Chapter 338: The Beginning of Forever

"I love you," Adrian whispered against his skin.

Matteo held him tighter, pressing a long, fervent kiss to the top of his head. "I’ll spend the rest of my life proving that I love you too."

As the applause echoed into the night and their loved ones rushed forward to celebrate, the stars shone brilliantly overhead.

Their journey had never been easy. They had loved through fear. They had loved through blinding pain. They had loved through the heaviest darkness.

And now... they would spend forever loving each other in the light.

For a few moments, no one wanted to break the beautiful spell of emotion lingering in the night air. Then, Maya was the first to move. She hurried across the terrace, tears still glistening on her cheeks, and threw her arms tightly around Adrian’s neck.

"Congratulations, brother," she laughed warmly, squeezing him with everything she had.

Adrian laughed through his own lingering tears, wrapping his arms around her. "Thank you, Maya."

A few steps away, Maxwell walked over to Matteo with Mark right beside him. Beaming with pride, Maxwell pulled his brother into a firm, grounding hug, patting him heavily on the back. "Congratulations."

"You finally did it," Mark added with a wide grin, stepping in to embrace Matteo as well.

Matteo smiled, his usual guarded demeanor completely melted away as he accepted their congratulations one after another.

Charles and Frank quickly made their way over to Adrian, immediately pulling him into a warm, chaotic group embrace.

"We are so happy for you," Charles said, his voice thick with emotion.

Frank shook his head in amazement. "Wow... that was incredible. I’m really happy for both of you."

Adrian looked between them, his eyes shining with deep gratitude. "Thank you, guys. For everything."

As the group mingled, their laughter and overlapping voices filling the rooftop, Adrian stepped back slightly. He lowered his gaze to his left hand, staring at the brilliant diamond ring now resting permanently on his finger.

A soft, breathless smile spread across his face. "I still can’t believe it..."

He gently ran his thumb over the ring on his finger, as though he needed to feel it to convince himself this wasn’t all just a beautiful dream.

Across the terrace, Matteo quietly excused himself from the group. Adrian noticed him slipping away toward the rooftop entrance, but he smiled, assuming Matteo was just giving everyone a moment to celebrate before returning.

Adrian stayed with his friends, sinking into one of the plush outdoor lounge chairs as the adrenaline finally began to settle.

"I honestly still can’t believe both of you proposed at the same time," Frank said, shaking his head in absolute disbelief. "What are the odds of that?"

Charles chuckled, taking a sip from a glass of champagne. "I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything more romantic in my entire life."

Even Maya laughed. "I was crying so much I almost forgot to take pictures. Thank God I managed to hit record."

A few minutes later, the steady sound of footsteps approached. Everyone naturally turned toward the door.

Matteo was walking back toward them, bathed in the soft golden glow of the string lights. In his hands was a massive, breathtaking bouquet of deep, velvety red roses, elegantly wrapped in crisp black paper. The rich crimson petals looked incredibly vibrant against the night.

Adrian was still chatting with his friends when Matteo quietly came to stand behind him. Without saying a word, he held the bouquet of deep red roses beside Adrian’s shoulder.

Adrian turned instinctively. The moment he saw the flowers, his eyes widened in surprise. He immediately stood up, unable to hide the smile that bloomed across his face as his heart fluttered once again.

Matteo stepped in front of him, a tender smile resting on his lips. He held the bouquet out toward Adrian. "Here, baby," he said softly. "These are for you."

Adrian’s eyes widened in surprise as he accepted the bouquet, carefully cradling the deep red roses in his arms. "I thought you weren’t getting me any flowers tonight," he said, unable to hide the smile spreading across his face.

Matteo’s lips curved into a knowing smile as he met Adrian’s gaze. "I was," he said softly. "I just wanted to save them for later."

Adrian looked down at the flawless roses. "They’re beautiful, Matteo."

Matteo’s smile deepened, a playful glint appearing in his eyes. "And this isn’t the last surprise."

Adrian blinked, momentarily speechless. "There’s... more?"

Matteo nodded slowly. "Yes.

A radiant smile spread across Adrian’s face. Without caring that all their friends and family were watching, he stepped forward, wrapped one arm around Matteo’s neck while holding the bouquet in the other, and pulled him into a long, heartfelt kiss.

A chorus of teasing whistles, cheers, and laughter immediately erupted around them.

"Oh, come on!" Maxwell laughed loudly.

"At least give us a warning first!" Frank teased, clapping his hands.

Maya, beaming from ear to ear, quickly lifted her phone to capture the sweet, cinematic moment before lowering it again with a highly satisfied grin.

Adrian pulled back, his cheeks slightly flushed but his smile brighter than the stars above them. "Thank you, baby."

Matteo gently reached up, brushing a stray strand of hair away from Adrian’s eyes. "Don’t thank me just yet." He reached down, intertwining his fingers seamlessly with Adrian’s. "Come with me."

Adrian glanced back at the others, suddenly hesitant to leave. "What about—"

Before he could finish the question, Matteo gave his hand a gentle, persuasive tug. "They’ll be fine."

Smiling curiously, Adrian surrendered, letting himself be led away from the cheering group and toward the private elevator.

They stepped inside the glass cabin, and the doors slid shut, cutting off the noise of the rooftop. But instead of pressing the button for the luxurious fifth floor where their suite was...

Matteo reached out and pressed the button for the 2nd floor.

Adrian looked at him, his brow furrowing in adorable confusion. "The second floor?"

Matteo simply offered a mysterious, devastatingly handsome smile. "You’ll see."

As the elevator began its smooth, quiet descent, Adrian looked at Matteo, then down at the stunning bouquet of red roses resting in his arm. His curiosity only grew, burning brighter by the second.

Whatever surprise Matteo had planned next... this unforgettable night clearly wasn’t over yet.

A soft chime echoed through the elevator as the doors slid open onto the second floor.

Matteo gently took Adrian’s hand and led him down the quiet hallway.

The moment they reached the entrance, Adrian noticed something.

Rose petals.

A trail of deep red petals stretched from the doorway, disappearing into the suite beyond.

His eyes widened. "No way..." His heart immediately began racing. "This is it..."

Unable to contain his excitement, Adrian carefully placed the bouquet by the entrance before turning back to Matteo with an eager smile.

"I need both hands for this," he laughed softly.

Matteo chuckled but said nothing, simply intertwining their fingers once more before opening the door.

The moment Adrian stepped inside...

He froze.

His mouth slowly fell open.

The entire suite had been transformed into something that looked like it had come straight out of a dream.

A pathway of crimson rose petals stretched through the grand hallway, lined with dozens of glowing candles. Mounted against one wall was a magnificent arrangement of red roses, with the words Will You Marry Me? shining in elegant golden lights at its center.

Every corner of the spacious living room had been beautifully decorated. Elegant bouquets of red roses rested on tables and shelves, while hundreds of flickering candles bathed the room in a warm golden glow. In the center of the marble floor, countless rose petals formed a giant heart, making the luxurious space feel even more magical.

The decoration continued into the open kitchen, where more candles and fresh roses adorned the marble island and dining table. The entire room glowed softly beneath the warm lighting, creating an atmosphere that was both elegant and deeply romantic.

Even the bedroom had been transformed.

Rose petals covered the floor, candles flickered gently around the room, and another large heart had been carefully arranged in front of the bed. Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, the moonlight shimmered across the ocean, making the breathtaking view feel even more enchanting.

The bathroom was no different.

More candles surrounded the freestanding bathtub, which had been filled with floating rose petals. Every detail had been prepared with care, making it feel like a private paradise created just for them.

Adrian stood completely speechless.

He slowly turned in a circle, trying to take everything in.

No matter where he looked...

There were flowers.

There were candles.

There were rose petals.

Every single room had been prepared with love.

His eyes quickly filled with tears again.

Without another thought, he hurried back to Matteo and threw his arms tightly around him. "This is beautiful..."

His voice trembled as he looked up before leaning in to kiss him.

A slow smile spread across Matteo’s face as he wrapped his arms securely around Adrian’s waist. "Do you like it?" he asked softly.

Adrian let out a watery laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. "Like it?" he repeated. "Baby... I love it."

His eyes wandered around the suite once more before returning to Matteo. "I never imagined you had another surprise waiting for me."

Matteo smiled softly. "Actually..." he said, glancing around the beautifully decorated suite, "this was where I originally planned to propose to you."

Adrian blinked in surprise.

Matteo let out a quiet laugh. "The plan was to bring you here first. I was going to propose to you in this suite, and afterward, we would go up to the rooftop to enjoy the view together."

He gently intertwined their fingers. "But after I found out you were planning something too, I had to change everything."

A fond smile tugged at his lips. "I switched the order. I let the proposal happen on the rooftop first, then brought you here afterward."

He looked deeply into Adrian’s eyes. "I didn’t want you to notice any of this before I got down on one knee. I wanted the proposal to be a complete surprise."

Adrian’s eyes softened with emotion.

He cupped Matteo’s face gently. "Thank you so much."

Matteo smiled and rested his forehead against Adrian’s. "You don’t have to thank me."

He gently brushed a loose strand of hair away from Adrian’s face. "I just wanted to know if you truly loved it."

Adrian smiled through his tears before nodding without hesitation. "I do."

He glanced around the beautifully decorated suite once more, his smile growing even brighter. "Everything is perfect."

His eyes returned to Matteo. "And I’ll remember this night for the rest of my life."