Miu's POV

I woke up slowly, wrapped in warmth, sunlight, and the faint scent of Lena's skin. For a moment I thought yesterday had been a dream — the chaotic proposal, the ring, the tears, the celebration that followed. 

But then I felt it: the cool, solid weight of the diamond on my left ring finger.

My eyes fluttered open.

Lena was already awake, lying on her side and watching me with the softest, most adoring expression I'd ever seen on her face. Her hair was messy from sleep, and the morning light painted golden streaks across her bare shoulders.

"Good morning, fiancée," she whispered, voice still husky with sleep.

A huge smile broke across my face before I could stop it. I lifted my hand between us, watching the diamond catch the light.

"Fiancée," I repeated, tasting the word. It felt unreal. Beautifully, perfectly unreal. "I still can't believe this happened. You were kneeling in the middle of the room practicing... and I just blurted out 'yes' like an idiot."

Lena let out a breathless laugh and buried her face in my neck, pulling me closer until our bodies were pressed together under the sheets.

"I had this whole perfect plan," she groaned, voice muffled against my skin. "Sunset. Maybe the secret cove again. Candles. A speech I spent a long time writing in my head. And instead you caught me rehearsing like a nervous wreck."

I giggled, threading my fingers through her hair. "It was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard. Hearing you say all of that when you thought I wasn't listening... that was better than any planned moment could ever be."

I pulled back so I could look at her properly. "You really meant every word, didn't you?"

"Every single one," she said seriously, her eyes shining. "I don't care if it feels fast to other people. We've waited long enough. We've suffered enough. I want to marry you, Miu. I want to build a life with you."

Tears pricked at my eyes again. I leaned in and kissed her — slow, deep, and full of everything I felt. The kiss quickly grew warmer. 

Lena's hand slid down my bare back, pulling me on top of her until I was straddling her waist.

"Hi, future wife," I whispered against her lips, smiling so wide it almost hurt.

"Hi, future wife," she whispered back, hands settling on my hips.

We made love slowly that morning — lazy and tender, full of soft gasps and quiet laughter.

It started with a kiss that deepened naturally. I was still straddling Lena's waist when she sat up, wrapping her arms around me and pulling me impossibly closer. 

Our bare breasts pressed together as the kiss turned heated but unhurried, like we had all the time in the world.

"Fiancée," Lena whispered against my lips, the word sending a shiver down my spine. Her hands roamed my back with reverence, fingertips tracing my spine before sliding down to cup my ass, guiding me to grind slowly against her.

I moaned softly into her mouth, already wet and aching for her. "Say it again."

"My fiancée," she breathed, voice rough with emotion. "My future wife."

The words ignited something deep inside me. I pushed her back down onto the pillows and took my time exploring her body — kissing down her neck, sucking gently on the pulse point that always made her gasp, then moving lower to lave attention on her breasts. 

I took one nipple into my mouth, swirling my tongue around the hardened peak while my hand caressed the other. Lena arched beneath me, fingers threading through my hair with a low, broken moan.

"Miu... baby..."

I continued downward, kissing every inch of her stomach, her hips, the sensitive skin of her inner thighs. When I finally settled between her legs, I looked up at her. 

The sight of her watching me with dark, loving eyes made my heart clench.

I licked her slowly, savoring her taste, exploring her with long, deliberate strokes of my tongue. Lena's hips rolled gently against my mouth as soft whimpers escaped her. 

I took my time, sliding two fingers inside her while my tongue circled her clit with steady, loving pressure.

"You feel so good," I whispered against her wetness. "I love tasting you like this."

Lena's hand tightened in my hair. "I love you... fuck, I love you so much."

I curled my fingers just right and sucked gently on her clit until her thighs started trembling around my head. She came with a soft, shuddering cry of my name, her walls pulsing beautifully around my fingers. 

I stayed with her through every wave, gentling my touches until she was boneless and breathing hard.

Then she flipped us.

Lena hovered over me, eyes full of adoration as she kissed me deeply, tasting herself on my tongue. She took her time the same way I had — worshipping my body with her mouth and hands. She kissed and sucked marks onto my breasts, then moved lower, spreading my thighs wide.

When her mouth found me, I gasped, back arching off the bed. She was so gentle, so thorough, licking me with long, slow strokes, then sliding two fingers deep inside me while her tongue focused on my clit. The pleasure built gradually, warmly, like sunlight spreading through my veins.

"Lena..." I moaned, fingers gripping the sheets. "Don't stop... please—"

"I've got you, baby," she murmured against me. "Let me love you."

She curled her fingers perfectly and sucked on my clit with just the right pressure. My orgasm washed over me in long, rolling waves — powerful but soft, leaving me trembling and crying out her name. She stayed between my legs until the last tremor faded, then crawled up my body and pulled me into her arms.

We stayed tangled together, foreheads pressed close, breathing the same air. Our legs were intertwined, skin slick with sweat, hearts beating against each other.

Every touch felt different now. More meaningful. Like we were sealing a promise with our bodies.

"I can't believe I get to do this with you for the rest of my life," Lena whispered, voice thick with emotion as she brushed damp hair from my face.

I smiled, tears of pure happiness pricking at my eyes again. I lifted my left hand, admiring the ring that now symbolized everything.

"Forever," I whispered back, kissing her softly.

We stayed like that for a long time — lazy, sated, and completely wrapped up in each other as the Biarritz morning light grew brighter around us.

"I want a small wedding," I murmured after a while, tracing patterns on her chest. "Just family and close friends. Maybe somewhere by the sea. Not too flashy."

Lena's fingers stroked my spine. "Whatever you want. I'd marry you at the courthouse tomorrow if that's what you asked for."

I laughed softly. "No courthouse. I want to walk down the aisle to you. I want to see you cry when I say my vows."

"I will," she said without hesitation. "I'll probably cry the entire ceremony."

We talked for a long time — about where we might live, about telling her father and Mak, about Ling's reaction which we both agreed would be loud and chaotic. 

Lena admitted she'd already been secretly saving articles about wedding venues in Thailand and France "just in case."

"You were really that sure?" I asked, touched.

"I was terrified," she confessed with a small smile. "But I've never wanted anything more in my life."

I rested my chin on her chest, looking up at her. The ring on my finger kept catching my eye every time I moved.

"I still can't believe we're here," I whispered. "After everything... the pain, the separation, the hospital... we actually made it. We're getting married."

Lena's eyes grew misty. She cupped my face gently.

"We fought like hell for this," she said. "And I'm never letting you go again. Not for a single day."

I kissed her again, slower this time, pouring all my love into it.

The morning stretched lazily around us. We ordered breakfast to the balcony, ate in our robes while watching the ocean, and kept stealing glances at the ring on my finger like neither of us could quite believe it was real.

At one point I caught Lena staring at me with that same awed expression from earlier.

"What?" I asked, smiling.

She shook her head, looking almost shy. "Just... I get to call you my wife one day. I still can't believe I get to have you forever."

I reached across the table and took her hand, squeezing it tight.

Eventually, Lena pressed one last lingering kiss to my forehead and murmured, "Let's go out, fiancée. I want to show you off to Biarritz."

The word fiancée still sent butterflies exploding in my stomach.

We showered together — gentle touches, lots of laughter, and stolen kisses under the warm spray. I chose a flowing white sundress with delicate straps, while Lena wore a fitted linen shirt and trousers that made her look effortlessly beautiful. 

Before we left the suite, she caught my left hand and kissed the ring on my finger, her eyes soft with wonder.

"Ready to let the world see?" she asked.

I smiled and pulled her down for a kiss. "I want everyone to know I'm yours."

The city felt different today. Brighter. More alive. Or maybe it was just us, walking hand in hand with a new kind of lightness, the diamond on my finger catching the sunlight with every step.

We strolled along the Grande Plage first. The sea breeze played with my hair as we walked barefoot along the edge of the water. 

Lena kept pulling me close, her arm around my waist, dropping kisses to my temple every few minutes like she couldn't help herself.

"Look at it," I said, holding my hand up so the ring sparkled in the sunlight. "It's ridiculous how perfect it is."

Lena's smile was radiant. "It looks even better on you."

We drew attention everywhere we went. Two women clearly head-over-heels, glowing with new engagement energy. When an older French couple smiled warmly at us near the promenade, Lena surprised me by lifting my hand and proudly showing them the ring.

"Nous sommes fiancées," she said in her charming, slightly accented French.

The couple congratulated us enthusiastically. I couldn't stop smiling.

We wandered into the charming streets behind the beach, popping into little boutiques and artisan shops. I tried on a delicate gold bracelet, and Lena insisted on buying it for me immediately, saying, "Something old to go with the new ring."

Every time we stopped for photos or gelato or coffee, she would pull me in for kisses — sometimes soft and sweet, sometimes deeper, more possessive. 

Her hand rarely left my lower back or my waist. The nerves from yesterday had completely vanished, replaced by this quiet, fierce joy.

At one scenic viewpoint overlooking the ocean, we leaned against the railing together. Lena stood behind me, arms wrapped around my middle, chin resting on my shoulder.

We spent the rest of the afternoon living like fiancées — carefree and completely in love. We had crepes at the famous bakery I'd wanted lemon sugar for me, buckwheat for her, took a long walk along the Port Vieux harbor, and even rented bikes for a gentle ride along the coastal path. 

Lena kept stealing my bike to ride beside me just so she could hold my hand.

We rode our bikes back to the hotel just as the sun began its slow descent, painting the Biarritz sky in shades of bruised purple and warm peach. My legs were tired, my skin tasted of sea salt, and my heart felt lighter than it had in a year.

But as the heavy oak door of our suite clicked shut behind us, the reality of our open suitcases sitting on the luggage racks hit me. 

Tonight was our last night. Tomorrow, we had a flight back to Bangkok.

"I don't want to pack," I groaned, tossing my keys onto the marble console and immediately collapsing backward onto the unmade bed. 

I held my left hand up to the ceiling, watching the diamond catch the fading evening light. "Can we just live here forever? We can buy that Belle Époque house with the blue shutters. I'll design, you manage, and we can just eat crepes for the rest of our lives."

Lena chuckled, walking over to the side of the bed. She had already unbuttoned the top few buttons of her linen shirt, looking effortlessly relaxed. She crawled up the mattress, draping herself over me and resting her chin on my chest.

"As tempting as a crepe-only diet sounds, Architect, I think our clients might stage an international search party if we don't return," she teased, her eyes incredibly soft as she traced the edge of my jaw. 

"Besides, we have a wedding to plan. I don't think my firm or yours is going to let us run our offices from the south of France forever."

"Lingling would probably fly over here just to drag me back to my drafting table by my hair," I laughed, wrapping my arms around her neck. "And I'm pretty sure your board is already losing their minds trying to find their CEO."

"Let them search," Lena murmured, kissing the tip of my nose. "They can handle a few more days without me."

Then, right on cue, my phone on the nightstand let out a sharp, demanding buzz.

We both froze.

I reached over, sliding the phone into view. It was a text from Ling, but right beneath it was a notification from the Group's internal PR channel, and three missed emails from the senior board members regarding the upcoming project layout. The world was waiting. 

I looked up at Lena, the playfulness fading into something a bit more grounded. "Are you ready for this? Going back, facing everyone... the industry is going to go crazy when they see us together again."

Lena took the phone from my hand and set it face down on the nightstand. She looked down at me, her expression completely steady, that fierce, protective focus taking over.

"Miu," she said, her voice low and unwavering. "A year ago, I left because I thought I was doing the right thing. Now? I have my own firm. I answer to no one but myself. And the very first executive decision I am making is that you are my priority. Let the industry talk."

She leaned down, sealing her promise with a kiss that tasted like a vow.

"Now," she murmured against my lips, a wicked little spark returning to her eyes. "Let's finish packing. I want to get this travel day over with so I can officially show off my fiancée to the boardrooms."

The last night in Biarritz passed in a haze of quiet intimacy. We packed slowly, stealing kisses between folding clothes, laughing when Lena kept getting distracted by the ring on my finger. Every time I moved my hand, she would catch it, bring it to her lips, and kiss the diamond like she still couldn't believe it was real.

We made love one more time that night — slow and emotional, whispering promises between gasps and moans. Afterward, we lay tangled together on the bed, listening to the waves outside.

"I don't want to leave," I admitted softly, tracing circles on her chest.

"Me neither," Lena murmured, pressing a kiss to my temple. "But we're not really leaving anything behind. We're taking this with us."

The next morning, we left the Hôtel du Palais with heavy hearts but full ones. Lena, true to form, had not held back even for the return trip. 

The same private jet that had flown us to Biarritz was waiting for us at the airport — sleek, quiet, and entirely ours.

The flight back to Bangkok felt completely different from the one that had brought us here. This time there was no polite distance, no hesitation. The moment we settled into the luxurious leather seats, Lena reached over and took my hand, interlacing our fingers tightly. 

She kept bringing my left hand to her lips every few minutes, kissing the diamond on my ring finger like a quiet ritual.

The cabin was peaceful and private, just the two of us and the soft hum of the engines. Sunlight streamed through the windows as we climbed above the clouds, and for the first time in a long time, the journey home didn't feel daunting. It felt like the beginning of something new.

Halfway through the long flight, with the cabin lights dimmed and the world far below us, Lena pulled the soft blanket over our laps and turned to face me fully.

"Any regrets?" she asked quietly, a hint of vulnerability slipping through.

I shook my head immediately, squeezing her hand. "None. Not a single one." I leaned in, resting my forehead against hers. "I'm flying home engaged to the love of my life. That's the best possible ending to this trip."

Lena's smile was soft and radiant. She lifted my hand again and kissed the ring. "Good. Because I already have a new folder on my laptop titled 'Wedding Ideas.'"

I laughed quietly. "Of course you do, Director."

We spent most of the flight talking — about venues, about whether we wanted a beach wedding in Thailand or something intimate in France, about colors, flowers, and who we absolutely had to invite. 

Every now and then Lena would get this dreamy, almost disbelieving look in her eyes when she called me "my fiancée," and I would melt all over again.

When we finally landed in Bangkok, the warm, humid night air greeted us like an old friend. As we stepped off the private jet and into the waiting car, I felt a strange but comforting mix of excitement and nerves settle in my chest.

This was real life again.

But this time, we were coming back stronger. Together. Engaged.

Lena's thumb kept stroking the back of my hand the entire ride home, grounding me.

"Ready?" she asked softly when the car pulled up to our building.

I looked down at the ring on my finger, then up at her.

"Ready," I whispered.

We stepped out together into the Bangkok night. The same city that had once witnessed our greatest pain was now going to witness our forever.

And for the first time in a very long time, I wasn't afraid of what came next.

I was ready for it — with Lena by my side, and a future we had fought so hard to earn.