Adele was looking over at the city under feet as she was standing at the balcony of the Cafe of the Hotel on the top floor that was exclusively booked by Francesco for both of them. After the dance had finished and guests were mingling, Francesco had brought her upstairs and had asked her to wait. Adele was left there alone with the guards posted outside. Adele had no idea where Francesco was and he was doing. She wasn't even sure why she was there. Here she was standing at the balcony looking at the beautiful view of the city. It hadn't been hardly 5 minutes that Francesco had left her waiting but it seemed like much longer to Adele as she was worried why she was there.

But then Adele found herself fascinated with seeing a show of lights on the Empire State Building. From where she was standing she could see shapes of hearts, flowers, butterflies in form of lights reflected on the building making it a beautiful sight. She then gasped " This is so lovely...." and she smiled as she saw the light show finished by one message written that was frozen on the building. Now she knew it was from Francesco. There was a shape of a heart with an arrow going through it shown in red light. White lights also lit up a message " I love you Adele, my first love, my angel. You are the love of my life and always will be."

Adele couldn't help but admire Francesco's lovely surprise and his message. She whispered " I love you too. I always did. I always will." Then she trembled as she suddenly heard his voice behind him " Adele ..... You do? You really do". He sounded astonished and also happy.

Adele quickly turned around "Francesco ..... You scared me. You are back. How do you walk so quietly that I don't notice you getting ..... close ... to me....." Adele stopped talking as the look in Francesco's eyes made her silent. Francesco looked so ..... different. He was looking at her in a way she had never seen. He looked emotional, happy and ..... innocent. She just wanted to stare into his eyes and hold onto that picture in her mind. She wasn't sure how the change had happened? Did it have anything to do with her telling him she loved him.

Francesco was slowly walking towards Adele while whispering " " So I wasn't dreaming that you said it to me when we were dancing. You love me..... just like how I love you..... This is the best day of my life". He was now standing in front of Adele. He slowly reached for her hand while looking at her intently. He took her hand in his and lifted it up to her lips. He planted a kiss on her hand and whispered " What would I have done if I hadn't met you?"

Adele was finding it hard to form sentences under his intense gaze. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath and whispered as she opened her eyes again "You would have found another girl and would have loved her like how you love me. I am sure of it."

Francesco flinched as he slowly brought down Adele's hand to his side but didn't let go still. He spoke softly "Sweetheart... You are wrong. If I hadn't met you, I would have become what i despised all my life. If I hadn't met you, I would have become what my father wanted me to become. I would have become a man who never knew what loving someone really meant. I would have died not knowing what it meant to hold someone in my arms who made me feel like no one else could. I would have died not knowing what it meant when a woman looked at me in away she didn't look at others and looked at me like no one else could. That's you Adele. When i hold you in my arms, I don't ever want to let you go because I know that holding no one else can make me feel like when I hold you. When I hear your breathing at night as I lie next to you in bed, I feel like nothing matters in the morning when i wake up as long as you are still with me when i open my eyes. When you look at me.... I cant even describe it..... its hard to stop staring into those innocent pair of eyes I fell in love with the first time I glanced at you. These are the same pair of eyes I looked into when I was hardly 15 and I felt so much love instantly. When I saw your eyes for the first time, my heart was about to burst." He then leaned closer and rested his chin on Adele's head and inhaled her scent as she leaned closer to him and rested her head on his shoulders.

Adele whispered "Thank you Francesco. I don't know if I deserve all these compliments you say about me. I am no one special. I am sure someone else could make you happy too."

Francesco pulled away and sighed "You don't realise it yourself sweetheart but you are special. No one else did what you did for me back then. When I met you and you agreed to go out with me and be my girl,.... my broken heart from my home life suddenly started healing. You helped me in forgetting my pain of missing my mother in my life when you agreed to be close to me. We weren't together for so long. It was only a month but that was enough to give me the most beautiful memories to be forever recorded in my messed up mind. You gifted me with the most beautiful memories that kept me going. That was all I needed to feel normal. When I was unloved by those around me, I thought of you and that instantly restored my faith that there is something better out there. There is love in the outside world. Something that my father didn't realise back then ...... but has now. His close brush with the assassins and his near death experience has changed him slightly. I forgot to mention. My uncle messaged me about it today that my father is now full of regret. He knows he shouldn't have let my mother go. But its too late. He ruined my life and Costanzo's life by breaking our family to pieces. He shattered our lives and destroyed our childhood. I have hardly any good childhood memories now. No thanks to him. I have nothing to tell our children that would bring smile them. But ...... I have you. My life started when I met you. When I say, you are my world. I meant it. So see Adele.... I needed you. I need you now. If I hadn't met you, I would have become my father. I wouldn't have known what love was even if it was right in front of me. I would have reached my 50s knowing I let love slip away. I would have been full of regret, hate and resentment for the whole world just like how my father has reached this point. He regrets hurting my mother and letting her go. That's what my uncle claims any ways. Now after all these years he is expressing remorse. Now that he has messed up my life and Costanzo's life by depriving us of our mothers presence when we needed her in our lives, he has reached this conclusion. Now he knows what he lost....."

Adele couldn't believe what she was hearing "I am so sorry .... Francesco... I had no idea that your father now is confessing to his mistakes or rather starting to... You must feel awful knowing its too late for him to change your life..."

Francesco shook his head giving Adele a weak smile "I would have felt worse, if I didn't have you. My father took so much from me. He took away my childhood. He took away my mother. He hurt me and my brother but ..... he couldn't take your love from me. That love kept me strong. I got through these past ten years with your love in my heart. I knew my father couldn't take it away. But i never confessed to him how much I loved you and tried not to mention you much so he didn't come after your family. I knew he was capable of it. All those years I was working under my father's 24 hour watch, I had many dark moments ..... but you lit them up. Your memory was there for me to brighten up my days. When I was scared or sad I always thought of you and it made me feel better. I love you so much." He then leaned close and planted a kiss on Adele's cheek and then pulled away. His eyes looked too emotional. There was love in his eyes but there was pain too. He whispered "Dance with me, like how we did downstairs. We don't need music" He then rested his hands on Adele's hips.

Adele nodded and wrapped her hands around his neck and they moved together in rhythm just like their first dance. Adele wasn't good at dancing but she has this particular dance memorised. She whispered "What else was on your mind when we were apart? Tell me more.... if you want to." She was curious. She wanted from Francesco to let it all out. There was more and she wanted to break the ice on the surface. She couldn't believe how suddenly easy it had become to talk to Francesco so honestly. She felt so .... free for some reason. Maybe her ice had broken. She had admitted to something she never knew she could. Now that she had finally confessed to herself and to Francesco that she loved him, her view of her life had changed. She knew she had been in denial for so long trying to forget her love for Francesco. He had left her all alone. She had no hope of seeing him. To fill the void in her life she had become keen to find a boyfriend and forget the pain of not seeing Francesco.. For years she had tried to not think of him. And now finally she was admitting that she did love Francesco back and dating Michael was an excuse for not thinking about Francesco.

Francesco paused and took a deep breath " What else was on my mind? Well .... Your memories kept me going and I looked forward to seeing you again hoping that the day I take over from my father came sooner. He controlled almost everything in my life back then. I knew he couldn't take my love for you no matter how many years went by that I wasn't allowed to contact you but ..... I wasn't sure about how this could affect your feelings for me. What I was afraid of the most all those years was that .... you could forget me. It was the only thought that haunted me the most. I didn't want my father to win. I didn't want him to take you away. Then I waited. I became a leader and took over from my father. I wanted to bring you to me immediately but I couldn't. I had to make sure my American enemies were eliminated at least. When I was busy doing that, I heard you had lost patience and had started dating O'Conor after years of being single. I couldn't believe it. But then Costanzo convinced me that I should let you meet other humans too beside your brother. It took me a while to be convinced. He had a point, i should have left you be and I did. It gave me the chance to test to see if you were going to take your relationship further with him and you didn't. So there was no harm done. I wanted O'Connor dead. I still want him dead.... but you have convinced me that you never loved him and he was just a friend of yours. I believe you sweetheart. For now. Unless you go to him and choose him. I would kill him without a second thought if you choose him over me in any situation. Not only O'Connor, If you love any other man and you betray me, they are dead in the most painful way."

Adele gasped "Francesco why do you talk about these issues. I thought we had put it behind us. I was distracting myself from you by going out with him. I missed you and I didn't even know you were coming back for me... So I met other people... I am sorry...."

Francesco spoke quickly and smiled weakly " Never say sorry sweetheart when you are not to blame. I am not trying to make you feel guilty or threaten you sweetheart. He was a distraction. I accept that. But I am a jealous man. I am very possessive of you. I cant lose you..... i just wanted to make some things clear and give you a heads up before we proceed ..."

Adele spoke "Before we proceed with what..... "

Francesco took a deep breath "Look behind you sweetheart."

Adele wasn't sure what he meant. They had been dancing slowly for a while and Adele's face was mainly towards the room and behind her was the balcony railing and the city. She didn't think much of it and turned around and she saw it. A new message written in light reflections on the empire state building that had appeared ever since the previous heart and arrow image. It was one sentence "Adele. Will you marry me?" She then felt Francesco let go of her hips. she turned around and saw him kneeling on one knee on the floor with a velvet box in his hand.

Adele knew it was coming but not tonight. Not near midnight. She whispered "Francesco .... I..." She then gasped as he opened the velvet box and she saw the ring. It was a beautiful diamond ring.

Francesco spoke as he sounded so gentle and sincere "Adele .... Will you marry me? ... If you say yes, I would become the happiest I have ever been. I will promise to make you happy. I promise to never hurt you. I promise to take care of you with everything I have. I promise to love you and honour you. But if you say no ...... I will continue waiting.... I will wait for you to love me enough to want to marry me. But ... I cant promise that i would wait long. I have to have you Adele. My heart only beats for you. If you say no, I would spend every ounce of my power to make you care for me enough to pick me as your husband and your partner in life. i would make you want me ..... Say something sweetheart please..."

Adele was getting so emotional. She was almost becoming tearful now as she was hearing Francesco's words. She whispered "Francesco.... I love you....." She then paused and swallowed hard.

Francesco spoke "Adele will you .... will you marry me? You are killing me. Just tell me an answer. Any answer you want. Just tell me Yes or no........" Francesco stopped and froze as he saw at that moment that tears were escaping from Adele's eyes. He spoke concerned "But darling why are you crying...... I am so sorry if I made you cry......"

Adele wiped her tears as she recognised the concern in Francesco's voice. He never apologised ever.. to anyone. Only toward her, he ever sounded apologetic about anything. It reminded Adele that Francesco cared for her even though, he was still the same blackmailing, ruthless criminal. She vowed to herself to change him in every way she could by any means possible. She was determined to make Francesco feel more love in his heart. She smiled and looked into Francesco's eyes "Francesco .... I will marry you."

Francesco then let out a breathe he was holding and smiled brightly as he confessed "You will..... Thank you....I almost thought you would say no. Adele... I don't remember ever feeling this nervous in my life." He then took the ring out of the velvet box and gently put the ring around Adele's finger. Adele could feel Francesco's hand trembling. It actually seemed like Francesco was telling the truth and he had been nervous. His fingers were shaking and his hands were cold.

Francesco stood up and looked into Adele's eyes "Do you have any idea what you make me feel? You have no idea. My angel. I love you so much."

It was Adele who took the next step and wrapped her arms around his shoulders and leaned close as she whispered "I love you too."

Francesco's heart was beating so fast now. Adele could feel his fast heart beats against his chest as she was leaning close to him. Adele's heart was racing too. There was just silence and the sound of their heartbeats was all they could hear. They were now lovingly and silently staring into each others eyes.

Francesco couldn't believe it. Adele had finally said yes to him. He broke the silence as he whispered " What would I have done without you sweetheart." He then gently wrapped his arms around her waist and they kissed passionately.