DAMIR
It had been three days since Eli finally forgave me, three days since the suffocating weight of his silence lifted from my chest. But something lingered, a fragility, like a crystal ornament that might crack with the wrong touch. I wanted more than forgiveness. I wanted to give him the world wrapped in silk and roses. I wanted him to know he wasn't just someone I loved….I chose him, every single day. So I made up my mind: I would ask Eli to officially be mine. Not just in body or shared whispers in bed, but in heart.
I needed to plan a surprise. Something that would make him laugh, blush, scream. Something that said: I see you, I cherish you, I want only you.
But every search online frustrated me.
"How to surprise your lover?"
The answers were so average.
"Write him a note."
"Cook him dinner."
"Take him on a walk."
Boring. Eli was not ordinary. He was magic wrapped in silk. So no, a casual dinner wasn't enough. I needed to go all in. After a minute of deliberating, I snapped my fingers and summoned everyone in the mansion.
"All female maids under thirty, and all the younger male guards, to the main lounge. Immediately."
Within ten minutes, the lounge buzzed with anticipation. They stood in rows….nervous, some smiling, some fidgeting, all curious.
"Don't worry," I began, raising a brow, "you're not in trouble. I need your help. I want to surprise Eli. I want to ask him to be my boyfriend. But not in some ordinary, TikTok-inspired way. I want drama, tears, glitter, everything. So tell me… what would you want in a surprise?"
A red-haired maid named Lilia raised her hand first.
"Sir… if it were me, I'd want rose petals leading to the surprise. Maybe some soft music playing in the background?"
Another maid beside her, Aya, chimed in. "But not just petals. Big, oversized bouquets! Like the kind you have to carry with both arms."
A tall male guard, lan, crossed his arms and smirked. "Jewelry. A shiny necklace with his initials. Or one with your name. Something that sparkles when he moves."
The youngest of the maids, Masha, was almost bouncing. "Sir! Hoodies! He always wears them. Maybe embroidered hoodies that say Damir's Baby?"
A round of laughter followed.
But I wasn't laughing. I was writing. I scribbled notes on a pad like my life depended on it. Clothes. Flowers. Jewelries. Hoodies. Balloons.
Then came Dima, a guard with a surprisingly soft voice. "What about a sign? A big glowing board or banner that says it directly. 'Would you be my boyfriend, Eli?'"
I stopped writing.
That was it. That was perfect.
"You," I said, looking at Dima. "You get a raise."
The room burst into laughter again, but I was already pacing, already planning out the logistics.
"Alright. I want a team to handle the flowers and bouquets. Use fresh roses, hydrangeas, and violets. Another team will go to our in-house designer and get at least six new hoodies made embroidered, velvet-lined, oversized. A few male guards get those display racks ready. Hang the clothes like it's a fashion showroom."
Aya raised her hand. "What about his favorite snacks?"
"Yes. Get them. All of them."
"And the board?" Dima asked.
"I want it bold. Large letters. White and gold. 'Would you be my boyfriend, Eli?' We'll hang it at the center of the room."
The teams scattered. Like an army of luxury elves, the mansion turned into a romance factory. Bouquets were shaped like crowns. The display racks glistened. We added silk drapes around the room, heart-shaped confetti sprayed gently by machines. A trail of flickering rose-gold lights led from the corridor right into the center of Eli's room.
Meanwhile in the evening , I sent Eli on a distraction mission.
I called him from my study.
"Baby, come help me choose a new cologne," I said when he arrived.
Eli pouted and groaned. "You already smell good. This is sabotage."
He had no idea. None.
I distracted him by letting him sit on my lap, nuzzling into his neck, kissing him lazily while fake-deciding between colognes. He playfully sprayed one all over my shirt. I pretended to be offended and chased him around the desk.
At the same time, Aya messaged me: It's ready.
I cleared my throat.
"Baby?"
He paused, breathless from laughing.
"Yeah?"
"Can we go back to your room for a second? I feel tired ."
He narrowed his eyes. "Are you okay ?"
"Y…yeah let's go," I said, smiling.
He shrugged and turned, his hoodie bouncing lightly with his steps.
I followed him quietly.
As he opened the door, he froze.
The room was glowing. Flowers everywhere roses in pinks and creams, soft glowing lights trailing across the ceiling like stars. The hoodies were displayed like they belonged in a luxury runway. His favorite snacks were stacked in a velvet basket. And in the middle, tall and bold and proud:
WOULD YOU BE MY BOYFRIEND, ELI?
He covered his mouth.
He didn't move. Just stared.
"Damir…" he whispered. "What is this?"
I stepped beside him.
"I love you," I whispered. "But more than that I choose you.i want to ask you for your forgiveness one more, I promise never to make you feel less worthy of yourself and I want to ask you properly, from the depths of everything I am… Eli, will you be mine?"
Tears instantly welled up in his eyes. He dropped to the floor, overwhelmed.
"Stop," he sniffled, laughing. "This is too much. You're insane."
"Is that a yes?"
He nodded fast, wiping tears from his cheeks. "Yes! Of course, yes!"
I scooped him up into my arms, spinning him gently.
Cheers erupted from the hallway where the maids and guards were peeking.
He wrapped his arms around my neck, giggling, burying his face in my chest.
"I'm your boyfriend now," he whispered.
I kissed his temple. "No, baby. You've always been mine. Now the world just knows it."