Chapter 41: Chapter 41

"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage."

-Lao Tzu-

***

Phoebe's P.O.V

"Oh my god, I am so glad you are safe." Elodie quickly pulls me in an embrace as soon as we arrive at the mansion.

"Did that bastard by any chance tried to do something to you? And oh gosh, why are you wearing a wedding dress?" She asks with widened eyes as soon as she notices what I am wearing.

"He forced me to marry him, can you believe that!?" I tell Elodie and she quickly form a fist.

"Well, that low mannered man, I swear if he ever tries to do anything else to you I will hurt him where the sun doesn't shine."

"It's fine, he won't bother her anymore." Edgar says as he approaches us and wrap his hand around me from the back, causing me to gasp slightly, but then, I touch his hand and accept his hug.

"Okay, this sounds weird, but we are so glad you are back, Phoebe, because I thought this man right here was about to lose his mind and heaven knows we would be dead if he does." Viktor says with a teasing tone as he enters the living room along with Matvey from the dining area.

"I swear, don't ever leave him alone, he would die without you." Nikolai who has been watching us in silence finally speaks out.

"Will you?" I ask Edgar innocently as I turn my head to stare at him, he stare down at me and even though he doesn't seem wanting to admit it, he gives a slight nod.

"Yes, I will." he quickly presses his lips toward mine and we are crashing in a kiss, he tries to get an entrance, and before I can give him, I hear Anna enters the living room and she shouts

"Who wants some- oh, my." I quickly pushed away after realizing that we are being watched by five other people here, but Edgar doesn't seem to be embarrassed about it. I mean, they must have seen him making out in the living room with some other women, and the thought alone lights up some jealousy in me, but I try to shrug it off because if I don't, I will ruin everything.

"Get a room, please." Viktor says with a huge grin on his face. Edgar doesn't get bothered and he lift me up, bridal style, and I look up at him and he stare at me as if I am the most precious thing in the world for him.

Am I?

He brings me to the bedroom, the way a man brings his bride to the love room on their first night, but the difference is, we are not married just yet.

"I seriously want to rip off that ugly dress of yours." He says as he puts me down on the bed and slowly caressing my cheek, as he makes his way down my neck and he stops as soon as his hand touches the dress.

"You look beautiful in a wedding dress and I won't deny that, but I hate this particular one, because it's not the one for 'us'.

"Take it off then." I say as I stare deeply at him.

"What?" He raises his eyebrow in surprise and confusion, but I keep my face as calm as possible even though I am in no way feeling calm right now.

"Are you sure?" I can feel his hand trembles slightly as he tries to move the arm part of the dress down.

"Yes." I say as convincingly as possible, even though I admit, I am a bit scared, because I have always had the 'no sex before marriage' mindset, and I don't know why, but I changed my mind.

It's so strange to see people and their mindset changes overtime.

He takes the courage and like a beast that he is, he actually rip the dress off.

I repeat,

He rips it off with his bare hands, the dress is definitely not that thin since it's a high quality dress made with what I assume is the finest material out there but he rips the dress with his hand.

He leaves me bare, all of a sudden, I feel exposed, he looks at me one more trying to examine my expression and he looks like he is asking for permission to touch me, he knows I am scared and he doesn't want to force it, I know that and I give him permission still.

He starts exploring my body slowly, and then all of a sudden, he stops, and he looks at me with a certain look.

"You are not ready, Phoebe." he says as he stands up, I sit up on the bed and stare at him.

"What?" I ask him, and he flashes me a genuine smile, as he kisses my forehead.

"You are scared, your body keeps on flinching, I don't want to force you, I mean, I am dying to savor every part of your body, but at the same time, I want you to be completely ready for it" he pats my hair slowly and I smile at him.

"Yes. Thank you." I tell him as I stand up and give him a gentle kiss on the lips.

I just discover a new side of him.

A side I genuinely love.

***

"So, mind to tell me where we are going?" I ask him as he drives me out from the mansion.

"Well, it will be a surprise" he dresses up a bit nicer than usual tonight and he asks me to dress formally too, so I assume we will be going out to dine or something, but I never expected us to dine at one of the most famous five-star restaurant at Moscow.

The waitress brings us to a table near the window, so we can clearly see the view outside and the night view here is very beautiful, the lights from the buildings outside never fails to fascinate me, it's so breath taking.

We order some food, everything looks so expensive here but Edgar doesn't seem to mind, he orders some strange named food which I don't know what they are all about, but I just play along with it since I'm not a picky eater to begin with.

The food soon arrive and I can't help but get lost in the flavor. It's so different from what I used to have when I was still living in Paris, Edgar seems to enjoy watching me eat as we are engaged in some light conversation. We mostly talk about silly little thing, our likes and dislikes we didn't know about each other previously, our minor hobbies, etc. we laugh and smile all along, it makes me feel complete.

I don't think I have ever had this kind of conversation with him before, it's just, at this moment, everything feels so normal and in place, it's like, he is not the usual cold, ruthless, heartless, and arrogant mafia leader people view him as, at this moment, he looks like an ordinary man, with some extra point on his appearance.

Everything feels so right, like, I don't want tonight to ever end.

Finally, the waitress brings along the desert, and as I enjoy the desert, he pulls out something from his pocket and he stands up, I feel surprised but then he holds out his hand and he kneels in front of me as he opens the box on his hand, revealing the familiar looking diamond ring. Oh gosh, could it be?

"Phoebe Rousseau, you are the most endearing woman I have ever encountered in my whole life, you are the only woman who have brought out the best in me, you changed me for the better, yet you accepted me for who I am, it all started without any of us ever planning this, but you somehow managed to tame me, you are the only one who keeps my sanity in place, you are my Whisperer, you taught me the meaning of love and I when I lost you for a brief moment, I knew right away I would die without you by my side. I am not a perfect man, or am I a good man, I am a sinful man who have committed the worst things in existence, and I cannot promise you total safety when you are involved in my life, but I promise that I will take care of you my whole life and protect you with all my life, I love you and will always love you with all my heart, and I want you to be mine forever and seal our relationship, so, without any other words, I want to ask you..."

I can't believe I am hearing this right now, but he smiles before saying the last word.

"Will you marry me?"

I jump and I quickly nod my head. I know, this confession is a genuine, well prepared confession, he had asked me that question before, but we were interrupted and I said no, but now, I think I am ready.

"Yes! Yes! I will!" He grins and he quickly stand up and pulls me into a hug before crashing his lips onto mine.

"I love you, Phoebe Rousseau."