Love and Valentine

Chapter 1: The Proposal The smell of roses fills the air as I stand in front of Dave’s office, my fingers nervously gripping the edges of the velvet box in my hand. I’m excited—no, thrilled. It’s Valentine’s Day, and tonight is supposed to be perfect. A night that will end with a proposal, the proposal I’ve been planning for months. Everything has been perfect. The candle-lit dinner is booked at his favorite restaurant, the one he’s always raving about. I’ve even picked out a dress I know will make him look at me like he’s never looked at anyone before. And the ring, the one I had custom-made, sits snugly in my palm. It’s everything he deserves and more. Tonight is supposed to be our night. I glance at my phone, checking the time again. He’s only a few minutes late. Maybe I’m just being too nervous. He’s probably finishing up a few things before heading to meet me. That’s it. I take a deep breath and push open the door to the office building, moving quickly through the sleek lobby and toward the elevator. The soft hum of the elevator door closing is a sound that should calm me, but instead, it feels like a warning, a tiny voice whispering that maybe this evening won’t go as planned. When the doors open on the 14th floor, I step out into the hallway. Dave’s office is at the end of the corridor, the frosted glass door with his name on it standing proudly. I pause for a moment, smoothing the fabric of my dress and checking my reflection in the glass. My hair is perfect, my makeup flawless. Everything looks perfect. I knock lightly on the door before turning the handle and stepping in, ready to surprise him with my grand plan. The scene that greets me is nothing I could have prepared for. Dave’s assistant, Brenda, is sitting on the edge of his desk, her legs wrapped around his waist as they kiss passionately. The world seems to stop for a moment, the sound of their lips meeting echoing in my ears. I freeze, unable to speak, unable to even move. Dave pulls away, his face a mix of surprise and guilt. “Sabrina—” he starts, but I can’t hear him. The rush of blood in my ears drowns out every word. “Brenda, what the hell?” I finally manage to choke out, my voice trembling. Brenda quickly pushes herself off his desk and stands, smoothing her skirt, a smirk playing at the corners of her lips. “Sabrina, didn’t see you there.” “You—” I can barely form a sentence. The betrayal hits me like a physical blow, sharp and painful. Dave’s supposed to be my everything. The man I was going to marry. The man I trusted. “Brenda, get out. Now,” I say, my voice colder now, harder. She doesn’t even flinch as she grabs her purse and strides out of the office, her heels clicking as she leaves me alone with him. “Dave, what is this?” I whisper, my throat tight. He looks at me, guilt written all over his face, but his expression also holds a trace of annoyance. “It’s not what you think.” “Really?” I cross my arms, trying to hold back the tears that are threatening to spill over. “Because I think I just walked in on you kissing your assistant in your office on Valentine’s Day.” “I never meant for this to happen.” Dave sighs and stands, running a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. “Sabrina, we’ve been through this before. I’m—” “No, you don’t get to explain yourself.” The anger bubbles up inside me, hot and suffocating. “You don’t get to tell me how this happened. How could you? After everything we’ve been through, this is how you repay me?” “I didn’t—” Dave tries again, but I hold up my hand, cutting him off. “Just stop, okay? Just stop.” My voice cracks on the last word, and I quickly turn to walk away. I can’t look at him anymore. I can’t breathe with him in this room, with the scent of her still lingering in the air. “Please, Sabrina, wait—” Dave calls out, but I don’t stop. I can’t. I push open the door and step into the hallway, my heart pounding in my chest. As I walk toward the elevator, everything feels like it’s slipping away. My plans for tonight. My future. Everything that I thought I had with Dave. I reach the elevator, pressing the button several times, as if that will make the doors open faster. When they finally do, I step inside, but my hands are shaking, and my mind is racing too fast to make sense of anything. I need to get away. I need space to think, to breathe. I don’t know how long I walk, but somehow I find myself standing outside a busy café, the harsh winter air biting at my cheeks. My eyes are red, and my makeup is starting to smear, but I don’t care. I need to calm down. I need a break. A distraction. As if the universe is conspiring against me, I feel a presence beside me. A man’s voice—deep, calm, and almost soothing—draws my attention. “Rough night?” he asks, and I turn to see a tall, dark-haired man standing next to me. He’s wearing a leather jacket and a pair of sunglasses pushed up into his hair, though it’s late afternoon. He looks out of place in a city full of suits, but there’s something about him—something real. I nod, not trusting my voice. I feel exhausted, defeated. And yet, something about him calms me, makes me feel like I’m not quite as alone as I feel. “I’m sorry,” he says, noticing my expression. “I didn’t mean to intrude.” “No, you didn’t. It’s fine,” I mumble, wiping my eyes. “Just had a bit of a situation.” “I get it.” He pauses for a moment, his eyes scanning my face with an intensity that makes me feel oddly seen. “You want to talk about it?” I shake my head, and he seems to understand. Without another word, he motions to a nearby bench. “Maybe you just need a moment. If you don’t mind, I’ll sit with you. No questions.” I blink in surprise. I didn’t expect him to be so… kind. I don’t want to talk about it—any of it—but his company is oddly comforting. So I nod and sit down beside him. We don’t talk. Not at first. We just sit there, the sound of the city fading into the background. He’s not pushing me to speak, not forcing me to explain myself, and that’s exactly what I need right now. After a while, the silence feels… right. It doesn’t feel forced. It feels safe. “So, you’re not going to ask me what happened?” I ask quietly, breaking the silence. “Not unless you want to talk about it.” He shrugs, his voice smooth and easy, like he’s been through his own share of troubles. “But if it’s any consolation, you’re not the only one having a rough day.” I glance over at him, intrigued. “Yeah? You seem like you’ve got it all together.” His lips twitch into a faint smile, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Appearances can be deceiving.” I’m silent for a moment, mulling over his words. There’s something in his voice—something familiar, something real—that makes me want to ask more. But before I can, he surprises me. “I’ve got a strange proposition for you,” he says, looking at me with a seriousness I wasn’t expecting. “A proposition?” “Yeah,” he continues. “You said you’re having a rough day, right? Well, I think I can help. Maybe not fix everything, but just give you a little breathing room.” I narrow my eyes at him. “How?” “Well,” he says, a smirk forming, “I’m going to be honest with you. I don’t know what’s going on with you, but I’ve got a crazy idea. How about… I say yes to your proposal?” My brow furrows. “My proposal? What are you talking about?” He lifts his hand, revealing a huge diamond ring on his finger. It’s not something you’d expect from a random stranger, not something you’d expect from anyone, really. “I’m joking,” he says, laughing at my confused expression. “But hear me out. Let’s make a deal. I’ll pretend to be your fiancé for the next few hours, and you’ll stop thinking about whatever it is that’s making your head spin.” “Pretend to be my fiancé?” I repeat, completely baffled. “What in the world are you talking about?” He grins, his eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. “Hey, stranger things have happened. But you’ve got to promise me something in return.” “What?” “You’ve got to trust me. Just for a little while.”