Accidental Fiancé (Unintentionally Yours #5)

35. Maggie

Chapter 35

Maggie

W hen I woke up in Julian’s arms, a sense of relief broadened my smile. It was over—the drama, the secrets, the lies, everything that had felt so suffocating over the last few days had been lifted.

We were finally free.

We spent the morning dawdling with his family. A breakfast buffet with Greek pastries and Cuban coffee filled the air with a heavenly scent. Banter-littered chatter rolled through the lounge, and good-natured jokes gave way to raucous laughter. All day long, Julian wore a secretive smirk, and when I asked him about it, he said, “It’s nothing. I’m just happy you’re here.”

Liar.

But he was happy, so I wasn’t mad about the lie. In fact, I’d never been happier in my life. We spent the day playing in the pool with Piper and the other kids. Even Marcus and Apollo joined us despite Marcus’ recent breakup. I had thought he might go home after the drama with Chloe, but with her gone, he relaxed and enjoyed his family. A few rounds of Marcus Polo later, and he was laughing along with the rest of us. It had been a wonderful day.

My family consisted of me, Mom, and Dad. They had cousins and siblings, but we weren’t close with them the way Julian’s family was, and I loved being surrounded by such warm, welcoming people. None of them even mentioned the lie we told. They accepted me with open arms, no backbiting or sniping about any of it.

I could almost imagine a future like this. Happy and surrounded by love. I was no longer pretending, and when I saw that knowing smile on Julian’s lips, I didn’t know what it meant exactly, but I wasn’t scared by it, either. He’d tell me when the time was right. I trusted him completely.

After a late nap, Julian, Piper, and I joined the others for supper. The dining room was bathed in the warm glow of the chandeliers, the soft flicker of candlelight dancing off the polished mahogany table. Outside, the winter evening was fading into twilight, but inside, the mansion was alive with the hum of conversation and laughter.

I sat next to Julian at the long dining table, Piper on the other side of him. His family was scattered around, everyone dressed in their finest for Yaya's birthday. It was a grand affair. Yaya never did things halfway, apparently, and tonight was no exception.

The table was set with fine dinnerware, crystal glasses, and a centerpiece of fresh flowers that perfumed the air. Laughter echoed around us as plates were passed and conversations overlapped. Even Marcus seemed more relaxed, sipping his wine and engaging in small talk. He smiled more easily without Chloe around, and it was nice to see him that way instead of the grouch he had been when we first met.

Julian's hand was warm on my thigh beneath the table, a silent reminder of the support he gave me. His touch sent a shiver up my spine, not because it was new or surprising, but because it felt like home. We had made a choice to convince the world we were in love when, in truth, somewhere along the way, the fake feelings we were trying to convey had turned real.

Given he had a crush on me in high school, I’m thinking they came more naturally to him as an adult. Though, I wondered if his feelings had ever been fake. It was hard to dig into that for myself—my feelings for him in high school were never a crush, or so I thought. I wasn’t sure if that was true anymore.

Had Nora been right? Had I used Julian as a boyfriend substitute back then? I wasn’t sure. But having him around made not having a high school boyfriend easier. She had said he was my boyfriend in all but title, and I couldn’t argue against that.

I squeezed his hand and smiled when he looked at me, but a twinge of guilt pulled at my heartstrings for the boy I had romantically ignored. We could have had so many years of happiness if only I had realized the truth back then. There was nothing to be done about it now, obviously, but it was impossible not to wonder about how things could have been if I had understood my own feelings instead of being wrapped up in worrying what others thought about me.

If I had been more self-aware in high school, Piper might have been my daughter. A startling thought.

But life had other plans for me, for Julian. Regrets didn’t accomplish anything. Acknowledging and learning from my mistakes was the only way to move forward to a brighter future. I screwed things up before and I refused to do that again. It felt good sitting in front of his entire family as a couple.

I made conversation with Apollo about his job, both of us dodging the subject of Chloe. Part of me wanted to attend her trial, but another part of me just wanted to be done with all of that. Unfortunately, he said, “You realize as the business owner and victim of the arson, you’ll likely be called to the stand, right?”

A weight sat on my chest hearing that. “I had hoped to stay out of it, actually.”

“I’ll do my best to keep your involvement to a minimum, but there will be questions. We will keep the sensitivities of the case in mind and?—"

A clinking sound rang out, and we looked to the head of the table to see Yaya, spoon and crystal goblet in hand. She was as regal as ever, her silver hair swept into an elegant updo, her eyes twinkling with mischievous energy that belied her eighty years. “No more business talk at the table, you two.”

I smiled and nodded as Apollo said, “Apologies, Yaya. Fun only.”

She nodded curtly and returned to her chat with Artemis. Ears like a hawk, that one.

I glanced at Julian, catching his eye as he leaned back in his chair, sipping his wine. He gave me a wink, and I couldn't help but smile, my heart skipping a beat. Leaning in so only I could hear him, he whispered, “You look beautiful tonight.”

Heat rose in my cheeks, and I nudged him playfully. “You're not so bad yourself.”

Julian looked effortlessly handsome in his suit, the dark fabric tailored perfectly to his lean frame, his dark hair slightly tousled in a way that made him look like he just walked off the pages of a magazine. It was all I could do not to demand we go to his room and find out how good that suit looked on the floor, but after some gentle teasing at the pool earlier, I learned just how much voices carried in the mansion. My voice, in particular, apparently.

That same spoon clinked against the crystal again, pulling my attention away from him. Yaya stood at the head of the table, this time, a glass of champagne in her hand. “Alright, everyone,” she said, her voice commanding attention with ease. “Before we get started on dessert, I think it's time for a little toast.”

The room fell quiet as everyone lifted their glasses, their attention turning to Yaya. I couldn't help but smile as I watched her. Tonight, was in her honor, her official birthday dinner. The weight of the past few days seemed to disappear. It was a celebration not just of Yaya’s birthday, but also about the fact that we had come out on the other side of everything stronger.

“To family,” Yaya began, her voice clear and strong. “To the ones who drive us mad, the ones who make us laugh, and the ones who never let us forget who we are, I am grateful for all of you. Thank you for being here tonight.”

There were murmurs of agreement around the table, and I raised my glass alongside everyone else, feeling a swell of warmth in my chest but also an ache. I didn't have a family like this, and her toast was a reminder of that. But sitting there, surrounded by Julian's family, I felt like I belonged with them. I wasn’t technically family, but they didn’t make me feel that way.

Yaya took a sip of her champagne and then set the glass down with a satisfied smile. Her eyes twinkled as she looked directly at Julian. “I believe there's something else to celebrate tonight, isn't there?”

I blinked in surprise, turning to Julian as he shifted in his seat. There was that look again, mischievous but also… nervous?

What is he up to? Some kind of business merger or something? I didn’t understand how their family dynamic worked along financial lines, especially after he mentioned how they pooled some of their money together as a family. I could only imagine that any one person’s success was everybody’s success and a cause for celebration. Maybe he wanted to wait until tonight to announce something big for all of them.

Julian stood up slowly, placing his glass on the table before reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a small velvet box, the kind I had seen in a thousand movies. A ring box: I never thought I'd see one in real life intended for me. Why would he have… oh.

I was confused. He can’t be… no. My breath caught in my throat as the realization hit me like a tidal wave.

Oh. My. God.

The entire table seemed to hold its collective breath as Julian turned to me, his shining green eyes locking onto mine. I knew what was happening, but it was also like I was watching it happen from outside myself. I couldn’t breathe, but I didn’t need to. I wasn’t in my body anymore.

He stepped away from the table and kneeled beside my chair, holding the box in his hands. He cleared his throat a few times before stealing Phoebe’s champagne to wet his whistle. “Maggie,” he began, his voice steady but filled with emotion. “You and I started this as a lie. A lie we told to everyone, including ourselves. We said this wasn’t real, that it was just a favor two friends were doing for each other. But somewhere along the line, pretending with you became the best thing that ever happened to me. You are the best thing that ever happened to me.”

My heart was pounding so hard I was sure everyone could hear it. I couldn't speak. I couldn't even think straight. All I could do was stare at him, tears already pricking at the corners of my eyes.

“I don't want to pretend ever again,” Julian continued, his voice softening. “I don't want to pretend you're not the love of my life. I don't want to pretend I could ever be happy without you. Maggie Bryant, will you marry me?” He opened the box, revealing a stunning ring, a vintage piece that sparkled in the soft light of the room. It took my breath away.

For a moment, everything around us disappeared. It was just me and Julian, his eyes filled with hope and love, his heart laid bare in front of me. The magnitude of what he was asking hit me full force, and tears slipped down my cheeks.

“Yes,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “Yes, Julian, I will marry you.”

The room erupted into applause but I barely heard it. All I could focus on was Julian, the relief and joy on his face as he slipped the ring onto my finger. He stood up, pulled me into his arms, and kissed me. The world tilted on its axis, the moment spinning around us as if we were the only thing that mattered.

Julian Black was mine. Forever.

When we finally pulled apart, I could feel the warmth of his family's eyes on us. Piper was grinning ear to ear, clapping and cheering enthusiastically. Everyone else was, too, but it was her opinion that mattered the most to me. Yaya looked utterly pleased with herself as if she had orchestrated the whole thing.

I looked over at Julian’s mother, who looked completely baffled. Artemis said, “I'm sorry to interrupt this happy moment but I thought you two broke up. What on earth is going on here?”

Yaya waved her hand dismissively, an amused smile on her lips. “Oh, try to keep up, dear,” her voice dripping with playful, sardonic humor. “They were never really broken up. It was a simple misunderstanding.”

Julian's mother blinked, clearly still lost, but she slowly nodded, accepting Yaya's explanation without further question. She leaned back into her chair, casting one more curious glance at me before taking a big sip of her wine.

I couldn't help but laugh. The entire evening had been a whirlwind of emotions, but in that moment, surrounded by Julian's family and the love we had just declared for each other, everything felt right. It felt solid. This was really happening.

Julian pulled me close again, his lips brushing against my ear as he whispered, “I love you, Maggie.”

“I love you too,” I whispered back, my heart full to bursting.

The rest of the night was a blur of toasts and congratulations. Yaya told stories about her own engagement to Julian's grandfather, regaling us with the tales of her wild youth in the circus. According to her, she also set fire to the Vatican (due to a Papal situation I didn’t quite follow, but was assured the Pope deserved it), shared an ice cream with a certain president in the eighties (she had chocolate, he had the time of his life), skydived with a world-famous rock star (without divulging his identity, she specified he had sympathy for the Devil), and got a matching tattoo with a famous actor. “What? You don’t believe me?”

She started to lift her skirt to show it off, but Artemis jerked her hem back down. “Mom, don't embarrass Maggie. We want her to join the family, not run screaming from it.”

Through it all, I kept watching Julian, marveling at how much he had changed in such a short time. The worry lines around his eyes and on his forehead had disappeared. His shoulders relaxed and he was breathing deeply for the first time. I leaned against him, relishing the warmth of his body as his family told stories and laughed with each other. I was happy, truly happy.

Strange that we had started this whole thing as a lie, an arrangement meant to serve both our interests. But now, as I looked down at the ring on my finger, I realized that it had become the truest thing in my life. And I couldn't wait to spend the rest of it with him.

Later that night, when his family had finally retired to their rooms and the mansion was quiet again, Julian and I sat together on the balcony overlooking the moonlit gardens. He held my hand, his thumb tracing circles over the back of it, the cool breeze tugging at the loose strands of my hair.

“I can't believe you actually proposed in front of everyone,” I said with a laugh, leaning my head on his shoulder. “That was bold.”

Julian chuckled, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. “I had to make sure everyone knew. No more pretending, Maggie. Not ever again.”

“Never again.”

Now, I just had to figure out how to tell my parents.