The CEO's Unexpected Fiancèe

Emma's POV The February chill clung to my coat as I walked down the sidewalk, but nothing could dampen my mood. Valentine's Day was tomorrow, and I had everything planned-right down to the chocolate drizzle on the tiramisu. My heels clicked in rhythm with the music playing in my head: Ethan's laugh, the warmth in his eyes, the way he kissed my forehead like it was a promise. I'd made reservations at his favorite restaurant. Booked the same table where we'd had our first date. Even rehearsed what I'd say when I handed him the ring. The small velvet box weighed heavy in my pocket, not just physically, but with every ounce of hope I had bottled up inside it. Yeah. I was proposing. He didn't know, of course. He thought tomorrow would be another ordinary, sweet, predictable Valentine's Day. But I wanted to flip the script. Surprise him. Show him that I was all in-forever. As I neared his building, I felt like a balloon floating higher with every step. My phone buzzed.A text from Ethan: Busy, call you later. I smiled. Typical. Always neck-deep in work. Which was why I wanted tomorrow to count. The security guard waved me through with a knowing grin. I must've looked ridiculous, grinning like I was high on love. I took the elevator up to his office, humming to the beat of my excitement. Every ding of the elevator felt like a drumroll. I stepped into the hallway, heart racing. Ethan's door was slightly open. I heard his laughter, and a woman's. Then silence. Then moaning. My body froze, fingers gripping the flower bouquet tighter until the stems snapped. I pushed the door open gently. My heart didn't shatter all at once it cracked slow, like glass under pressure. There he was. My Ethan. Seated. Lips locked with his assistant's. Her blouse half-open, his hands clutching her waist like she was the anchor keeping him alive. For a moment, I thought maybe I was dreaming. That this was some sick illusion my mind had cooked up out of jealousy or fear. But when her eyes opened mid-kiss and landed on me when she gasped and scrambled off his lap like I was fire-reality hit. Hard. Ethan's eyes widened. "Emma" I stepped back. "No. Don't," I said, voice cold and cutting. "Just don't." He stood, fumbling for words, pants still half-buttoned. "It's not what it looks like." I actually laughed. One sharp, bitter sound. "It's exactly what it looks like." The assistant bolted out without a word. Good. Ethan reached out. I flinched. "You were going to propose to me?" he asked, glancing at the flowers crushed in my hand. I blinked. So he did know. "You don't get to play the victim now," I whispered. "I loved you. I believed in us." He had nothing left to say. Just silence. I turned and left. Outside, the sky was gray, but tears wouldn't come. Not yet. My body was in survival mode. Move. Breathe. Get away. I didn't see the man until I walked straight into him. "Whoa." Strong hands caught my shoulders. "Are you alright?" I looked up, dazed. Tall, imposing figure looming over me. Sculpted jaw, chiseled to perfection. Icy blue eyes that saw too much, piercing through my soul. Strong, angular features, sharp cheekbones, and a nose that seemed carved from granite. His gaze held a hint of intensity, a spark of intrigue, and a dash of quiet confidence that left me breathless. "Sorry," I murmured. He tilted his head. "You're shaking." I noticed then the flowers were gone, trampled in the street. My fingers brushed the ring box in my pocket. And just like that, something snapped. I pulled it out. Opened it. Looked at the solitaire diamond inside everything I had wanted to give Ethan. "Here," I said, grabbing the stranger's hand and slipping it on his finger. He raised a brow, amused but silent. "Happy Valentine's Day." I didn't wait for a response. My feet carried me down the street, away from Ethan's betrayal, away from the heartbreak that had bloomed in a single devastating moment. The cold air stung my cheeks, and my lungs burned from the brisk pace, but I didn't slow down. Memories of Ethan flooded my mind-our late night conversations, spontaneous road trips, shared dreams over morning coffee. All of it now tainted. Every kiss, every promise, all rewritten in the cruel light of his infidelity. Why hadn't I seen the signs? The missed calls, the sudden meetings, the lingering perfume that wasn't mine. I had ignored it all, too wrapped up in the fantasy I was building around him. I had wanted so badly to believe that love was enough. That I was enough. I stumbled into a nearby park and sat on a bench, burying my face in my hands. My fingers were trembling. My heart ached with a dull, insistent throb that felt endless. What now? What do you do when the future you imagined goes up in flames? Panic set in as reality sank in. The future I'd envisioned shattered, leaving me questioning everything. How could he betray me so callously? And then I remembered the stranger. That moment. That ring. That impulse. What kind of sane woman slips an engagement ring on a stranger's finger and walks away like it's a joke? I had just realized what happened some minutes ago. what was I thinking? I groaned, burying my face deeper into my hands. But somewhere beneath the embarrassment was something else, a s spark of curiosity flickered to life beneath my embarrassment, taunting me with questions. Who was this stranger? How had my ring ended up on his finger? And what were the chances of running into him again? My mind reeled with possibilities, each one more improbable than the last. I peeked through my fingers, trying to commit his features to memory, but he was already disappearing into the night, leaving me with more questions than answers.