Amethyst St. Clair's POV

It's been a week since the incident with Dario Rizzo. Until now, it still gives me uneasiness about the whole thing. Even though Franco reassured me that Dario was now safely behind bars and his sister had been finally getting the medical help she needed I still feel nervous now and then.

I told Franco not to tell Daniel and my sisters about the incident since I didn't want them to worry about me. The last thing I wanted was for them to worry about me and Max here in Italy. There were no bodyguards around the house to protect us day and night. Max and I also have the security details Franco told me about that should be with us whenever we leave the house.

Right now, I am on the terrace watching Max swim in the pool happily trying to erase my memories of that fateful night.

"How are you?"

I looked up to see Franco coming out of the house kissing my forehead affectionately before taking the vacant chair next to me. I smiled at him lovingly, as he took my hand and kissed my palm. "I am fine," I replied shortly. "How's work?"

"Tiring." He answered with a deep sigh. Since the incident, he has refused to leave the house and currently working from home.

I brushed my knuckle on his cheek. "I told you Max and I will be fine here. You can go to the office if you must. Don't worry about us."

"But..."

He was about to protest when I shook my head. "Are you still blaming yourself for what happened between me and Dario? You don't have to feel guilty about it, my love."

Franco sighed deeply, staring deep into my eyes. I could see the way his eyes held trouble in their depth. "But it is my fault, Amy. I don't know what I will do if—"

I stopped the words coming out of his mouth with my index finger. "Don't worry about it now, Franco. Dario didn't hurt me and he is now behind bars. You don't have to feel guilty about the whole thing."

He held my hands in his and held them tightly, there was still distress in his eyes. "But what if I didn't arrive in time? What if..."

"I am okay, my love." I shook my head with a smile on my face. "I am trying to forget that fateful day you should too.

He exhaled a deep breath while shaking his head. His gaze was focused on our intertwined hands. "I don't know how to face your family if something bad happened to you while you and our son are in my care. I am sure your grandfather will think how useless fiancé I am for you."

I raised his chin gently so he could meet my gaze. "Granddad is not like that. Listen to me, Franco. You are a great father to Max everyone will agree with me. You are not useless are you forgetting how you beat Dario in our bedroom?"

Franco smiled grimly in my direction. "I am not satisfied with the beating I did on him, amore. I should have ended his life with my bare hands for what he did to you."

I shook my head. "Never put the law in your own hands, my darling. You did the right thing to let the police take him and let the law punish him for what he did."

"You are something, Amethyst St. Clair." He said in wonder, staring at me with shining light brown eyes. "Despite the whole thing how can you remain positive?"

"That's how you should view life, isn't it?" I informed him with a grin on my face.

He shook his head in disbelief with a slight smile on his face. He kissed the tip of my nose. "Thank you for coming back to my life, my love."

I raised an eyebrow in his direction with a playful smile on my mouth. "I didn't have much choice in that matter, remember? It was all Granddad's plan. I am just an unwilling pawn in his game."

"I am still thankful for the day I bumped into you in the hotel lobby." He said with a fond smile on his handsome face. Our conversation was cut off when his phone buzzed for a text message. A private smile fitted his lips before schooling his features. "That reminds me. Get dress. We're going out."

My eyes widened at him. Okay, this was quite unexpected. "Where are we going? What's with this sudden trip?"

"It's a surprise." He announced with a twinkle in his eyes. He kissed my lips briefly before smiling brightly.

I eyed him suspiciously. "You are planning something again." I accused him, eyeing him closely. "What is it?"

Franco rolled his eyes. "Just get dressed and don't try to ruin my surprise for you, my love."

"What about Max?" I asked eyeing our son who was busy in the pool. "Are we going to leave him?"

"Yeah," He replied, watching our son play in the pool with affection on his face. "Mama will look after him."

My eyes narrowed in his direction. "You are not planning to whisk me away in the middle of the ocean again, are you?"

He surprised me when he suddenly threw back his head and laughed out loud. "As much as that idea is so tempting at the moment. No. I will not whisk you away in the middle of the ocean today." He looked at me with a meaningful look. "Maybe some other time I will just do that. But for now. I have something else in my mind."

"Okay..."

As if on cue, Max went out of the pool and joined us at the table. He sipped his juice and sampled the food on the table. I draped a towel around his shoulder while he joined us at the table.

"Is it okay if Mommy and I will leave you with Nonna today, buddy?" Franco asked our son who was busy eating.

Max nodded seriously. "Of course, Daddy."

Franco ruffled our son's wet hair. "That's my boy." He looked at me after a moment with a mysterious glint in his eyes. "Get dressed. We're leaving in half an hour."

"What's for the dress code?"

He raked his gaze from head to toe appreciatively, before smiling seductively in my direction. "Something casual."

"All right." I reluctantly stood from my chair and went inside our room to get dressed. I was still skeptical about this impromptu surprise he had for me but I still followed his instructions. I took a shower quickly before deciding to wear a striped long ruffle linen-cotton summer dress and pair it with nude sandals while applying light makeup for our date.

Wait, is this another date? I wondered silently.

Half an hour later, I was sitting in his Ferrari still wondering where we were going. He remained silent through the whole drive. I discreetly glance at him he was wearing a simple collar t-shirt, dark jeans, and a pair of sunglasses but I couldn't miss the way his fingers drum on the steering wheel while driving.

I think he was pretty much excited about this whole thing.

My jaw nearly dropped to the floor when I saw that he drove inside the tarmac of the airport and his plane was waiting for us.

"Don't tell me that our destination requires a plane ride?" I asked indecorously as I stepped out of the car at the same time as him.

He threw me a mischievous grin. "Then, I will not tell you."

Franco took my hand in his hand and led me inside this waiting plane. Everything went into a blur after that. It didn't take long before the plane took off and we were already traveling to an unknown destination. He was sitting across from me completely comfortable in his seat and I felt so nervous about this whole thing.

An hour and a half later, A gasp escaped my lips when I saw our 'unknown' destination. It turns out that he's taking me to Lake Como again. I glanced at him when I saw that we were nearing Lake Como from my plane window.

Franco has this sheepish smile on his face. "Not so surprised anymore, is it?"

My heart galloped in my chest. I never thought that I would be back in this place with Franco no less. It's been six years since I have been here. The place where my relationship with him starts and end in that summer years ago.

"This time will be different." I heard Franco mutter across to me. There was something in his eyes that I could not pinpoint at the moment.

It hadn't managed to utter a reply when I saw his plane landed. My legs were slightly shaky as I stepped out of the iron steps of his private plane. Thank goodness, I wore flat sandals instead of heels.

"Where to?" I asked when we rode a car from the airport.

He smiled brightly in my direction. "We are going on a date, remember?"

"In Lake Como?"

"Yeah." He shrugged. "Why not?"

I remained silent, as I stared out my window. I love this place from the first moment I have been here with my parents when I was still young. From then on I was always looking forward to spending my summer here and I didn't expect that I would fall for this place, even more, when I met this man beside me here in this little paradise.

Lake Como would always have a special place in my heart along with this man.

"It's been a while," I murmured unknowingly.

"Yeah." Franco agreed with me while still driving on the road. "Six years to be exact."

My eyes shot at him. I couldn't believe my ears. "D-Don't tell me..."

He glanced briefly in my direction. I hate that I couldn't see the emotion in his eyes because he was still wearing his sunglasses. "This is the first time that I would set foot again in Lake Como after six long years."

I gasped at his unexpected confession. "Why?"

The side of his lips curved slightly. "Because it reminds me of what I lost."

My heart skipped a beat at his words. Part of me couldn't help to think that this was all my fault because we lost six years of our lives living apart while we should be together raising Max. I swallowed hard, trying to calm my heart. "What changed your heart? When did you suddenly bring me here?"

"Because even if this place held some bitter memories for me. I still think that this is a special place because this is where we met. This is where I fell in love with you."

I was still lost for words when he finally pulled the car in front of this magnificent mansion. I thought we were going inside but Franco took my hand and led me to the cobblestone pavement and started to walk towards the lake.

Walking hand in hand with him like this feels like we're transported back to the past. I was still twenty-two and falling for this Italian guy I just met.

"Wait for me here." He said with a boyish grin on his face as stop in front of this coffee shop. He walked inside leaving me on the wooden bench overlooking the lake before us.

It didn't take long before Franco came out of the coffee shop with two coffees in his hand. He gave me one of the tall disposable cups. "Iced Americano with extra ice two pumps of vanilla and two pumps of toffee nut and a dash of cream. I hope I still remember your fancy drink."

"Yes, thank you." I couldn't help but laugh while taking a sip of my coffee. It's been a while since I ordered my signature drink because it would only remind me of him that's why I stopped ordering it and have a simple cappuccino or espresso.

I looked at the coffee cup with a frown when I realized that the taste of my favorite coffee was off today. Maybe because it's been a while since I have to drink this.

"What's wrong?" Franco asked with concern on his face.

I gave him a reassuring smile. "Nothing. Let's go?"

I never sipped my coffee again after the second try because I nearly threw up. My stomach rebelled at the taste.

Franco and I strolled around the market and souvenir shops merrily. At lunchtime, thank goodness I had the reason to throw the coffee and focus on eating my paste despite not having an appetite, I kept on glancing at the chocolate ice gelato the little girl next to our table had been eating happily. My mouth watered at the sight of the creamy frozen dessert.

It seems that Franco noticed it and asked me. "You want gelato?"

I focused my gaze back at him while I felt my cheeks heat. "No," I muttered before continuing to eat my food, forcing myself to eat.

After our lunch, Franco bought me the chocolate gelato I had been craving since I saw the little girl in the restaurant. "Here." He said with a smile on his face.

"Thank you." I grinned at him like a child as I tasted the sweet dessert.

"You are acting weird today."

"Hmm?"

Franco shook his head. "Nothing. Let's go?"

I took the offered hand and let him lead me walking around. When it was nearly sunset and the sky he led me back to where he parked his car when we arrived. I thought that we were already going home when he surprised me when we went inside the beautiful mansion.

"Aren't we going home yet?" I asked, stopping him from his track when he opened the huge gate.

He smiled at me, leaning down to claim my lips for a brief kiss. "Not yet."

"Are we going to spend the night here?"

"It could be arranged if you want."

"Oh..."

He led me inside reluctantly. "I just want to show you something."

As we walked inside the beautiful home. It was like magic when the lights inside the garden flicked open. I gasped when the garden was illuminated with little lights.

"Franco..." I started when I stopped dead in my place when I saw the meticulously maintained lawn with the words 'will you marry me made with flower petals. "Jesus..."

When I turned around to look at him. My mouth hung open when I saw Franco kneeling on one knee while presenting me with this unique ring in his unsteady hand.

"Ah...um," He swallowed hard as he cleared his throat. "Amethyst St. Clair. Will you share your life with me? Will you make this man in front of you the happiest man on earth? Will you marry me?"

Tears blurred my vision as I placed my hands on my chest because I felt that my heart couldn't take all this emotion inside my chest.

When I didn't answer he added with a rueful. "I am shaking here with anxiety, my love. Can you end my misery and give me your answer, my love?"

I laughed and cried at the same time. "Of course. I want to marry you!"

Franco shouted happily. He stood and slipped the ring on my wedding finger perfectly. I couldn't help to ask when glancing at my engagement ring. "Where did you get this?"

"I design it myself." He announced with such pride in his voice. He kissed my hand where the ring rested. "Of course, you cannot propose to a woman who is a jewelry heiress who is also a very talented jewelry designer with a ring that didn't come from their company."

I chuckled at him.

"So I ask your sister, Sapphire." He added, examining the ring in my hand. "I know she's currently on leave but I ask for this special work. I have been in touch with her for weeks now. She is more than happy to help me."

"What's the meaning behind this unusual ring?" I asked curiously.

Franco gave me a heart-warming smile. "The oval shape argyle rare violet diamond at the center represents you, my love. The center of my life. My everything. And then the two diamonds on each side represent me and Massimo."

I raised an eyebrow in his direction. "What about the two smaller stones at the far end?"

Franco smiled sheepishly while looking deeply into my eyes. "Well, I was hoping to have two more children with you, my love, so Massimo will not be an only child."

My heart swelled with love for this man. I encircled my arms around his neck. "Have I told you how much I love you, Francesco Calvetti?"

"Not yet."

"I love you," I said with a smile. "I love you. I love you. I love you."

"I love you more, Amy." He said before claiming my mouth in a heated kiss.

Finally, I have found my very own prince...