Chapter 80 - Ch. 80 Will You Marry Me?

Kaylee had just realized that she had never seen Declan's gentle and caring side like this before. The man looked like he was free without any burden when he was with these children.

Even when dating her, Kaylee felt that Declan was still holding back as if he was hiding something. But the moment she saw the children swarming around the man and how Declan interacted with them, Kaylee understood one thing.

Declan found his home. It seemed this place was his oasis where he didn't have to think about problems nor worry about anything. The man looked very comfortable and could laugh out loud when he was in this place.

It was as if the man could be himself ever since they arrived at this place. It made her wonder what caused the man to be himself in the orphanage instead of his parent's house.

Kaylee couldn't help but curious about this.

"Madame, does Declan come here often? It seems the kids know him very well." moreover, this woman called Declan with his name instead of Mr. Black, and Declan didn't mind it.

Kaylee also realized how Declan looked at this woman with respect as if this woman were his 'mother.'

"You could say that. He is also our benefactor who helps us to meet all the needs of the children here. He was the one who prepared the Christmas event by giving them presents, or a field trip in the garden, or set up a picnic. He was like a father figure for the kids."

"Oh." that was new for her. Kaylee never thought that Declan would care so much for the orphaned children.

It was surprising yet a pleasant truth. When the man conversed with an adult or his family's business partner, Declan gave off such an overbearing vibe that it almost gives the impression of preventing other people from approaching him.

When the aloof man was with her, Declan dropped the bossy aura, yet she could feel the man was holding something back. But as soon as they arrived here and the children appeared to greet them, Kaylee could feel Declan destroying all the cold and intimidating aura as if he welcomed every kid who approached him.

Kaylee helped to spoon-feed a two-year-old baby boy while making a silly expression to persuade the child to open his mouth so she could feed him.

Little did she know, Declan laughed at her adorable silly expression, and when the girl turned to the man because she felt herself being watched, the man looked away and chatted with the other kids.

When Kaylee returned to focus on making sure the baby boy finished his food, Declan glanced back at her to enjoy her otherworldly expression that Kaylee had never shown him.

After finishing their lunch, Declan took Kaylee for a walk to the backyard. They could find a mini-maze park there.

The maze was as high as Declan's chest so that one could see Kaylee's head if the girl entered the maze.

"We're going inside?" Kaylee asked curiously because their footsteps led to the entrance of the maze.

"Why not?"

"I can still see the shape of the maze."

Declan chuckled as he enfolded the girl's waist to pull her closer to him.

Now Kaylee didn't feel nervous or frozen as her body sticks to the man's body. It seemed she had already get used to their closeness. Moreover, that man had kissed her passionately, making her feel less nervous even though he hugged her tightly.

"This maze is for kids. Of course, we adults will be able to find a way out easily."

"Then, why do we go inside?"

"You'll see."

Declan led her walking and twisting along the maze path until they arrived at the center, where there was a stone in the shape of a round table along with two smaller rocks that resembled chairs.

The man led her to sit in one of the chairs by pushing her shoulder gently.

"Wait here and watch."

Kaylee wondered what this man was up to, but she complied and waited. Out of curiosity, she turned her body to see where Declan was going.

Declan was so tall that she wouldn't miss the guy, but the truth is she did!

She didn't find the man. She couldn't even see the man's head. Where is he?

"Declan?"

Kaylee got up from her chair to look for the man when she heard the sound of footsteps and chuckles from a group of children.

Hm? What happened? When the kids entered this maze?

Suddenly, many flowers appeared from all directions and flew upwards before finally descending towards Kaylee, making the girl dumbfounded.

She felt like she was under a rain of flowers as various kinds of flower petals appeared and rained down on her.

Kaylee turned her body while tilting her head up to see the flower petals. Most of them were pink and red, and the fragrant aroma began to attack her nostrils.

It felt so magical, making her lips widened to a sweet smile and her laughter escaped from her throats.

The moment she stopped turning her body, the corner of her eye caught the figure of a man standing not far from her with one arm hidden behind his back.

The man showed the most charming smile that made Kaylee's heart entangled, and she craved to sink into it. Her heart was pounding, but she didn't feel nervous as the man walked step by step to narrow the distance between them.

For the first time, Kaylee didn't feel like she wanted to run away when the man walked over to her and made her heart pound. Instead, she eagerly awaited the man and welcomed their closeness.

When they were only a few paces away, Declan took out his hand and showed a burgundy rose before giving it to Kaylee.

"I know you think our relationship is too fast, and maybe I can't grant your request to take it slow. But I want you to know, I've never loved someone as much as I love you. When I stargaze, all I think about is your face. When I'm working, what I yearn for is your voice, and when I spend time without you, I want to hear your laugh."

Kaylee's lips parted slightly, and her breathing was getting faster along with the beat of her heart which she couldn't control. She gasped in surprise when she saw Declan reach into a tiffany box and kneel on one knee without shifting his gaze on her.

"Will you marry me?" the man opened the tiffany box showing a beautiful diamond ring made Kaylee amazed.

Kaylee moistened her dry lips with her tongue while trying to control her wildly beating heart. Wasn't their engagement announced, and Kaylee not voiced her protest? Why did this man propose to her?

"But… we're already engaged."

"I want to do it officially, and I haven't heard your answer in person."

This man is really cunning. Kaylee still hasn't confirmed his love confession and was still finding out what her heart wants.

The moment their engagement was announced, Kaylee felt shocked and panicked, but she thought she would slowly accept this new reality.

After all, Kaylee knew she felt happy and felt complete when she was with this man. She felt like her heart had reached out to that man, or maybe even that man already had her heart… Kaylee didn't know either.

At least, Kaylee still had time to investigate what her heart wanted. If this man directly proposed to her and made her heart filled with heart-warming like this, how could she answer no?

If she answered yes, that would mean… Kaylee would become that guy's lover. But if she answered no... she surely would regret it for life.

For some reason, she wasn't as much against this man's advances as before.

Kaylee stretched out her left hand towards Declan and said, "I will marry you."

"YEY!!!"

Kaylee jumped in surprise when she heard the simultaneous screams of the children who had been hiding behind the maze wall all this time. Her cheeks reddened because she had forgotten about the kids.

Declan beamed in immeasurable joy while pinning his ring to her ring finger before giving a sweet kiss on the girl's hand made Kaylee feel her body temperature hot.

"The fairy will be our aunt!" cheered the kids while jumping evocative laughter from Declan and Kaylee.

For a few minutes, the children played hide and seek in the maze while Declan and Kaylee accompanied them while sitting relaxed hand in hand.

"I never knew you liked little kids. Do you come here often? The kids seem to feel very comfortable with you, and I can see your relationship like a family."

"I grow up here before the Black took me in." Declan dropped a bomb causing the girl to open her jaw wide.

"You... you are an adopted child?" Kaylee never heard about this before.

Declan smiled faintly. "Is it bothering you?"

Kaylee shook her head quickly, thinking she had offended the man. "It doesn't bother me, it just… it's...."