In the wedding company's dressing room,
Tailsa watched as the makeup artist placed a princess crown on her head. Several assistants brought over a white evening gown with a slightly long train.
A photographer held a camera, capturing her every move.
Behind her, racks were filled with wedding dresses and red bridal gowns.
And with James dressed so formally, Tailsa couldn't help but feel that something was... off.
"Big brother, isn't this outfit a bit too extravagant for me?" she asked nervously.
James, sitting casually on the side, scrolling through his phone, looked up and nodded with a faint smile.
"Don't worry; everyone will be dressed about the same as you."
Tailsa, a little reassured, hesitated for a moment. With her limited experience, she assumed this must be for some high-end banquet James was attending.
"But what if I overshadow everyone else?" she said, fidgeting with her dress.
James chuckled, "Silly girl, you'd outshine them all even without dressing up."
Tailsa's heart fluttered at the compliment, her confidence soaring.
With a big smile, she finished her makeup and got dressed.
By four in the afternoon, the afternoon sun had softened its intensity, radiating warmth like a mother-in-law who'd just received a generous dowryâgentle yet brimming with enthusiasm.
James held up the hem of Tailsa's gown and helped her step into a pair of silver high heels before escorting her to the car.
Under the starlit roof of the Rolls-Royce,
The sunlight illuminated her stunning figure.
Her lips, dewy and rosy, her fairy-like eye makeup, and her elegantly arched brows were mesmerizing.
Her snow-white skin practically glowed, even against the pure white of her gown.
The off-shoulder design revealed her delicate collarbones and shoulders, with just a teasing hint of her ample curves.
James couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement as he looked at her.
For a moment, he was tempted to activate the car's fogged glass feature.
But he held himself back.
There would be plenty of opportunities later if this went well.
Patience, he reminded himself.
As the car drove slowly toward their destination,
James spent the ride showering Tailsa with compliments, stirring her emotions and subtly building up to the romantic surprise he had planned.
The joy of their reunion, combined with James's sweet words, left Tailsa in a state of euphoria.
Her gaze toward him was filled with adoration.
For a fleeting moment, she found herself wishing she could stay with this man forever.
Her sparkling eyes almost made James lose his composure.
Luckily, the drive wasn't long.
Before James could lose himself to impulse, they arrived.
The car rolled to a stop.
The show began.
James stepped out first, following the rehearsal to the letter. He opened the car door and extended his hand, helping Tailsa out gracefully.
"Baby, we're here," he said softly.
Tailsa, who had been focused on James the entire ride, only now realized they were in a villa community.
The villa in front of her looked strangely familiar.
But it was so lavishly decorated that she couldn't immediately place it.
At her feet was a long red carpet stretching all the way into the courtyard.
Both sides of the carpet were lined with pots of fresh white flowers, each bloom vibrant and radiant.
Above them, balloons floated in the skyâmostly white, with a few pink ones scattered among them.
Higher still, a massive hot air balloon loomed overhead, its surface painted with a cute hand-drawn message:
"Baby, let's fall in love."
Just standing outside, the romantic atmosphere was overwhelming.
Tailsa couldn't help but feel envious.
The bittersweet feeling of attending someone else's dreamy proposalâwho could understand it?
She glanced at James, wanting to tell him that she wanted a wedding like this someday too.
But they'd only just officially started dating. Saying that might come off as pressuring him.
So instead, she asked, "Big brother, is this your friend's wedding?"
"Sort of," James replied with a sly smile, not revealing the truth as he led her inside.
The moment they stepped under the balloon arch,
A series of colorful fireworks exploded with a loud "pop, pop, pop!"
Confetti rained down from above.
In the courtyard, a crowd of people turned toward them, smiling and clapping.
Tailsa jumped in surprise.
Then, soft music began to play.
A worker holding a high-pressure water gun sprayed mist from a moving platform, creating a gorgeous rainbow in the sky.
Beneath the rainbow was a grand stage decorated with floral arrangements and props.
In the largest frame on the stage, she saw... her own photos.
Her hands flew to her mouth as she gasped, her eyes wide with disbelief as she stared at the screen.
It was showing pictures of herâsome from her childhood, others from her school days.
Just then, rose petals began to fall from above, drifting gently around her.
The entire scene felt surreal, like a dream come true.
James's gentle voice broke through her awe.
"I've spent the past few days preparing this for you. I wanted to give you a surprise. So, what do you think? Do you like it?"
Hearing his warm words and smelling the intoxicating fragrance of the flowers,
Tailsa finally realizedâthis wasn't someone else's event.
She was the star of the show.
Her heart thudded in her chest, faster and louder than ever.
She looked around, overwhelmed by the smiles of the crowd and the romantic atmosphere.
"Big brother, is this... is this what you meant when you said it would affect your whole life?"
"Yes. You are my greatest happiness," James said sincerely.
Tailsa remembered his words from the night before.
Her eyes misted over as a layer of tears blurred her vision.
She opened her mouth to speak, but guilt and emotion held her back.
The thought of James spending the last few days meticulously preparing this while she'd been sulking and blaming him for not pampering her filled her with regret.
She wanted to cry but held back, worried about ruining her makeup in front of so many people.
At that moment, James extended his arm toward her and smiled.
"Come, walk with me to the stage. I've prepared a special gift for you. I'll give it to you once I've said everything I need to say."
Tailsa took the tissue Winnie Morgan handed her and dabbed at the corners of her eyes.
She nodded softly, linked her arm with James's, and silently walked with him toward the stage.
Her emotions were a whirlwindâgratitude and guilt, vanity and anticipation.
She didn't even have time to guess what the gift might be before the answer revealed itself.
On the villa's roof, two workers suddenly appeared.
They unfurled a giant red ribbon, draping it over the villa's exterior like a bow on a present.
The ribbon trailed down both sides of the villa, where it was secured by people standing by the windows.
The pristine white villa, now adorned with the oversized bow, had been transformed into a giant gift.
Tailsa was stunned.
She stared blankly, her pupils quivering slightly as tears once again welled in her eyes.
"I'm sorry for making this decision without consulting you first," James said gently, his voice carrying over the speakers.
"I used your name to buy this villa."
The apology every girl dreams of hearing.
"You once said you wanted my name on the deed, but I hesitated because of my father's disapproval. But now, it doesn't matter anymore. I'm willing to add my name to yours."
With that, James pulled out a red property deed and placed it in her hands, smiling warmly.
"When you have time tomorrow, we can go to the registry and add my name to it. Does that sound okay?"
Tailsa, overwhelmed, took the deed and glanced at the golden emblem stamped on it.
The brilliance of it almost hurt her eyes.
She looked up at James, whose face was filled with tender affection.
She wanted to throw herself into his arms and bite him, just to release all the excitement bubbling inside her.
But James didn't give her the chance.
Out of nowhere, he grabbed a microphone and began his heartfelt confession:
"I fell for you.
Not because of how beautiful you are.
But because, at a certain moment,
You gave me something no one else could.
It's not that you have everything I like,
But rather, I like everything about you.
I like you,
At every moment.
And sometimes, I even like others...
When they remind me of you."