music and lighting soon after helped to create the right atmosphere.

Emily was all transfixed by the images in the restaurant at this moment. How could the dull and boring workday have turned into such a scene full of happiness and joy? It was the best day of her life.

Her lips were slightly parted," I think..." Emily seemed to be about to reply, but Mark interrupted her: "Maybe you can cut the cake first."

A doubt niggled at Emily, but still she followed his advice and cut the cake with the knife. Tears of joy were finally trickling down her cheeks when she cut the cake. A diamond necklace was hidden in the cake!

The staff wiped up the cream on the necklace and delivered it into the hands of Mark. The flawless diamond necklace was sparkling in the candlelight. Mark raised the necklace slightly and asked in a soft voice, " My beautiful lady, may I help you to wear this necklace?"

"Oh... I don't understand why you're doing this for me... I mean, I'm just such an ordinary person, aren't I? And you are so good... " Emily was overwhelmed, moved to tears. What Mark did touched her so deeply that she couldn't even complete her sentence. The staff quietly slipped away, just leaving Emily and Mark.

Mark gently wore the necklace around Emily's neck. Her beauty was beguiling. Mark's voice was gentle and with some consoling:"Honey, you are Emily and I love you for who you are, not because of certain conditions. So, will you give me the answer now?"

Mark would never be improper, and he is always the perfect gentleman. It seemed that she has no reason to refuse.

"Oh, dear... I do!" Her lip quivered, and then she started to cry. The tears ran from Emily's face to her lips. Mark gently wiped the tears away with his finger, and his head bent slowly over her until their mouths met. He took Emily in his arms and kissed her deeply. Her fate was intertwined with his from now on.

Both of them began to breathe faster. And as the kiss deepened, Mark gently pressed Emily's head with his other hand and hugged her tightly so that she could not escape. Her arms also crept around his neck. Unfortunately, the restaurant is not a suitable place for them to continue.

Inside, Emily was filled with churning emotions. They reluctantly parted their lips and clung to each other again. Mark was not the only one who took the initiative at this moment. She hugged him to accommodate his kiss.

After several repetitions, Mark exchanged a smile with her and they left the restaurant. She was pretty sure that this moment would stick in her head for years.

As the day darkened, the streetlights came on. The crowd drifted away. Time seems to slip away much faster. And just like that, they walked through the last street together and came to Emily's door.

She stopped and turned to look at him. Mark gently squeezed her hand and said with a smile, "I really had a great time today. Thank you for spending a wonderful evening with me."

She whispered in his ear, "Me too. I'm looking forward to our future."

Mark nodded, with a ghost of a smile on his face. He held her and whispered sweet nothings in her ear: "Of course, I will always be with you. Good night, my sweetheart."

But at this time, Emily did not think that all the good things in the end were just an illusion. When he finished, he opened his arms wide to embrace her. Then he turned and left.

Her heart was still pumping with excitement. At this moment, she knew that she really had fallen in love with this handsome and gentle man with great wealth.

It didn't change a lot after that, Emily still lived an unexceptional life. Mark still bought her coffee and chatted with her. Unlike in the past, he started to drive her to work and send her home every day.

Sometimes, Mark will go out with Emily. Over time, this certainly caused some gossip among colleagues in the company. In normal conditions, Emily doesn't have to be too concerned about the gossip because they were already a couple. But gradually, Emily heard something different.

"Hey, have you noticed that Mr. Mark seems to be getting pretty close to his little secretary lately?" When Emily walked by the pantry, she heard Sherly, a colleague from another department, talking gossip with another colleague.

Although eavesdropping is a bad behavior, Emily felt that she is the main character of this conversation, so she decided to stop and find out what was going on.

"Oh, my God! How could this be possible? It's just that Mr. Mark is too kind, and he just wanted to help his poor secretary."

They laughed together: " You have a point. After all, Mr. Mark is supposed to be in love with Miss Josie. Miss Josie, though, has been divorced once, is still better than this little secretary -- well, what's her name?"

"Amy? That's the name, right? " She said carelessly.

"Oh yes, Amy! As the daughter of a rich family, Miss Josie is much better than Amy in terms of appearance and family. How could Mr. Mark be with Amy if he wasn't blind?"

"Speaking of Josie, do you know the reason why exactly she got divorced? What is her ex-husband like, compared with Mr. Mark..."

Emily did not listen to the rest of the conversation. She ran away from the scene in a hurry. Even if they said the wrong name, Emily can be pretty sure that they were talking about her.

Although she does not know who Josie is, it is indeed much more worthy of Mark than she is from their description. But why do people know the fact that Mark and Josie is couple? Why did Mark express his affection to her when he had a girlfriend?

Even though Emily is Mark's girlfriend already, she was still unsure of what to do next. Emily was assailed by self-doubt and emotional insecurity.

However, the gossip didn't only reach Emily's ears. Mark also knew about these things. Emily was trying to immerse herself in her work when he knocked on the office door again. "Hello, is my girlfriend there? Can you let your boyfriend in?"

"Come in, please." In contrast, Emily's words were much cooler. Mark knew exactly what was going on and stopped joking.

"Honey, I know what you're upset about. We're already together, aren't we? Anything you want to say, you can tell me." Mark sat down at his desk and moved closer to Emily.

"No... Maybe it's my own problem." Emily didn't know what to say, but the story between Josie and Mark really bothered her.

"Well, then, let me talk. It's about Josie, isn't it?" Mark held Emily's hand as if he wanted to give her some strength.

"Yes..." Emily nodded gently.

Mark laughed and said, "OK, let me answer your questions. Yes, I know Josie, and I have known her for a long time because we had previous dealings with her father's company. Her name is Josie Heron, by the way. Perhaps you'll be more familiar with 'Heron'."

Speaking of Heron, it suddenly occurred to her that Emily saw the name 'Dick Heron' many times in her work documents, so Dick Heron must be Josie's father.

"I'm sorry I doubted you." Emily covered her face with her hand and shook her head, refusing to meet his eyes.

Mark stood up and took Emily into his arms: "No, I should explain this to you. And tonight, all doubts will be erased from your mind." Before Emily knew it, she felt that her chin was raised a little, then her lips was kissed. Her heart started to beat more quickly.

Mark held Emily and his body was pressing against hers. Even though it wasn't the first time, she closed her eyes nervously. Mark, on the other hand, just brushed her lips gently with his. A kiss from Mark is a wonderful antidote to stress.

It relieved Emily's nervous heart. She opened her eyes and looked at Mark with love and trust in her eyes. All doubts have now dissipated.

Women are always willing to be deceived by appearances. Emily heard Mark's deep, warm voice in her ear, tickling her, but she can no longer figure out what Mark is saying. She kept a tight grip on his arm. She gasped for breath, her chest heaving.

She pressed her face against his hard chest. Emily's face had completely turned red. She could only wait for his next move.

Mark looked down at her. He looked at Emily squarely in the eye, and took a solemn oath, "Dear Emily, I will tell you everything tonight, will you trust me?" He accentuated the last sentence. Then there was another kiss, but more powerful.

"Of course, I do! I'm looking forward to tonight, too!" Emily threw her arms round his neck and hugged him warmly, looking forward to what would happen tonight. They were kissing and cuddling on the edge of the table.

After getting out of Mark's car, Emily found that this is another fancy restaurant, but not the same one as before. The environment here was more beautiful and followed a very strict reservation system and various dining etiquette.

But fortunately, she had Mark at her side now, who would lead her to do things that she never knew before.

After dinner, Emily thought that tonight was just another feast, and maybe there also would be some shows to watch. But Mark brought out a small, square box. He squeezed the box so hard, as if thinking about what to do next.

"Well... I told you tonight I would erase all your useless doubts, didn't I? But actually, at this moment, I already don't know what to say actually. I'm prepared for everything, and maybe you won't accept this request, but I'm going to say it anyway -- "

Mark rarely fumbled helplessly for words. Although he stuttered a little, Emily thought that Mark was adorable. Mark stood up, then get down on one knee. He opened the little box in his hand, and raised it up: "Will you marry me, Miss Emily May?"

Inside the box is a ten-carat diamond ring!