Chapter 67
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Marcus drove through the city with confidence as he navigated the streets like he’d made this trip a hundred times before. The car went smoothly through traffic, and Elara watched the buildings pass by. trying to guess where they were headed since he’d refused to say anything.
When they finally pulled up to a building, Elara lost her breathe. It was Per Se, one of the most exclusive restaurants in New York. The kind of place where reservations were booked months in advance and a single meal cost more than most people’s rent.
The valet approached immediately as Marcus put the car in park. He stepped out, handed over the keys, then walked around to open Elara’s door. She took his offered hand and stepped out onto the pavement, her heels clicking against the concrete.
The entrance to Per Se was elegant and understated, exactly what you’d expect from a restaurant of this caliber. Elara started walking toward the front doors, already imagining the luxurious interior, when Marcus’s voice stopped her.
“Elara.”
She turned back to look at him, confused. “What?”
“Not that way,” he said, a small smile playing on his lips.
“What do you mean not that way? The entrance is right there.”
“Not yet,” Marcus said, walking back toward her and taking her hand. “There’s a surprise at the back first.”
“The back?” What surprise? Elara looked around, trying to see what he was talking about. “Marcus, what are you planning?”
“Do you have the blindfold?”
She blinked at him. “The blindfold? You mean the one that came with the dress?”
“Yes, that one. Did you bring it?”
Elara reached into her clutch and pulled out the small piece of silk fabric. “I have it, but why would I need a blindfold at a restaurant?”
“Put it on.”
“Marcus-”
“Trust me. Just this once, trust me.”
She looked at him for a long moment, searching his face for any hint of what he was up to. He just stood there smiling, looking more relaxed and playful than she’d ever seen him. It was impossible not to smile back.
“Fine,” she said, shaking her head. “But if you’re planning to stress me, I’m going to kill you.”
“Noted.”
Chapter 67
May
55 vouchers
Elara tied the blindfold around her eyes, and immediately the world went dark. She felt Marcus’s hand on her lower back, guiding her forward.
“Careful,” he murmured. “There’s a step here.”
They walked slowly, Marcus leading her with gentle pressure on her back and occasional instructions to watch her step or move slightly to the left. Elara could hear their footsteps echoing slightly, like they were in a more open space now instead of on the street.
Then she started hearing voices. Multiple people talking in low tones, the sound of movement, maybe even music playing softly in the background.
“Marcus, what are you doing?” she asked, a nervous laugh escaping her. “Why do I hear people?”
“Calm down,” he said, and she could hear the smile in his voice. “Just a few more steps.”
He stopped her, his hands coming to rest on her shoulders.
“Ready?” he asked.
“I don’t know, am I?”
“On three. One… two… three.”
Marcus untied the blindfold and pulled it away from her eyes.
Elara blinked, her vision adjusting to the light. The first thing she saw was a massive box. It was huge, at least seven feet tall and wrapped in glossy red paper with an enormous white bow on top. Fairy lights were strung around it, and there were rose petals scattered on the ground leading up to it.
“What is this?” Elara asked, her voice coming out as a whisper. She was smiling now, her hand coming up to cover her mouth in shock. “Marcus, what is this?”
“Go look,” he said simply.
She walked toward the box slowly, her heels making the tiniest noise. There was a card attached to the bow, and she reached up to pull it off. It simply read: *For you. – M*
Behind her, she could hear people gathering, murmuring excitedly. She turned and saw restaurant staff, maybe a dozen of them, all watching with smiles on their faces. Some of them had their phones out, recording the moment.
“Open it,” Marcus said from behind her.
Elara turned back to the box. There was a ribbon pull on one side, and when she tugged it, the entire front panel of the box fell away in a dramatic reveal.
Inside was a car.
Not just any car. A sleek, gorgeous Mercedes-Benz S-Class in a deep champagne color that caught the light beautifully. It was stunning, with elegant lines and a luxurious presence that took her breath away.
For a moment, Elara just stood there, staring. Then the reality of what she was looking at hit her all at
once.
14:55 Mon, May 11
Chapter 67
“Oh my God,” she breathed. “Oh my God, Marcus!”
She jumped, actually jumped, her hands flying to her face as a scream of excitement escaped her. This is too much! Marcus, this is too much!”
The staff behind them started clapping, some of them cheering. The whole scene felt surreal, like something out of a movie.
Elara turned and ran back to Marcus, throwing her arms around his neck. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She kissed him hard, not caring that they had an audience, not caring about anything except the overwhelming joy and gratitude flooding through her.
Marcus kissed her back, his arms wrapping around her waist and pulling her close. When they finally broke apart, both of them were smiling.
“This is insane,” Elara said, still trying to process everything. “I can’t believe you did this.”
“Come here,” Marcus said, taking her hand and leading her toward the car. “There’s more.”
He walked around to the back and opened the trunk.
Inside was a complete setup that looked like something straight out of a romantic dream. There was a large teddy bear sitting in the center, surrounded by heart-shaped balloons in red and gold. Fairy lights were strung throughout the trunk, creating a warm, magical glow. Fresh roses were arranged in beautiful bouquets, their petals perfect and fragrant. And there, written in elegant script on one of the balloons, were the words: *I’m Sorry.*
There was even a small cake, beautifully decorated with red and white frosting.
Elara’s hands came up to her face again, and this time tears pricked at her eyes. “Marcus…”
“I meant what I said last night,” Marcus said quietly, stepping closer to her. “I’m sorry, El. For going to see your mother without telling you. For making decisions about your life without consulting you first. For being an ass in Santorini. For all of it.” He gestured to the car, to the setup in the trunk, to everything around them. “This is my apology. I know it doesn’t fix everything, but I wanted you to know how serious I am about making things right.”
Elara looked at him, and for a moment she couldn’t speak. The tears she’d been holding back finally spilled over, and she wiped them away quickly, laughing through the emotion.
“You’re ridiculous,” she said, her voice thick. “This is the most ridiculous, over-the-top apology I’ve ever
seen.”
“Is that a good thing?”
“It’s a very good thing.”
She kissed him again, softer this time, trying to pour all of her gratitude and affection into it. When they pulled apart, Marcus was smiling that rare, genuine smile that she’d only started seeing recently.
“So you like it?” he asked.
“I love it. I love all of it. The car, the setup, everything. Thank you.”
Chapter 67
The staff were still watching, still recording, and Elara suddenly felt self-conscious about the tears on her face. But when she looked around at them, they were all smiling warmly, clearly touched by the whole
scene.
Marcus closed the trunk gently and turned back to Elara, offering his arm.
“That’s part one, love,” he said, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “Let’s go in for part two.”
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