Chapter 234

The brilliant fireworks display created an invisible barrier, separating Alexander and Evelyn from the bustling crowd. It kept Ethan at a distance, unable to reach them.

His throat tightened. His hands curled into fists, nails digging into his palms.

Just a few yards away, Alexander held Evelyn close, his arms wrapped protectively around her.

Lost in the moment, Alexander cradled her face and kissed her deeply, the golden glow of the fireworks illuminating their silhouettes.

Ethan's vision blurred with rage. The veins in his hands stood out starkly against his skin.

He dropped to his knees, clutching his head as a guttural cry tore from his throat.

But the deafening explosions overhead swallowed his anguish. No one turned. No one noticed.

The more tender Alexander and Evelyn were, the deeper the knife twisted in Ethan's chest.

For a terrifying moment, he thought he might suffocate. The pain was unbearable, crushing him from the inside out.

Every burst of color in the sky felt like another slash across his heart, leaving it raw and bleeding.

Alexander loved Evelyn—that much was undeniable. His gaze never strayed from her, full of devotion.

And that was what destroyed Ethan the most.

A man of Alexander Whitmore's stature investing his precious time and energy in her could only mean one thing—his feelings ran deep.

Ethan Caldwell had never witnessed Alexander show this level of devotion to any woman before.

The fireworks over the ocean blazed for a glorious thirty minutes.

Alexander had spared no expense, ensuring everyone present witnessed the breathtaking spectacle.

At the peak of the display, Evelyn Carter's name suddenly illuminated the night sky, framed by a blazing crimson heart.

This was a declaration.

Classic, perhaps even predictable.

But Evelyn adored it.

No woman could resist romance, and she was no different.

The brilliant explosions transformed into cascading blossoms, painting the heavens in shifting hues of gold and scarlet. They pulsed like living embers, now dazzling, now soft, weaving a dreamscape that stole her breath away.

In Evelyn's eyes, Alexander had always carried himself with icy detachment. Given his decade in law enforcement, she'd assumed words like "romantic" would never apply to him.

Yet here he was, rewriting every expectation.

The crowd gasped as the finale erupted—a shower of silver sparks forming two interlocked rings above them.

Evelyn's pulse hammered against her ribs.

This wasn't just affection.

This was a promise.

She never expected him to orchestrate such an elaborate fireworks display just for her.

Evelyn's eyes shimmered with the reflection of the bursting colors above, her voice soft with wonder. "This is breathtaking."

Alexander watched her with undisguised tenderness, his arm slipping around her waist. "Do you enjoy it?"

She nodded without hesitation. "More than anything."

His lips curved knowingly. "Do you love the fireworks, Evelyn... or do you love me?"

The question caught her off guard.

Alexander didn't let her look away, his gaze intense beneath the flickering sky. "I thought the meaning would be clear when you saw them. This wasn't just a display."

Evelyn's breath hitched as realization dawned.

Against the backdrop of cascading sparks, his eyes burned brighter than any flame.

"Every single one of these," he murmured, "is for you. To tell you what words never could."

Her pulse stuttered at the raw emotion in his voice.

Alexander cradled her face, his touch devastatingly gentle. "You're my wife. Our beginning wasn't conventional, but that doesn't matter now. I need more than your trust, Evelyn. I need your heart."

The last firework exploded overhead in a shower of gold, illuminating the vulnerability in his expression—a sight reserved only for her.

The golden lights of the tropical resort shimmered around them, casting a dreamlike glow over the private beach.

Alexander’s fingers brushed through Evelyn’s hair, his touch featherlight yet electric.

"Evelyn," he murmured, his voice a velvet caress. "I want to build a life with you—one filled with happiness, passion, and love. Every moment without you feels incomplete."

Her breath hitched.

Was Alexander… confessing to her?

The end of the year had been brutal for Titan Capital Group, with Alexander buried under mountains of work. A trip abroad with Evelyn had seemed impossible.

But he couldn’t ignore the guilt gnawing at him.

They had married in haste, without the grand romance she deserved. He owed her more—a proper courtship, a declaration, a memory worth cherishing.

So he had chosen this paradise as the venue for the company’s annual retreat.

Three days. That was all he could spare.

But every second had been meticulously planned.

The confession he had postponed for too long could wait no longer.

His lips grazed her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

"Evelyn," he whispered, his voice rough with emotion. "Will you love me?"

Her heart stuttered.

The world around them faded, leaving only his piercing gaze and the weight of his question.