Not long after the wedding, Lauren and Alistair announced they were having a baby, and if I’m honest, I’m kind of jealous. I can’t wait to see Lilly carrying our baby or babies. But first, I need to put this ring on her finger, and then we can plan the rest of our lives together.
I have whisked her away to my villa in the alps. I’m trying to recreate the moment we met. Thought I’d do the full-circle thing. I left earlier than her to set everything up. I came in via helicopter because it’s too far to drive for one night. The helicopter is now on its way back to Rome to pick Lilly up as I rush to get everything ready for tonight. I want it to be perfect, and I want her to say yes.
My phone lights up with a text from my helicopter pilot letting me know he has dropped Lilly off, so it shouldn’t be long until she arrives.
I’m nervous, like really nervous.
“Babe,” Lilly calls out through the empty villa.
I take a deep breath and make my way into the living room where she’s standing.
“Oh. My. God,” Lilly squeals, then bursts out laughing.
Okay, seeing your partner naked should not make you laugh, especially as this is a special moment.
“Why does your dick have a bow wrapped around it?”
“Unwrap it and see,” I tell her, giving her a seductive wink, which makes her bend over laughing. This isn’t at all how I thought the evening would go.
She walks over to me, and I notice the tear marks running down her cheeks. But then her hands are on my dick, and I forget all about my humiliation. She’s unwrapping the bow, and the box falls to the floor.
That’s my cue to get down on one knee.
“Lilly Ava Simpson…”
“Yes. Yes. Yes,” she screams at me.
“Babe, I haven’t asked you anything yet.”
“Oh, yeah, you’re right, continue...”
Damn! This is not going to plan, but I power on.
“Lilly, when I look at you, all I see is a long life ahead filled with laughter and happiness.” Now, real tears are falling down her cheeks. “There’s no one in this world I want to spend the rest of my life with. Will you marry me?” The speech I had prepared was so much better than what I just said, but nerves have gotten the better of me. You would think for a prince who does so much public speaking, I could do such a simple speech with ease, but this is Lilly, and she is so much more important than any other speech I have ever made.
“Yes.” She rushes me then kisses me. “Yes. Yes. Yes.”
“I need to put the ring on.”
“Shivers, sorry. I’ve messed this all up for you. I’m sorry, babe,” Lilly apologizes.
“As long as you said yes, that’s all that matters,” I reply, opening the blue ring box.
“Holy moly.” Lilly gasps, while I pull out the family heirloom. “That’s one big diamond.”
I take it out from the velvet box and slide it onto her finger.
“It’s so heavy, but I don’t care because it’s beautiful.”
“It’s over three hundred years old.”
Lilly’s eyes widen. “Many royals have worn this ring.”
“That makes it so much more special, it’s like a connection with long-lost family. Knowing that someone wore this a lifetime ago is just wow. I love it, Luca.”
My body relaxes. I was unsure whether or not she’d love a second-hand ring, but she does because she understands the family history significance of it.
“I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you, Principessa Lilly.”
“Okay, that part is going to take some getting used to.” She giggles while staring at the ring on her finger.
“Hey…” She stops and looks around the villa, noticing it for the first time. “You told me your friend owned a vineyard in Trento. Is this his place?”
I shake my head. “It’s mine, or should I say, ours.”
“What? So that bottle of wine you had was from your vineyard, and you never told me?”
“Honestly, it slipped my mind. I had forgotten all about that.”
“Luckily, I’m dazzled by this diamond not to care about your deceitful ways.”
I crash-tackle her to the ground and say, “I love you, Lilly.”
“I love you, Luca.” She looks up at me with pure love and adoration in her eyes.
“Can I now take my fiancée upstairs and consummate this engagement?”
“Yes, please, Your Highness.” Lilly giggles as I carry her through the villa, and I could not be happier.
Epilogue
Epilogue – Lilly
One year later
“We have good news,” Sophie tells me through the phone. “We’ve found Ilona.”
“Oh my God.” My stomach somersaults over the news. “Is she okay?”
“Yes, she is.”
“Where was she?” I wonder what kind of hell she has been through.
“We found her in Dubai,” Sophie tells me. “A maid smuggled her and the others out. We also rescued the maid and her family for helping us.”
“We can give them refugee status here in Italy. Please, tell them that.”
“Thank you. Having you and Luca on board helping us rehome these women in a safe and secure commune is…” Sophie hardly ever gets emotional, but I can hear it in her voice. “You’re changing their lives.”
Giving up my job as a doctor after marrying Luca was hard. I knew that it wouldn’t be easy in a palace as a princess. Thankfully, he understood, and for my wedding present, he gave me one of his farms to me to start my foundation.
Lilly’s Place—a village that’s dedicated to women who have been saved from human trafficking and are unable to return home to their own countries. We set them up with a home and some land. We bring the rest of their family out to them if possible. We educate them and help get them back onto their feet. We
