THE PROPOSAL

Isis walked back into the restaurant, her heart beating in her chest and her hands trembling slightly. She regretted ever stepping outside. Her mind was racing with thoughts of the encounter with Ethan. How dare he! she thought angrily, replaying the words Ethan had said to her. Now, all she wanted was to leave. The proposal could wait — she was no longer in the mood.

As she stepped back inside, the warm lights and soft music of the restaurant felt distant and uninviting. Her eyes scanned the room, looking toward her table in search of Barry, But to her surprise, the chair he had been sitting in was empty. A wave of confusion washed over her.

"Where could he have gone?" she wondered, biting her lip nervously.

Slowly, she walked back to the table and sat down. Her mind was spinning, and she couldn't shake the uneasy feeling in her chest. She reached into her purse and pulled out her phone. Her fingers trembled slightly as she dialed Barry's number. The phone rang, and she listened anxiously. But he didn't pick up. She frowned, tapping her fingers on the table.

Maybe he went to the bathroom, she thought, trying to calm herself. She decided to wait a little while longer, hoping he would return soon. But as the minutes ticked by, the uneasy feeling only grew stronger.

Her gaze drifted toward the large windows of the restaurant. The city outside was bustling with life — cars speeding down the street, neon signs flashing, and people walking hurriedly along the sidewalks. But the lively scene did nothing to ease her mind.

She glanced at her watch, realizing that a lot of time had passed. Barry was still nowhere to be seen. Worry gnawed at her, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.

At that moment, a waiter approached her table. He was dressed neatly in a black shirt and matching black trousers. His uniform was spotless, and he carried a tray with practiced ease. He gave her a polite smile as he spoke.

"Ma'am, are you done with this?" he asked, gesturing toward the plates on the table.

Isis looked up at him, startled out of her thoughts. She nodded slowly. "Oh… I think I'm done."

The waiter smiled again and bent down to pick up the plates.

As he cleared the table, Isis hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Excuse me," she said softly. "Do you know where the man who was seated here went? I stepped outside for a minute, and now I can't seem to get a hold of him."

The waiter straightened up, balancing the plates on his tray. He thought for a moment before answering.

"Oh, I think he went to the bathroom," he said with a reassuring smile.

Isis nodded, offering him a small smile in return. "Okay, thank you."

He gave a slight bow before turning to leave. But despite his words, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Barry had been gone for too long.

Unable to sit still any longer, she stood up from the chair. She adjusted her dress and walked toward the restroom, her heels clicking softly against the floor. As she walked, she kept calling Barry's number, but the phone rang unanswered each time.

she walked slowly into the restroom, her heart beating with unease. She heard muffled voices, followed by soft chuckles. Her steps faltered. The voices were familiar — a man's deep tone mixed with a woman's gentle laughter. A cold feeling crept through her chest. She recognized them, but she desperately hoped she was wrong.

With trembling hands, she moved closer to the door, the sounds becoming clearer. Her breath caught as she gently pushed the door open. The sight before her made her freeze in shock. Barry, the man she loved and planned to propose to, stood in the small bathroom, holding Melisa. His lips, smudged with lipstick, confirmed what words couldn't.

Time seemed to stop as her gaze locked on them. A wave of pain shot through her, leaving her numb. The door creaked under her shaky hand, drawing their attention.

Barry spun around, panic flashing in his eyes. "I… I can explain," he stammered, wiping at the lipstick on his mouth with trembling fingers.

Isis felt hot tears roll down her cheeks. Her vision blurred, her chest tightened, and without a word, she turned and ran.

Meanwhile, Ethan was about to get into his car when he patted his trouser pockets and realized something was missing — his car keys. He sighed in frustration, running a hand through his hair. He must have left them inside the restaurant. Maybe I dropped them on the floor when I stood up, he thought, shaking his head at his carelessness.

Reluctantly, he turned around and made his way back toward the restaurant. As he walked inside, he headed straight to the table he had reserved for his date with Lucia. Fortunately, she was no longer there. He didn't want to run into her again — the evening had already been disastrous enough.

he bent down by the table and began searching frantically under the chairs and around the floor. His movements were quick and restless, his eyes scanning every corner for the missing keys.

"Excuse me, sir," a firm voice called out from behind him.

Ethan turned around to see a well-dressed man standing in front of him, he looked at the tag in his shirt and it read manager.

"Sir, this is a refined establishment, and we don't condone such behavior," the man said, his tone polite but authoritative.

Ethan straightened up with a sigh. "I lost my keys, and I think I dropped them here," he explained, trying to keep his frustration in check.

The man studied him for a moment before giving a small, understanding smile. "Come with me," he said.

Ethan, puzzled by the request, followed him through the restaurant. They walked toward a small door near the back, which led into a storage room filled with shelves and cleaning supplies. The air smelled faintly of disinfectant, and the dim lighting made the space feel cramped.

"Wait here," the man instructed before disappearing further into the room.

Ethan stood there, tapping his foot impatiently. The whole situation was getting more and more bizarre. A moment later, the man returned, holding a set of keys in his hand.

"These yours?" he asked, holding them out toward Ethan.

"Oh, thank you! This is it!" Ethan said, his voice filled with relief and gratitude as he took the keys from the man.

The man gave a small nod. "I saw you drop it the minute you stood up and left. I kept it safe, knowing you'd come back for it."

Ethan smiled warmly. "Thank you so much for this,"

"next time don't try to lose them"

"I will try" Ethan replied with a smile before turning around and left.

Just as he opened the door, Isis, who had hurried out from the bathroom, bumped into him hard. The impact sent her purse tumbling to the floor, its contents spilling out once again.

"You again?!" Ethan exclaimed in frustration, his voice echoing through the restaurant. Heads turned, and the quiet chatter from the diners halted as they all focused on the commotion near the door.

Isis looked up, her eyes glistening with tears. Her breathing was uneven, and her face betrayed a mix of anger, sadness, and confusion.

At that moment, Barry ran out of the bathroom, his face pale and frantic. "Isis, please! It's not what you think. I can explain!" he called out, desperation lacing his voice.

Isis slowly turned to face him, her gaze icy and filled with rage. She couldn't believe it — this was the man she had loved, the man she had planned to propose to tonight. The image of Barry in the arms of Melanie flashed vividly in her mind, and her heart twisted in pain. Tears slid down her cheeks as the betrayal hit her all over again.

Her mind raced. How could he? How could he do this to me? The thought of the ring she had bought, the romantic dinner, and her carefully planned proposal made her stomach churn with disgust. This was supposed to be the happiest night of her life. Now, it was ruined.

Barry stepped closer, his hands raised as if to plead with her. "Isis, please listen. It's not what it looked like!" he begged.

But she was done listening. Her heart hardened, and anger took over. She wanted to hurt him the way he had hurt her. She wanted him to feel the same pain and humiliation she was feeling.

Suddenly, her eyes fell on the ring case that had fallen to the floor when her purse tipped over. It lay there, open, the sparkling ring glinting under the restaurant lights.

An idea sparked in her mind. Her gaze shifted from the ring to Ethan, who was watching the scene unfold with a confused expression. A mischievous smile tugged at the corner of her lips. This is my perfect revenge. It was better she gave the ring to a total stranger than to Barry.

Without a second thought, she bent down on one knee and picked up the ring case. She opened it slowly, letting the light catch on the diamond. The entire restaurant watched in stunned silence.

she looked up at Ethan, her smile growing wider. His eyes widened in surprise, completely caught off guard.

"Wait… what are you doing?" Ethan asked, his voice cautious and unsure.

"Will you marry me?" Isis asked, her voice trembling slightly as she took the ring from the case and held it out to him.

Ethan stood frozen in place, unable to process what was happening. Was this woman in her right mind? One minute he had come back to get his keys, and the next, he was being proposed to by a complete stranger. His mind raced with confusion. Who even proposes to a man? he wondered, baffled by the scene unfolding in front of him.

He glanced around the restaurant. Every eye was on them, diners whispering and watching with wide-eyed curiosity. He could feel the weight of their stares, but when he turned back to Isis, he saw something in her expression that softened his initial shock. Her eyes were filled with tears, her gaze pleading with him. She looked desperate, as if this proposal wasn't just a stunt — it was a cry for help.

He didn't want to embarrass her. He didn't fully understand what was going on, but he sensed she needed someone to play along.

"Please?" Isis whispered again, her voice barely audible.

Before he could respond, Barry's angry voice broke through the tense silence. "Come on, Isis, you don't mean that!" he shouted, his tone frantic.

Ethan's gaze flicked to Barry, then back to Isis. He smiled softly, making his decision. "I will," he said, stretching out his hand.

Isis let out a shaky breath of relief as she slid the ring onto his finger. Her hands trembled, but a small, grateful smile appeared on her face.

The restaurant erupted into applause. Diners clapped and cheered, some even whistling.

Ethan gently took Isis's hand and helped her up from the floor. As they stood together, he leaned in close, his voice low and calm. "Now, let's get the hell out of here," he whispered with a grin.