For a moment, time seemed to stand still.
Amid the roar of the crowd, Rose wondered if she had imagined it.
She stared at Trevor’s extraordinarily handsome face in shock.
The man stood before her, gazing down at her. Somehow, there was an indescribable tenderness in his eyes.
Had Trevor really just proposed to her?
The thought lingered in her mind.
What finally snapped Rose back to reality were the gasps erupting around her, followed by increasingly loud cheers and applause.
"Oh my God! What a surprise!"
"So the other couple is the one getting engaged first!"
"We hit the jackpot coming here tonight! This is incredible!"
"That gentleman is so bold! Just say yes already!"
Wave after wave of voices crashed over her.
The entire restaurant seemed to descend into chaos.
Samantha’s expression froze.
The confidence and pride she had worn moments ago shattered completely.
Everything she had carefully planned—the proposal, the attention, the spotlight—had unraveled the instant Trevor stepped in.
In the blink of an eye, she had gone from being the center of attention to a supporting character.
Her proposal had been interrupted.
The ring intended for her had been taken away.
The entire evening had become a disaster.
She bit down hard on her lip.
While she was furious that Rose had stolen the spotlight, what shocked her even more was Trevor’s relationship with Rose.
Close enough to consider marriage?
How had Rose become involved with a man of Trevor Robinson’s stature?
For a split second, Samantha’s heart skipped a beat.
Instinctively, she glanced at Ryan.
Across from her, Ryan remained leaning comfortably against his chair.
The hand holding his wineglass had stopped its slow rotation.
His dark eyes were fixed on Rose.
There was no anger.
No loss of composure.
No sign that he intended to intervene.
Only a calmness so profound that it was impossible to read.
Samantha couldn’t decipher his thoughts at all.
She was just beginning to relax.
Then the crowd’s cheers drowned out everything else.
Most of the guests had completely lost interest in her.
No one was urging her to propose anymore.
Everyone’s attention had shifted to Trevor’s straightforward and unexpected proposal.
Trevor, meanwhile, appeared entirely unconcerned about becoming the center of discussion.
Still holding the diamond ring, he spoke calmly.
"You don’t need to feel any pressure."
His voice was steady and reassuring.
"Take your time and think it through. This is an important life decision, and you deserve the chance to make it with a clear mind."
After a brief pause, he continued, "Of course, you have every right to refuse me. You don’t need to be influenced by anyone else’s expectations."
Rose’s mind was spinning.
But she understood exactly what Trevor meant.
He was telling her she didn’t need to accept his proposal to save him from embarrassment.
She could say no.
The choice was entirely hers.
"Mr. Robinson..."
Her lips trembled slightly.
She truly couldn’t process what was happening.
Only moments earlier, she had been the humiliated party, forced to watch another woman flaunt her victory in front of her.
Yet now, in the blink of an eye, she had become the one standing at the center of everyone’s attention.
The reversal was almost surreal.
In her daze, Rose suddenly felt a deep, piercing gaze.
She looked up.
Across the restaurant, beyond the cheering crowd, Ryan sat quietly in his seat.
His posture remained relaxed yet dignified.


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