Chapter 11 - Under the Skyline
The following week, the Chicago skyline sparkled like a field of crushed diamonds beneath a clear, starless autumn sky.
Julian had kept his promise—abandoning the stiff, white-tablecloth exclusivity of high-society restaurants in favor of a quiet, rooftop terrace overlooking the glittering sweep of Lake Michigan. They sat side-by-side on a plush outdoor velvet sofa, wrapped in a shared cashmere blanket, sipping warm cider as the city hummed miles below them.
“Dad’s therapy milestone today was incredible,” Simone said, her head resting comfortably against Julian’s shoulder. “He walked an entire hundred yards without his cane. Just his own strength.”
“He has your stubbornness,” Julian replied, his arm wrapped securely around her waist. “It’s a terrifying trait, but highly effective.”
“Hey! Stubbornness is the only reason Bellamy Engineering is still standing.”
“And it’s the only reason I managed to get past your defenses at the hospital.” Julian turned his head, pressing his lips softly into her hair. “Though I admit, tossing a banana at a man wearing a three-thousand-dollar Brioni suit was a bold opening strategy.”
“I was aiming for your soul, Julian, not your suit.”
“My soul was thoroughly captivated the moment you yelled at me for loitering,” he murmured, his voice rich with quiet amusement.
The playful banter slowly melted into a comfortable, deeply intimate silence. For Julian, whose world was so often defined by ruthless contracts, corporate rivalries, and the dark undercurrents of the city’s elite, Simone represented something entirely foreign: pure, unadulterated truth. She didn't care about his money, his power, or his reputation. She loved him for the steadfast, fiercely protective man he was behind closed doors.
Julian shifted slightly, pulling a small, velvet-covered box from his coat pocket.
Simone felt him move, her breath catching in her throat as she sat up and looked down at the box in his hands.
“Simone,” Julian began, his deep voice carrying a rare, raw tremor of uncertainty that made her heart race. “When I met you in that hospital corridor, you were covered in coffee, paper scraps, and absolute chaos. And somehow, you became the anchor I didn't know I was looking for.”
He popped the lid open. Inside rested a breathtaking, custom-designed ring—not a ostentatious diamond meant to impress society, but a delicate platinum band inset with a deep blue sapphire that caught the starlight like the North Atlantic sea.
“I don't offer fairy tales,” Julian whispered, looking deep into her eyes. “I offer reality. Protection, partnership, and a life where we face whatever chaos comes our way, together. Will you marry me?”
Tears welled up in Simone’s eyes, but her smile was wide, radiant, and absolute.
May you like
“Only,” she choked out through a happy laugh, “if you promise never to wear a tie that matches my wedding dress.”
Julian laughed, a rich, resonant sound that carried across the rooftop, and slipped the ring onto her finger. “Deal.”
