"It wasn't a diamond ring but when a member of the Black Roses proposed, his future wife wore his Black Roses ring. You've seen it on Audrey, Farrah, and Fanny."

She looked up from the box and looked him in the eye.


"Propose?" Her voice was soothing immediately, her heart pounding in her chest.

Charles gently stroked her cheek. "You hate big gestures, Rosabella. But you're getting a ring. It's non-negotiable."

Speechless, Rosabella held out her hand as Charles took out the ring and stuffed the box into one of his pockets.


He was about to slide it in when she stopped him.

"Wait..." She quickly withdrew her hand, seeing the confusion on his face.


"I need you to promise me one thing before we're officially engaged."

"Star?" He looked at her with concern.

"There's really two things..." She licked her lips as she tried to find the right words.

Charles stood in front of her, patiently waiting for her explanation.

"If we have kids, I want them to have the option to get out of this life if they want to. I know it won't be easy but if they hate it, I want them to be able to get away."

"What about the second?"

"I want us to stay away from time to time... just the two of us... like we did before... just with better protection and better planning, especially because I'm taking shooting and self-defense lessons now."

Rosabella saw relief show on his face as he cupped her face with his ringless hand and looked deeply into her eyes.

"I promise you this." He declared with such determination that she immediately believed him.

Smiling at him, she then sighed and held out her hand again as Charles then took one last look at her before his eyes moved down to her finger and he slowly slipped the ring on.

Rosabella moved her decorative finger, wiggling it a little as a smile spread across her lips.

"I love it..."

"You like?"

"Uh, that's amazing. Not like the usual crap diamonds."

Charles laughed. He likes her authenticity. No matter what situation they find themselves in, Rosabella always speaks her mind.

"Looks good to you. We just need to make it size, it's a bit loose."

She nodded.

"So I like it."

"I believe I said I liked it."

Yelling again, though now for a completely different reason, Rosabella stood on tiptoe and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I love you." She kissed him hard.

"I love you too."

Sitting at their table, enjoying their delicious food, Charles leaned toward Rosabella.

"So you don't want a big wedding like this?" He mumbled the question into her ear.

Rosabella turned and gave him a look that made him immediately suppress a laugh.

"I'd rather swallow a razor."

"I guess that's how you say no." He chuckled, quickly looking around their table to see if anyone caught their conversation.

They have yet to tell anyone about their engagement, having decided to do it after the wedding so that attention will be on Michel and Fanny.

However, Rosabella seemed to want to talk about it.

"But I guess we should do something, right? Ten thousand is second-in-command anyway." She said, also in a low voice.

Charles thought about this for a moment. He knew that she was right, given his place in the family, there should be some respectful acknowledgment of the news.

Though, he still wonders how much they will manage to keep it low.

"What do you intend?" He asked her, curious to see if she had any ideas.

"How about we have bachelorette parties and bachelorette parties." She surprised him with a sudden offer.

"What?" He laughed.

"That's right. We could invite the stripper you messed with at Vengo's bachelorette party." She spoke realistically as if she were discussing the weather with him.

Charles almost choked on the sip of water he had just drunk, eyes wide.

"How the hell did you know about this?" He cleared his throat a few times to get rid of the uncomfortable feeling.

Rosabella grinned at him.

"I've got my source." She frowned at him.

Charles shook his head at her in amazement. "What? Nine months living in this house and now you have roots?"

This time, it was her turn to laugh as she playfully nudged his chest with her elbow. Charles rubbed the sore spot.

"Uh, you just laugh. Don't think I don't know about your lowly ex-boyfriends." He teased her immediately, earning her a gaping mouth.

"Sorry?" She panted.

Charles casually shrugs off his shoulder with a tongue-tied expression as he lays it all out for her.

"Exactly. I was just doing some extensive research at the time I did your background check."

Rosabella hummed. "My extensive research, Charles. You want to compare yourself to them."

He couldn't stand it here. That woman knew him all too well when he gave in and smirked.

She shook her head at him, trying to resist her own smile. "And? Does it give you the ego boost you've been hoping for?"

"But you made it so easy. I mean these guys are a bunch of pathetic." He pulled her waist in and kissed her neck.

"They're probably still better than the cheap girls you're hooking up with," Rosabella replied as she reached for her champagne glass.

Charles frowned confusedly at her. "How do you know they're cheap? You've never met any of them."

"Oh please. As if you could do better than me."

Charles laughed again at her clever remarks.

"Can't argue with that."

He leaned down and pulled her hair behind her ear so he could whisper in it. "They certainly wouldn't look this hot in this dress. I can't wait to take it off for you..."

His hot breath sent a surge of stimulation down Rosabella's spine.

"Wait until you see what's underneath it."

"Damned."

She took a sip to cool herself down and cleared her throat.

"Is that so? Is it okay?" She turned to look at him properly.

"Arriving by surprise?"

Rosabella giggled.

"No, I mean bachelor parties."

Charles gives her a clear view of disapproval.

"No. Do you think I'd let some naked male stripper rub my fiancée?"

"It will be my last day of freedom before you put a ball and leash on me."