"Let's make other women feel envy of you."

"What?!" I wasn't able to understand what he meant by that.

"I don't want my Eloi to feel jealous of anyone. They should be the ones feeling jealous of you." He exclaimed which made my heart melt instantly.

"What will you do for that?" I asked again. He brushed his finger on my eyebrows to remove the frown which automatically appeared there.

"Wait and watch."

Saying that he boldly made his way to the stage where the band was playing slow music. I kept staring at him in confusion. What exactly is he up to?

He asked for a mic and held it in his right hand. He then made eye contact with me and winked.

"Attention everyone." He spoke into the mic and every single person present in the party turned to him. He looked at Leena and flashing a broad smile he spoke,

"Sorry, Leena for taking over your party but trust me, you'll thank me later for this."

"Do make sure of it," Leena said loudly.

"What is he doing?" Trish came and asked me.

"Trust me I too want to know," I mumbled as I kept my gaze on the man who was going to do something mischievous, I was sure of that.

"As I have your attention, let me start with what I want to say. So, there is this girl..." He paused and looked at me.

My breath caught in my throat the moment he said that. I grasped Trish's hand for support as my knees buckled.

"Don't tell me he is doing what I think he is doing." Trish gasped.

"I'm thinking the same, Trish," I muttered absent-mindedly and gulped.

Cameras started to flash at him, he waved his hand and asked the media personnel to stop capturing him. "Guys, you'll get ample time to click pictures but let me start first."

The cameras went down and he started pacing back and forth in slow motion.

"So, there is this girl who I met at a party months ago. The moment my eyes landed on her, I was spellbound. I didn't know anything about her at that time, so I was intrigued to know her. She is someone who is framed as arrogant and selfish by the media." He chuckled. He peeled off his eyes from me and set them on the audience, showing that he was talking to them. Everyone was silently listening to him.

"But when I get to know her, I found out that she is very kind, selfless, and loving. And not to forget... She's incredibly adorable. She has temper issues, yes, she's feisty, yes, but nothing I can't handle. Though she portrayed herself as tough, stone-hearted, and managed to keep herself off-limits to men for a long time. But it wasn't hard for me to make my way into her heart. And for that, I feel proud of myself..." He laughed and patted his own shoulder dramatically.

People laughed at what he said, some even clapped. And I felt like my heart was going to come out of my ribcage as it was thumping at an alarming rate.

"Tell us who this lucky one is." Someone shouted from the back which made him laugh even louder. I didn't dare look around. The heat was crawling up my neck. My face had flushed red.

"Yes, we want to know." Another one said.

"Patience... You'll know soon. I won't leave you all hanging." He said, looking straight at whoever asked the question. He didn't look at me even for once as if he wasn't babbling about me.

"So where I was? Yes, I was counting some good points about the girl I have fallen for. Yes, I have fallen for her...hard." This time he made eye contact with me.

My breath got caught in my throat. Damn! He never confessed this to me in person and now he is saying it in front of everyone.

"She is someone whom I love to tease, I love to make her jealous because I love to see the blush forms on her face after that. And I bet she must be as red as a tomato right now."

The hall erupted in fits of laughter and I bit back my smile.

"Well, he's right. Your face has turned red." Trish whispered but I ignored her as I didn't want to miss any moment of what he was doing.

"I guess I have said enough so I should now cut to the chase..." He lingered his eyes on me and I gazed at him admiringly. He flashed his charming smile and spoke,

"So... Miss Eloise Nicole, would you be my girlfriend?"

And just like that, my heart skipped a beat. Gasps and murmuring erupted in the hall. The eyes which were looking at Daniel were now on me. Cameras started flashing ruthlessly. Daniel kept the mic there and made his way towards me. I stood frozen at the same spot, I couldn't move, and couldn't take my eyes off of him. Everyone else disappeared for me. The only one visible to my eyes was the most amazing and unpredictable man who was approaching me, the man who just proposed to me in the most playful way possible. He came and stood closer to me.

"You did not just propose me in front of everyone," I whispered, not peeling off my eyes from him.

"Well, I did." He flashed his most charming smile. "So... Will you be my girlfriend?" He asked again.

"Do you really want this feisty and stone-hearted girl to be your girlfriend?" I tried to stop the smile from gracing my lips. I was definitely going to say yes but I wanted to tease him a little. If he could tease me then I can do the same.

"Grumpy and crabby too. I failed to mention that."

I laugh escaped my throat. I shook my head at his frisky attitude.

"Eloi, give your answer. You can't leave me hanging." He said desperately.

"How should I give my answer? I'm still not convinced." I crossed my arms in front of my chest. I wanted to play a little more with him.

"Not convinced? I poured my heart out in a speech to propose to you and you're not convinced?" His lips curled downwards as he frowned. I shook my head in 'no'.

"You said a lot but you didn't say what I wanted to hear which could have convinced me that you really want me to be your girlfriend."

He roamed his eyes around but I stopped him from doing so. "You better think what can convince me to say yes." I didn't care about the people waiting for my answer. I wanted him to say the exact words which I know he will if he runs his mind a little. He thought for a second.

"I would share my food with you... Just say yes." He said in desperation.

Bingo! That's what I wanted to hear.

"Are you sure?" I raised my eyebrows, my hands still crossed and this time a satisfying smile broke on my lips.

"Yes. I did share my food with you, didn't I? I'm making you an exceptional case. Remember —"

"Yes!"

"What?"

"I said yes, Daniel"

His eyes went wide in shock and then he came out of the state of shock and shouted, "Yes, yes...It's a yes."

The sound of claps erupted in the hall. And the high pitched squeal came from Trish, I could hear her from afar. Daniel then placed his hand on the side of my face and sealed my lips in a long, seductive, and promising kiss. I kissed him back with equal fervor. After a while, he let go of my lips, and a mischievous grin tugged his lips.

"You got yourself trapped, darling." He whispered.

"How so?" I asked.

"When I said I'll share my food with you there was one condition which you failed to listen as you were dying to say yes to me." He winked.

"Oh, really? And what's that?" I questioned, matching his smile. He pulled me closer by my waist and brought his lips near to my ear and whispered something that made me shudder in delight.

"For me to share my food with you... You have to be my food in return."

I felt him smile at my body's involuntary response. He purposely ran his hand on my back in a slow and seductive manner which heightened my desire. He slowly pulled away and kissed the corner of my mouth. "And you said yes."

Though loud murmurings were flaring in the hall, still, I could hear the thumping of my heart, loud and clear. Cameras and every single person present there captured our PDA. Without any doubt, it must have been posted on social media by now and by tomorrow it will be on the news and magazines.

"Remove your heels and give them to me." He ordered. I squinted my eyes in confusion.

"Why?"

"Just do it."

I looked sideways and then did what I was told to. Daniel grabbed my heels from my hands and held them in his one hand and laced his free hand with mine.

"Now let's run away before these people bombard us with questions."

I didn't get time to register what he said as he made me run with him outside without looking back. We both were laughing our hearts out and I was managing not to trip over because of the long dress I was wearing. He helped me to settle in his car and then he sat on the driver's seat and he drove off.

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Everyone was surprised to see what just happened. The new lovebirds ran away from the middle of the party after creating chaos in there. Media people stood there, dumbfounded, with cameras hanging in their hands. They wanted to interview the newly formed celebrity couple as it could have increased their tabloid views but they were left with nothing but pictures.

Leena, who couldn't hold her smile, was happy for the couple and was mentally thanking Daniel for gaining publicity for her. At that moment, she was sure that she was going to hire Eloise for her new projects.

Evan was happy to see Eloise getting the man she wanted but he was mentally cursing Daniel for raising expectations of Trish. Now, she'll bug him to do something more romantic and something new for her as Daniel did for Eloise. Whereas Trish couldn't take her eyes off of the door from where the love birds escaped. The dreamy proposal was flashing in front of her eyes. She too was extremely happy for her best friend for finding the love of her life. She was sure that Daniel would give Eloise everything that others failed to give.

Elena couldn't feel anything as she was scared, scared of Rick. What he will do after witnessing all this? She wants happiness for her only daughter but not at the cost of fear and threats. She has to again apply harsh methods on her daughter to keep her away from trouble and if she has to keep her away from Daniel, she'll do that.

Rick was fuming in anger, he was seeing red. He couldn't register the fact that he lost. He lost to a woman who is nothing in front of him, he lost to the woman he wanted from the start but was waiting eagerly for the correct time to make her his. But he lost, he wasn't able to accept the fact that she never bowed down in front of him even after so many persuading and threats. 'What is this woman made of?' He thought to himself. And he was simmering in anger because of Daniel Adams who took her away from under her nose and he couldn't even utter a single word. Now, he has to plan something evil to bring Eloise to him because he wanted her at any cost. He will show her what he is capable of doing, and if he has to destroy her career, he'll do that.

Claire had tears in her eyes as she failed again. Eloise again took what was supposed to be hers. She again turned her into a second choice. She was frustrated, discouraged, and angry. She had intense feelings for Daniel and she thought he felt the same but he crushed her heart and her hopes in a snap of a finger and it all happened because of Eloise. She couldn't point out what she was lacking in. She wasn't able to hold her tears from coming out of her eyes so she hid her face and ran out of the party before anyone could notice her.

Everyone was lost in their own thoughts and the two love birds escaped to be lost in the new beginning. Tonight is the night of a new start. They escaped to lose themselves in the magical land of feelings.

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❤❤❤