Lena's POV

The next morning, Miu woke up like someone had flipped a switch inside her. The lingering soreness from our intense nights had finally faded, and she was bursting with energy. 

She practically danced around the suite while getting ready, humming softly as she slipped into a soft yellow sundress that fluttered around her thighs. The color made her glow in the morning light streaming through the balcony doors.

"I feel amazing today," she announced, twirling in front of the full-length mirror. "No more fragile Miu. We're finally doing the city properly. I want to see everything."

I watched her from the edge of the bed, my heart swelling with love even as a storm of nerves churned in my stomach. The small velvet box hidden in the inner pocket of my light linen jacket felt impossibly heavy. 

I had barely slept, my mind spinning in endless circles.

Where should I do it? At sunset on the Rocher de la Vierge? 

Back in our secret cove? On the balcony of our suite with the ocean as witness? 

What if she thinks it's too soon after everything we've been through? 

What if she says no? What if proposing here feels like pressure instead of joy?

"Earth to Lena." Miu snapped her fingers playfully in front of my face, then leaned down to kiss me softly. "You're doing that thing again. That thousand-yard stare. Come back to me."

I blinked and forced a smile, pulling her between my legs for a moment. "Sorry. Just thinking how beautiful you look in that dress."

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously but let it slide, grabbing my hand and tugging me toward the door. "Come on, Director. Biarritz is waiting, and I'm starving for adventure."

The city welcomed us with open arms. We started along the Grande Plage, where golden morning light danced across the waves and early surfers carved elegant lines through the water. 

Miu's eyes were wide with pure delight. She dragged me from spot to spot like a child turned loose in a candy store.

"Look at that!" she gasped, pointing at the elegant Belle Époque buildings lining the promenade. Their white facades and blue shutters looked like frosted cakes. 

"They're so pretty. I want to live in one. Can you imagine waking up to this view every day?"

I chuckled, squeezing her hand. "I'll buy you whichever one you want."

She rolled her eyes but beamed at me, pulling me closer so she could loop her arm through mine. We wandered into the charming side streets behind the promenade, where colorful awnings shaded little boutiques and the air smelled of fresh bread, salt, and flowers. 

Miu insisted on trying on ridiculous sun hats in one shop, posing dramatically for me with exaggerated model faces until I was laughing so hard I forgot my nerves for a few blissful minutes.

For a while, her joy was enough to quiet the storm in my head. The way she chatted with an elderly shopkeeper in enthusiastic but broken French, the way she bought a small watercolor painting of the lighthouse because "it reminded me of us," the way she kept glancing back to make sure I was sharing every second of her happiness — it was everything I had dreamed about during that painful year apart.

But the ring kept calling to me.

We stopped at a small seaside café for coffee and pastries. While Miu happily devoured a warm pain au chocolat, moaning dramatically with every bite, I found myself drifting again.

Should I propose right here, with the ocean in the background? No, too many people. 

At the hidden cove where we made love? Maybe. 

Or on the footbridge at Rocher de la Vierge where she made her wish? 

But what if she still carries quiet fears that I might leave again? What if—

"Lena." Miu's voice cut through my thoughts, sharper this time. She set her coffee cup down and stared at me across the tiny table. "That's the third time in the last hour. You keep touching your jacket pocket. You zone out constantly. What is going on?"

I reached across the table and took her hand, brushing my thumb over her knuckles. "I'm sorry, baby. I'm just... thinking about how lucky I am. Being here with you after everything feels like a dream I don't want to wake up from."

She studied me for a long moment, suspicion clear in her beautiful eyes. "You're hiding something big. I can feel it. You get this constipated look on your face when you're overthinking something important."

I nearly choked on my espresso. "Constipated?"

"Yes," she said, smirking. "Like you're about to confess to murder but keep chickening out. If I find out some mysterious French woman flirted with you at the market yesterday and that's why you keep zoning out, Lalina Schuett, you're a dead woman."

I laughed — genuinely this time and brought her hand to my lips, kissing her fingers.

We continued our stroll after that, moving toward the lighthouse. Miu's energy never wavered. She stopped to take photos of everything, bought a small bouquet of wildflowers from a street vendor and tucked one behind my ear "for the aesthetic," and made me try local ice cream flavors while people-watching on a sunny bench. 

Every time she laughed freely, my love for her crashed over me like a wave.

Yet the nerves kept building, worse than yesterday.

At a scenic overlook with the vast Atlantic stretching endlessly before us, the words rose in my throat again. 

I turned to her, heart hammering.

"Miu, I... I need to tell you something—"

I stopped.

Not here. Not like this. You need it to be perfect. She deserves perfect.

Miu raised an eyebrow, her suspicion now tenfold stronger than yesterday. "There it is again. That face. You were about to say something important and then swallowed it whole. Lena, you're killing me here."

I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling heat rise to my face. "I'm sorry. I promise it's nothing bad. It's good. Really good. I just... need a little more time to get it right."

She stepped closer, sliding her arms around my waist and looking up at me with those trusting, slightly worried eyes that always undid me.

"I know it's not bad," she said softly. "But it's clearly huge, and it's making you anxious. I hate seeing you like this. Just talk to me when you're ready, okay? I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

I pulled her into a tight hug, breathing in the familiar scent of her hair mixed with sea salt and sunshine. "I love you so much it terrifies me sometimes."

"I know," she whispered against my chest. "I love you the same way."

The afternoon unfolded in a beautiful, sun-drenched blur. We wandered through a small art gallery where Miu spent twenty minutes admiring a series of seascapes, then shared a cup of gelato on a bench while watching children chase seagulls near the water. 

She fed me bites of strawberry gelato with a playful grin, completely unaware of the war happening inside my head.

Every few minutes, another almost-moment hit me. 

While we were walking along the Port Vieux harbor watching colorful fishing boats bob gently, I nearly dropped to one knee right there. 

While we were standing on the footbridge at Rocher de la Vierge, wind in our hair, I almost pulled the box out of my pocket.

But every time, I stopped myself.

Miu noticed all of it. Her playful teasing slowly shifted into something more concerned. She kept squeezing my hand tighter, glancing at me sideways, clearly trying to read my mind.

By the time the sun began to set, painting the sky in soft pinks, oranges, and deep purples, we were both tired but content. We found a quiet bench facing the ocean and sat down. Miu immediately leaned her head on my shoulder, her hand resting on my thigh.

"This has been the best day," she murmured, voice warm with happiness. "Thank you for planning all of this. Even if you've been acting like a nervous criminal the entire time."

I laughed softly and kissed the top of her head, my free hand once again drifting unconsciously toward my jacket pocket where the diamond ring waited — simple, elegant, and perfect for her.

Soon, I told myself. Just a little more time to make it right.

But as Miu looked up at me with that knowing, playful, slightly worried smile, I wondered how much longer I could keep this secret before it burst out of me completely.

By evening, we were both tired but happy. I had made reservations at a quiet, elegant restaurant overlooking the ocean. 

The moment we sat down, the weight in my pocket felt crushing.

Dinner was beautiful — candlelight, fresh seafood, soft music but I could barely taste anything. My mind was a whirlwind. 

Miu kept giving me worried glances across the table. Every time I zoned out, her brow furrowed deeper.

"Lena," she said softly during the main course, reaching for my hand. "You're doing it again. You've been somewhere else the entire dinner. Talk to me. Please."

I forced a smile and squeezed her hand. "I'm here, baby. I'm just... thinking about how lucky I am. How much I love you."

She didn't look convinced. "You look stressed. Like you're carrying the weight of the world. Did something happen? You've been like this since you came back from the market yesterday."

I shook my head quickly. "Nothing bad. I promise. I'm just... overwhelmed by how happy I am."

The reassurance sounded weak even to my own ears. Miu gave me a long, searching look, but she let it go for the moment. 

Dinner ended earlier than planned. I could see the concern weighing on her.

On the walk back to the hotel, I finally spoke.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly, pulling her closer. "I've been a hundred miles away mentally tonight. You deserved better than a distracted dinner date."

Miu stopped walking and turned to face me, cupping my face with both hands.

"Ever since you came back from the market yesterday, you've been distant and fidgety," she said, half-teasing, half-serious. "So I'm going to ask again, did you meet some charming French stranger who swept you off your feet for five minutes? Because if that's why you keep zoning out, Lalina Schuett, I swear—"

I laughed, pulling her into my arms. "How could I even look at anyone else? I'm head over heels in love with you. Completely, stupidly, forever in love with you."

Miu smiled softly, searching my eyes. She knew it was the truth. "I believe you. But something's going on. I can feel it."

Back in the suite, she tried to help me relax. She made me lie down on the bed and started giving me a massage, her hands working the tension from my shoulders. 

Her touch was firm at first, then slowly became more sensual — fingertips trailing down my spine, lips brushing the back of my neck.

"You're so tense," she whispered, voice turning seductive. "Let me take care of you tonight." She leaned down, pressing a kiss just below my ear. "Join me for a bath? We can make it very relaxing..."

I almost said yes. The offer was so tempting, her warm, naked body against mine in the big jacuzzi, losing myself in her again. 

But the ring in my pocket felt like it was screaming at me.

I gently caught her hand and turned to face her. "I want to, baby. More than anything. But... there's something I need to take care of first. Give me a little time?"

Miu pouted like an adorable baby, lips pushed out. "Fine. But don't take too long. I miss you already."

While she went to take a shower, I wasted no time. 

The second I heard the water running, I pulled out my phone and started frantically searching.

"How to propose." "How to ease proposal nerves." "Perfect proposal speech." "How to kneel properly when proposing."

Hundreds of articles popped up. I read quickly, absorbing tips. Then I stood up, heart pounding, and practiced.

I got the velvet box from my jacket pocket. I dropped to one knee in the middle of the sitting room, back facing the bathroom. I opened the box. The diamond caught the light beautifully — elegant, timeless, perfect for her.

I took a deep breath and began speaking from the heart.

"Miu... From the moment I met you, my life changed. We went through hell together — the mess with Mak, the fights, the hospital, the guilt that almost destroyed me. I left because I thought I was saving you, but leaving you was the biggest mistake of my life. Every day without you, I felt incomplete. You are my home. My peace. My greatest love. I don't care if this feels fast to anyone else. We've waited long enough. We've fought hard enough. I don't want to spend another day not calling you my wife. Miu, will you marry me? Will you let me love you, protect you, and build a beautiful life with you for the rest of our days?"

I stayed on my knee, repeating parts of it, refining the words, completely lost in the moment.

I didn't hear the bathroom door open.

Miu had finished showering. 

She stepped out in nothing but a white hotel bathrobe, hair damp, and froze in the doorway when she saw me kneeling with the ring box open in my hand. 

Her hand flew to her mouth, eyes widening in shock and overwhelming emotion as she heard every word I said.

When I finished practicing and took a deep breath, preparing to stand up, Miu suddenly blurted out, voice trembling with tears:

"Yes."

I whipped my head around so fast I nearly lost balance. There she was standing behind me, eyes watering, beautiful and stunned, wrapped in the bathrobe.

"Miu—?!" I was mortified. This was not how I imagined it. Not even close.

"You idiot," she said, laughing through tears. "Turn around here and kneel properly."

I scrambled to my feet, heart hammering, pacing back and forth in panic. "No, no, no — this isn't how it was supposed to be. I had a whole plan. The perfect moment. The sunset. The words. I ruined it—"

I kept muttering, completely flustered, until the realization finally hit me.

I stopped pacing and turned to her slowly. Miu was smiling despite the tears streaming down her face.

"Did you just say... yes?" I whispered, voice cracking.

Miu laughed and sobbed at the same time, stepping closer. "Yes, Lena. I will marry you in a heartbeat. I will choose you in every lifetime."

Tears filled my eyes. I dropped to one knee properly this time, right in front of her, holding up the ring with shaking hands.

"Miu... You are the love of my life. We've been through hell and back, but you still chose me. I don't want to waste another second. Will you please marry me?"

She was crying and smiling so beautifully it took my breath away.

"Yes," she whispered. "A thousand times yes."

I slipped the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly. Then I stood up and pulled her into my arms, kissing her deeply as tears mixed between us.

When we finally pulled apart, Miu looked at the ring on her finger in awe, then back at me.

"So this is why you've been acting so strange," she said, laughing softly. "You absolute romantic idiot."

"I can't believe this happened," I admitted, still stunned. "I wanted it to be perfect. I planned everything—"

Miu cupped my face, eyes shining with love. "This is perfect, Lena. Messy and real and us. I wouldn't want it any other way."

I kissed her again, holding her tight, feeling like my heart might explode from happiness.

We were getting married.

After everything we'd survived, we were finally starting forever.

We stood there in the middle of the suite for what felt like forever, wrapped tightly in each other's arms, kissing through tears and laughter. 

My hands trembled as I held her face, thumbs brushing away the happy tears on her cheeks.

"I can't believe you said yes," I whispered against her lips, still dazed. "I had this whole elaborate plan... and you just.....you caught me practicing."

Miu laughed, the sound bright and watery as she pulled back just enough to look at me. The diamond on her finger caught the warm light of the room and sparkled beautifully.

"You absolute disaster of a romantic," she teased, though her voice was thick with emotion. "I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. Hearing you say all of that from your heart, thinking no one was watching... that was the most beautiful proposal I could have ever imagined."

She kissed me again, deeper this time, her arms wrapping around my neck as she pressed her body flush against mine. 

The bathrobe slipped slightly off one shoulder, and I couldn't help running my hands down her back, holding her like she might disappear if I let go.

"I love you," I murmured between kisses. "God, I love you so much."

We celebrated right there in the suite.

I lifted her effortlessly and carried her to the bed, laying her down gently like she was something precious. 

For the next hour, we lost ourselves in each other — not with the fiery passion of the previous nights, but with slow, reverent touches full of joy and disbelief. 

Every kiss felt like a promise. Every caress was a celebration.

Miu kept glancing at the ring on her finger, smiling so wide it made my chest ache.

"Look at it," she whispered at one point, holding her hand up between us. "It's perfect, Lena. You chose perfectly."

"You're perfect," I replied, kissing the ring on her finger before kissing her lips again.

Later, we ordered room service — champagne, strawberries, chocolate, and a selection of her favorite desserts. We sat on the balcony wrapped in robes and a shared blanket, the night breeze cool against our skin as we toasted to us.

"To second chances," Miu said, clinking her glass against mine.

"To never letting go again," I added.

We talked for hours. About the future. About telling her family. About what kind of wedding she might want. Miu laughed when I admitted I'd already been secretly looking at venues in Thailand and France "just in case."

"You were that sure?" she asked, eyes soft.

"I was terrified," I confessed with a small laugh. "But I've never been more sure of anything in my life. I don't want to spend another day not being your wife."

Miu leaned her head on my shoulder, fingers intertwined with mine, the ring cool against my skin.

"I still can't believe we made it here," she said quietly. "After the hospital... after you left... after all the pain. Sometimes I thought we'd never get our happy ending."

I kissed the top of her head. "We fought hard for this. And I'm never taking it for granted. Not one single day."

She turned to look at me, eyes shining with fresh tears and overwhelming love.

"You know what this means, right?" she whispered playfully. "You're stuck with me forever now, Director."

I grinned, pulling her into my lap so she was straddling me. "That's the best thing I've ever heard."

We kissed again under the Biarritz stars, slow and deep, the celebration turning tender and heated at the same time. 

The ring on her finger pressed against my back as she held onto me, a beautiful, constant reminder of what we had just promised each other.

This wasn't the perfect proposal I had planned.

But it was us.

Messy. Real. Full of love and second chances.

And it was more than I could have ever dreamed of.