C63 She Said Yes

I greeted Laura with an apologetic smile the moment I reached the restaurant. "I'm sorry for keeping you waiting," I said as I pulled out my chair. "The traffic was terrible coming from work."

She smiled gently and shook her head. "It's alright. You were coming from work, so I expected you might be a little late." Her understanding immediately put me at ease.

We ordered our meals and spent the next hour talking about all sorts of things. Most of the conversation revolved around eSports, my recent success in France, and the projects I had been working on. Before I realized it, I had also told her about my promotion at Courington Corporation.

Laura's eyes sparkled with genuine happiness. "Congratulations, Mike!" she exclaimed before standing up and wrapping her arms around me. The unexpected hug caught me off guard. For a brief moment, I simply stood there, feeling her warmth against me. My heart pounded violently inside my chest. This was the closest we had ever been. As I gently hugged her back, I could feel her soft breathing, and somehow, all the fear that had been holding me back disappeared. This was my chance.

After she slowly let go, I looked into her beautiful eyes and gathered every ounce of courage I had. "Laura..." "Yes?" "Do you... have a boyfriend?" She blinked in surprise before answering casually. "No. Why?" I took a deep breath. "I was wondering... if a beautiful lady like you would be willing to be my girlfriend."

I paused, trying to steady my racing heartbeat. "I may not be good enough right now, but I promise I'll work hard. I'll take good care of you and give you all the love you deserve." Laura looked directly into my eyes. Neither of us spoke. The silence felt endless. My heart was beating so loudly I was sure she could hear it.

If she rejected me... then I would accept it. I had already prepared myself for that possibility. Maybe afterward I would slowly move on and give Alicia a chance. But before any of those thoughts could continue, Laura softly asked, "What do you mean?" Without looking away, I gently reached across the table and held her hand.

"What I mean is..." "The first day I saw you sitting quietly by yourself during lunch, I fell in love with you." "I've imagined confessing to you countless times, but I was always afraid." "My friends kept calling me a coward." I smiled bitterly. "But rejection doesn't care whether someone is brave or cowardly. Anyone can get hurt."

Laura stared at me for several seconds before lowering her head shyly. Then, almost in a whisper, she said, "I also fell in love with you... the day we first met." I froze. She laughed softly, embarrassed by her own confession. "So... I guess we both fell in love at first sight."

My heart nearly exploded with happiness. "But," she continued, smiling playfully, "before I agree to your request, I have two questions." I nodded immediately. "No problem. Ask me anything." She looked into my eyes. "First... why do you love me?" "And second..." "What is my favorite movie?" I couldn't help but laugh.

For a moment I thought she was going to ask something impossible. I squeezed her hand gently before answering. "I love you because whenever I think about you..." "...I see my future." "When I imagine the life I want to live, you're standing right there." "You're beautiful, kind, honest, gentle, and you never pretend to be someone you're not." "You don't seek attention, yet somehow you always capture mine." "You are everything I've ever wished for." "Every man dreams of finding a wife who is both beautiful and kind." "So do I." "And to me..." "That person is you."

Laura's cheeks turned crimson. Then I answered the second question. "Your favorite movie is Avengers: Endgame." "And your favorite character is Captain Marvel." She couldn't hide her smile anymore. "You answered both questions correctly."

For a second I simply stared at her. Then she laughed softly. "So..." "My answer is yes." "I'll be your girlfriend." I couldn't describe the happiness I felt. Every fear, every doubt, every sleepless night disappeared in that single moment. After spending a little more time together, the sky gradually turned dark.

We left the restaurant side by side. When it was finally time to part ways, Laura hugged me once more. This time I gently kissed her before smiling warmly. "Take care, my love." She lowered her head shyly. "You too." Watching her walk away, I couldn't stop smiling. For the first time in a long while... I truly felt like the happiest man alive.

Meanwhile, Alicia arrived home in high spirits. Before she had even taken off her shoes, she excitedly shouted, "Dad! Grandpa! Grandma!" The three family members turned toward the entrance in surprise. Mark laughed. "What happened? Why are you so excited?"

Alicia rushed into the living room with a bright smile and proudly placed her new company badge on the table. "Dad!" "I got promoted!" "Grandpa, look! I'm a big shot now!" Everyone's eyes landed on the badge. "Special Analyst Alicia Mooney." Mark picked it up and chuckled proudly. "Looks like Kelvin really knows how to appreciate hardworking people."

Peter's face lit up with pride. "My granddaughter, come here." Alicia happily walked over as he gently patted her shoulder. "You've worked incredibly hard." "You earned yourself a permanent position and now you've become a Special Analyst." "Grandpa is proud of you." "Keep working hard." Those simple words meant more to Alicia than anyone realized.

Since childhood, she had always wanted her family to recognize her achievements, not simply see her as a beautiful daughter who would one day marry into another wealthy family. Today, she finally felt that recognition. After dinner, she returned to her bedroom. Seeing that it was already getting late, she opened the group chat and typed a message. "Mike, how was dinner with your girlfriend?"

Across town, Chris had just finished taking a shower. As he was about to head downstairs for dinner, his phone vibrated. He glanced at Alicia's message before putting the phone back into his pocket with a grin. When he reached the dining room, both of his parents were already seated.

During dinner, he finally shared the good news. "Dad... Mom..." "I've officially been promoted." "Starting Monday, I'll be the new Team Manager." Valeria, who had looked exhausted after a long day, suddenly became energetic. "My son became a Team Manager?"

Without waiting for another word, she stood up excitedly. "We need more food!" "I'm making a few extra dishes tonight!" David laughed heartily. "My son deserves a celebration."

He stood up, walked into the storeroom, and returned moments later holding an expensive bottle of wine that he had been saving for a special occasion. "It seems today is the perfect day to open this."