enjoyebooks Chapter 20: The Proposal
Chapter 20: The Proposal
The room was suffocating.
The weight of every gaze pinned Ivy in place—Henry’s cold calculation, Callum’s impassive stare, Genevieve’s smug smirk, and Brandon’s mocking amusement.
Henry leaned forward, his voice sharp, cutting through the silence like a blade.
“Explain.”
Ivy’s mouth felt dry. She had seconds to fix this before everything collapsed.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to meet Henry’s gaze.
Lie convincingly. Make it real.
“Alec and I…” she started, her voice shaky but determined. “We’ve known each other for years.”
Silence.
The air felt thick, heavy.
Ivy swallowed and kept going.
“We met through mutual friends, and when I moved here, it felt like fate. We didn’t post much online because we wanted to keep things private.”
Genevieve let out a scoff, her arms crossing tightly over her chest.
“Right,” she said, her voice laced with syrupy condescension. “And I suppose next you’ll say you have secret love letters and a shoebox full of memories we somehow missed?”
Ivy ignored her. She had to.
She focused on Henry, who wasn’t looking at her anymore.
His sharp gaze was on Alec.
“And you?” Henry asked, his voice low and unreadable. “Do you feel the same?”
Alec didn’t answer immediately.
Ivy’s stomach twisted painfully.
Her palms felt damp. She prayed he had a plan—any plan—because she was running out of words.
Then, Alec stood.
Every movement deliberate. Every muscle in his body controlled.
His gaze was steady, locked onto hers.
And then—
Ivy’s entire world tilted.
Because Alec dropped to one knee.
Her heart stopped.
The room disappeared.
“Ivy,” Alec said, his voice low, calm, certain.
“Marry me.”