"Mommy? Daddy?" Ceres called out in surprise, her brows furrowing as she spotted her parents standing near the center of the venue, engaged in conversation with Mr. and Mrs. Ethos, Diana's parents.
"What are you doing here?" she questioned, walking toward them. "I thought you had an important business matter to attend to?"
That was the reason they had given her earlier before leaving the house, before Zeus arrived and invited her to this party.
But now, seeing them here made something stir in her chest.
She quickly took note of the other familiar faces in the crowd.
At a nearby table, members of the Clark family were engaged in conversation with other guests, guests with strong connections to the Falcon family.
Her gaze then landed on Ciena, who was chatting with a group of her friends, Ryza and the others included.
And, of course, Ryzel.
Seated among his friends, his gaze locked onto her the moment she arrived.
His expression was unreadable, but he didn't look away. If anything, it seemed like he had intended to approach her, but Ciena subtly held him back.
Ceres's sharp eyes caught the small bandage on his brow, a faint smirk tugging at her lips.
So it hasn't healed yet.
She knew exactly where that wound had come from.
Zeus's punch.
"Sweetheart."
Romos's warm voice brought her attention back just as he pulled her into a brief embrace.
Ceres greeted both of her parents and exchanged pleasantries with Mr. and Mrs. Ethos, but her curiosity only grew.
"This," Romos said, gesturing to the event around them, "is the important business I was talking about."
Ceres blinked.
What?
She pouted, her lips slightly pursing. "Then why didn't you tell me?"
She wasn't sure why, but a strange feeling started creeping in.
"Because Zeus said he would take care of you," Cielo answered smoothly, her lips curling into a knowing smile. "By the way, sweetheart, you look absolutely stunning tonight."
Ceres lifted her chin proudly. "Of course. Where else would I get my looks from, if not from you and Daddy?"
Then, she narrowed her eyes. "But don't change the topic, Mommy. That was way too obvious."
Romos let out a deep chuckle, and even Diana and her parents laughed at her sharp remark.
But Ceres wasn't letting this go.
Something felt off.
"I thought this was a proposal party for Zeus's friend?" she asked, her suspicion growing.
"Really?" Mrs. Jade Ethos chimed in.
Ceres frowned. "Aunty, you didn't know either?"
Mrs. Ethos shook her head. "Actually, Cee, we only received the invitation at lunchtime today. There were no specific details about the event, only that we needed to be here, dressed in shades of blue or black. The only clear indication of its importance was that the invitation came from the Falcon Empire."
Ceres's eyes widened slightly at that.
She slowly turned toward her parents, Mrs. Ethos's words sinking in.
Then, as if seeing the gathering through a different lens, she finally noticed it.
The guests.
Everyone was wearing shades of blue or black.
Every single one of them.
And she, she was the only one wearing a different color.
Even Diana's gown, though it appeared silver at first, had a hue that shifted to blue under the lights.
Ceres's lips parted slightly.
Then, her parents smiled.
That meaningful smile.
The one they always wore when they knew something she didn't.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Wait,
But before she could fully process her realization, the lights suddenly went out.
Soft murmurs rippled through the guests as everyone adjusted to the sudden darkness, clearly caught off guard by the unexpected shift.
Then, the music changed.
The melody softened, shifting into something soothing, romantic, and undeniably intimate.
A single spotlight flickered on, illuminating one person.
Her.
Ceres's breath caught in her throat.
She could feel every single pair of eyes now locked onto her.
Her entire body froze.
She knew, she knew what this was.
But she was too stunned to move.
In the dim lighting, she barely registered the way her father set his champagne glass down on the table before stepping forward.
Romos reached for her hand, gently placing it on his arm.
"He already asked for our blessings," he murmured quietly, his voice meant only for her to hear.
Ceres swallowed, her heart pounding against her ribs.
"And we gave it," her father continued, leading her forward. "Because we can see how much he makes you happy."
She barely heard the rest.
Her father pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead just as they reached the center of the garden venue, where a single velvet high chair awaited.
Then, Romos stepped back, returning to stand beside Cielo.
Ceres stood there, her pulse thrumming in her ears.
The soft melody continued to play in the background, wrapping the venue in an air of enchantment.
Then, suddenly, lights flickered to life along a designated path, illuminating a fairy-tale-like road leading toward a section of the Castle.
The murmurs among the guests grew louder, anticipation thick in the air.
Excitement and curiosity shone in their eyes as they eagerly awaited what was coming next.
Then, from the Castle, a familiar figure emerged.
Xavier.
Dressed in an impeccable black suit with a navy blue tie, he strode down the illuminated pathway with effortless confidence, a teasing smirk playing on his lips. In his hands, he carried a stunning bouquet of peach Juliet roses, fresh, delicate, and meticulously arranged.
As he approached Ceres, he winked before offering the bouquet to her.
Ceres, still dazed by the unfolding events, slowly reached out and accepted it.
Xavier chuckled before stepping aside, positioning himself near the velvet chair, standing at a respectful distance.
Then, before she could even process his presence, another figure emerged.
Damien.
Like Xavier, he carried something in his hands, a ribbon-tied book.
At first, she didn't understand its significance.
But the moment he reached her, he grinned and said, "The Little Princess. First edition."
Her breath caught.
Her favorite book.
Ceres's lips parted slightly, her fingers tightening around the bouquet as she stared at the book in disbelief.
Damien placed it carefully on the small round table near the high chair, then gave her a knowing look before stepping aside, joining Xavier.
Then, Nikolai came next.
He walked forward, holding a sleek velvet box.
He approached Ceres, flipping the box open to reveal a personalized wristwatch.
"He said this represents his love for you, timeless," Nikolai relayed, obviously referring to Zeus.
Then he scoffed, "Cringe, right?" but he was grinning as he placed the watch beside the book.
Ceres let out a breathless laugh, her heart swelling with emotion.
Then, Gideon followed, stepping forward with an air of calmness.
In his hands, he carried a heart-shaped custom-engraved platinum locket.
Without a word, he placed it carefully beside the other gifts, then gave her a meaningful look before walking away to join the rest of the group.
Ceres felt the sting of tears welling in her eyes.
This wasn't just a proposal, it was a declaration.
A testament to how well Zeus knew her, how deeply he cherished her, how much effort he had put into this moment.
And just when she thought her heart couldn't take any more, two more figures appeared.
Her eyes widened in shock.
Walking down the pathway, hand in hand, were Mr. and Mrs. Falcon.
Zeus's parents.
Ceres's breath hitched. She thought they were abroad.
Last she heard, Jupiter and Angelina Falcon had been retired, spending their time traveling the world.
And yet, here they were.
For this.
As they reached her, their expressions were warm and affectionate.
"Ceres," Jupiter greeted, his deep voice carrying a note of familiarity and fondness.
Angelina smiled, reaching out to kiss both of Ceres's cheeks.
Still overwhelmed, Ceres swallowed hard, her grip on the bouquet tightening.
Then, from the inner pocket of his suit, Jupiter pulled out a long velvet box.
With a smooth flick, he opened it.
Inside lay a stunning bracelet, a delicate combination of diamonds and pearls, woven together in an intricate design.
Jupiter gently picked up the bracelet.
"This bracelet has been an heirloom in our family. It was meant to be passed down to our daughter, but since we only have Zeus, we decided that it will go to his future wife."
Ceres sucked in a quiet breath as he carefully took her wrist, securing the bracelet around it.
Her chest tightened with emotion.
This... this was an acceptance.
A gesture of unspoken approval.
Then, Angelina placed a gentle hand on hers and whispered with sincerity,
"But don't feel pressured, sweetheart."
Ceres blinked, her eyes flickering up to meet the older woman's kind gaze.
"Don't think you have to say 'yes' just because of this."
Angelina's voice was warm and full of understanding. "We will understand, no matter what your answer is."
Then she smiled. "Even if you say 'no,' this bracelet is still yours."
Ceres swallowed hard, nodding, completely overwhelmed.