The front of the church was covered with flowers.
The last ray of the sunset was seen from distance.
Clarence released her hand and said slowly, “You have said that you will get the marriage certificate
with me. Is the promise still valid?”
Stella looked at him. After a while, she realized what he wanted to do.
She had expected Clarence to make a proposal but she did not expect him to arrange such a romantic
proposal.
Stella did not know why her throat was choked and she felt a sense of sourness from her nose, “You
rejected me last time.”
“So, I am here to make it up,” Clarence said and got down on his one knee. He took out a ring from his
pocket, “Give me one more chance, would you?”
Stella’s eyes were reddened. She nodded slightly, “Yes.”
When Stella was in Riverside City, she had forgiven all the past and gotten over them.
It seemed to be a mistake for her to meet Clarence from the beginning.
She had tried to use her strength and bravery to remedy the mistake.
She thought that their relationship would end on the day they got divorced.
However, the divorce was just a beginning.
She did not know Clarence clearly in the past. However, after one year, she could clearly know that
Clarence was not that complicated. He was just a determined man who held firmly on to his principle
and belief.
The outsiders and the Conrad family always judged Clarence with their bias, that was why they would
think that it was hard to deal with him and that he was so frightening.
Although he lived in such a tricky environment, the innermost part of him was still clean and soft.
It was a place that no one could reach.
However, she reached there now.
Clarence put the ring on her finger and stood up. He hugged her in his arms and smiled, “Can I call you
Mrs. Conrad now?”
Stella sniffed, “Nope, wait until we get the marriage certificate.”
“Ok, it's up to you.”
Stella murmured softly in his arms, “Is that why you brought me here?”
Clarence released her slowly, “Not really.”
After saying that, he stood aside and Stella could see a wider view.
Clarence talked with a coarse voice, “This is what I want to give you.”
The sky was full of twinkling stars.
One by one, they were bright and twinkling. It seemed like they could touch the stars once they raised
their hands.
Stella looked up at the surrounding. Little stars were twinkling in her pretty eyes.
Clarence’s voice rang, “This place is one of the 'Dark-sky Preserves' in the world.”
Stella raised her hand subconsciously. She had never seen such a splendor before.
Every star looked so near to her and they occupied the entire night sky.
Clarence raised his hand in front of her, “Let me show you a magic.”
Stella thought that he made a proposal just now. Struggling in her heart for a while, she turned to stare
at him, stunned, “You know magic as well?”
Clarence raised his brow and asked her, “Which star do you like? I will pick for you.”
Stella pointed at the brightest star, “That one.”
Clarence closed his hand which were put in front of her and shook it slightly. The next second, a
necklace with a star dangled in front of her from his hand.
Stella was dumbfounded. She remembered that he did not hold anything in his hand just now.
Clarence withdrew his hand and helped her to put it on, “You can continue to fix your adoring gaze on
me.”
Stella was speechless.
She lowered her head and looked at the shining necklace, “When did you buy it?”
“When I decided to bring you here.”
“Are you so confident that I will accept your proposal?”
Clarence sat on the floor and pulled her to his side, “I am not sure whether you will accept my proposal
but I am sure you'll like this place.”
At least the necklace could be gifted to her even though the ring was not.
It would still be a trip of its worth.
Stella nodded and looked at the starry sky, “You’re right.”
After a while, Stella seemed to have recalled something and asked, “You mentioned that when you had
a business trip in Auckland, you heard about a place. Is this the place?”
“Yes. After the business is dealt with, I came here.”
Stella was curious, “Why? You don’t seem to be a person who likes stars.”
Clarence looked at her and said unhurriedly, “I like the interstellar space.”
Stella’s face was flushed when she met Clarence’s dark and quiet eyes. She realized the meaning of
his words and she dodged her sight from him. She looked at another place unnaturally and coughed, “I
mean I didn't expect that you are an astrophile.”
Clarence said, “You think too much. I am not an astrophile.”
After a while, he said, “I only like stars, especially the one in front of me.”
Stella got used to his sudden sweet talk but still this was too much for her to handle. She said with a
flushed face, “Shush…”
Before she could finish her words, he held her chin and kissed her.
Stella’s mouth was blocked. She responded to his kiss and closed her eyes slowly.
The starry sky was their backdrop.
After kissing, Stella leaned against his chest, “You came here three years ago?”
Clarence held her hand and lowered his head to look at the ring on her finger. He was satisfied with it
and nodded.
Stella said, “Didn't you hate me at that time? Why did you come here?”
Clarence let out a small gasp.
He said, “Do you want to rake up the past at this moment?”
Stella corrected him, “This is not raking up the past. I am just curious why you came here since you
hated me back then.”
Clarence hesitated and said, “I didn't hate you.”
Stella knew that what he said was true. Or else, he would not bring some souvenirs for her every time
he came back from a business trip during those years.
Clarence just did not know how to express himself at that time. Furthermore, he was under the
impression that she pretended to be pregnant and forced him to marry her. He thought that she was the
kind of woman who would use all means to get what she wanted.
Stella had introspected about the matter. She did made some mistakes as well.
It was good if she could explain to him clearly in the beginning.
But it was no point to regret it.
However, at first, she did not know how complicated was the situation of the Conrad family. Whether
she was pregnant or not actually didn't even matter. Dempsey just needed a person who could control
Clarence. She also didn't know the reason why Clarence suspected that she was not pregnant was
because Joanna had dealt with the people who knew the truth.
All the stuff accumulated and caused them to have an unfortunate marriage for three years.
Clarence continued, “When I came here for the first time, I decided that I must bring you here once in
my lifetime.”
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