Chapter 380: With Two Different people

Rebecca’s POV

I blinked. "One more thing? Melvin, if you tell me you’ve bought me another palace, I swear..."

He burst into laughter. "No, no. Nothing like that."

"Good, because I already have enough trouble finding my way around this one."

He chuckled before taking my hand. "Actually, this is something I’ve wanted to give you for a very long time."

Something about the way he said those words made me pause. His expression had changed. The playful smile was still there, but there was something else in his eyes that I couldn’t quite understand.

Was he nervous?

Melvin was nervous?

Before I could ask what was wrong, he gently guided me toward the center of the hall. The music slowly faded, and the conversations around us stopped. I looked around in confusion before turning back toward him.

"Melvin?"

He turned to face me and took both my hands. "Rebecca," he began, his voice carrying through the quiet hall, "eight months ago, you gave me something I’d been hoping for for a very long time. A chance."

My heart began beating faster as I listened.

"You agreed to go on a date with me," he continued with a smile. "And I remember being so nervous that I nearly ruined the entire evening."

A few guests laughed, and I couldn’t help smiling at the memory.

"You did ruin the chicken," I reminded him.

The hall erupted into laughter, and Melvin grinned. "Yes, well, I was hoping you wouldn’t mention that in front of everyone."

I laughed, shaking my head, and he waited for the laughter to die down before continuing.

"But somehow, despite my terrible cooking, you agreed to see me again. And then again. And before I knew it, those dates became the best part of my life."

My smile slowly faded as I listened, noticing how serious he’d become.

"I’ve spent years ruling a kingdom, making decisions, and carrying responsibilities that sometimes feel overwhelming. But these past eight months have taught me something. No matter how wonderful my life might appear to everyone else, it’s even better when I have someone I love to share it with."

Tears began gathering in my eyes. "Melvin..."

He smiled gently and squeezed my hands. "Rebecca, you make me happy. You make me laugh, you challenge me, and you somehow manage to make even the most ordinary days feel special. And I know we’ve only been officially together for eight months, but I’ve loved you for much longer than that."

My chest tightened at his words. I could feel everyone’s attention on us, but at that moment, I barely noticed them. All I could see was Melvin and the sincerity in his expression.

"Today is your birthday," he continued, "and I wanted to give you something special. But the truth is, there’s only one thing I want more than anything else."

He released one of my hands and reached into his pocket.

My breath caught as I watched him.

No. Surely not.

Melvin smiled nervously before slowly lowering himself onto one knee, and a collective gasp swept through the hall. I immediately covered my mouth, my eyes widening as he brought out a small velvet box and opened it.

Oh, Goddess!

Inside was the most beautiful diamond ring I’d ever seen.

"Melvin..." I whispered, barely able to believe what was happening.

He looked up at me, smiling. "Rebecca, I don’t know what the future holds, and I can’t promise that every day will be perfect. But I can promise that I’ll love you, respect you, and stand beside you through whatever life brings our way."

Tears slipped down my cheeks as he continued.

"I want to wake up beside you every morning. I want to celebrate every birthday with you, argue with you over ridiculous things, and grow old with you." He took a deep breath, his smile becoming even more nervous. "Rebecca, will you marry me?"

For several seconds, I couldn’t move. I simply stared at him, trying to process the fact that Melvin was kneeling in front of me, asking me to become his wife.

I couldn’t believe this was happening. After everything I’d been through, I’d never imagined that I would find myself standing before another man, ready to promise him forever. Yet, as I looked into Melvin’s eyes, I realized that I wasn’t afraid of taking that step anymore.

I looked around briefly and saw my mother already crying. Stephanie had both hands pressed against her mouth, her eyes wide with excitement, while my father stood beside my mother, smiling proudly.

Then I looked back at Melvin.

He was still waiting for my answer, and for the first time in my life, the thought of marrying someone didn’t frighten me. Instead, it made me smile.

"Yes," I whispered.

Melvin blinked. "What?"

I laughed through my tears. "Yes, Melvin! I’ll marry you!"

The entire hall erupted into cheers. Melvin let out a relieved laugh before carefully slipping the ring onto my finger. Then he stood, and I immediately threw my arms around his neck.

He caught me, laughing as he lifted me off the ground.

"She said yes!" he shouted, making everyone cheer even louder.

I laughed as he spun me around before finally setting me back on my feet. "Melvin!" I exclaimed, holding onto his shoulders.

He cupped my face, his sea-blue eyes shining with happiness. "You have no idea how happy you’ve just made me."

I smiled through my tears. "I think I have a pretty good idea."

He laughed before leaning down and kissing me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back, completely forgetting about the hundreds of people watching us.

When we finally pulled apart, he rested his forehead against mine.

"My fiancée," he whispered, smiling as though he couldn’t quite believe it.

I laughed softly. "My fiancé."

He kissed my forehead. "I love you, Rebecca."

"I love you too, Melvin."

He pulled me into another hug, and I closed my eyes, holding him tightly. Eight months ago, I’d agreed to give him a chance without knowing where things would lead. Now, standing in his arms with an engagement ring on my finger, I knew exactly what I wanted.

Whoever said that your fated mate was the only person capable of loving you, or the only person you could ever truly love, was wrong.

For a long time, I’d believed that once a mate bond was broken, the love that came with it could never be replaced. I’d thought that no matter how hard I tried, a part of my heart would always remain empty.

But Melvin had proven me wrong.

He wasn’t my fated mate. There was no magical bond tying us together, no Moon Goddess whispering that we belonged to each other. Yet, somehow, he’d managed to make me fall in love with him.

And perhaps that was what made our love even more special.

We weren’t together because fate had chosen us. We were together because we’d chosen each other.

And if there was one thing I’d learned from everything I’d been through, it was that being someone’s fated mate didn’t automatically mean they would love you the way you deserved.

Sometimes, the person who was truly meant for you wasn’t the one fate had chosen.

Sometimes, it was the one who chose you, even when they didn’t have to.

When I finally pulled back, I looked down at the beautiful ring on my finger, still struggling to believe what had just happened. I was engaged to Melvin, the Southern Dragon King. If someone had told me a year ago that this would be how my life turned out, I never would have believed them.

But here I was, surrounded by people who loved me, standing beside a man who had given me every reason to believe in happiness again.

And for the first time in a very long while, I was genuinely looking forward to everything the future had in store for me.

Just then, Stephanie approached us with a wide smile, followed by my mother and father. They congratulated us again, and for the next several minutes, I was surrounded by hugs, laughter, and excited discussions about the wedding.

My mother was already talking about wedding gowns, while Stephanie insisted that she would personally supervise every detail of the ceremony. Melvin seemed delighted by their enthusiasm, although I had to remind everyone that we’d only been engaged for a few minutes.

Eventually, Stephanie pulled me aside, still admiring my ring.

"I can’t believe you’re getting married!" she exclaimed.

I laughed. "Neither can I."

She smiled warmly before suddenly glancing toward the entrance. Her expression changed slightly, and I followed her gaze.

A palace attendant was approaching us with a sealed envelope.

"Lady Rebecca," he said with a respectful bow. "A message has just arrived for you."

I frowned. "For me?"

"Yes, my lady."

I accepted the envelope, noticing the familiar royal seal pressed into the wax.

The Lycan Kingdom.

My curiosity grew as I opened it and unfolded the letter inside.

It was a formal invitation.

I read the first few lines, and my smile slowly disappeared.

His Majesty King Adrian and Her Majesty Queen Eleanor cordially invite you to celebrate the engagement of their beloved daughter, Princess Rola...

I paused, my eyes moving toward the name printed beneath hers.

...to His Majesty, Alpha King Kaden.

For a moment, I simply stared at the invitation.

Kaden and Rola were getting engaged.

I’d heard through online gossip that they had gotten back together months ago, and I was genuinely glad they’d found their way back to each other. Still, seeing his name on an engagement invitation felt strange.

"Rebecca?" Stephanie asked. "What is it?"

I looked up at her before handing her the invitation.

She read it, and her eyes widened.

"Oh."

I gave her a small smile. "Well, it looks like I’m not the only one getting married."

Stephanie studied my face. "Are you alright?"

"Of course." I glanced toward Melvin, who was laughing with my father across the hall. "I’m happy for them."

And I meant it.

Whatever Kaden and I had once shared belonged to the past, and I sincerely hoped he would find the same happiness I’d found with Melvin.

I looked down at my engagement ring, smiling as I gently brushed my thumb over the diamond.

Kaden was going to marry Rola, and I was going to marry Melvin. After everything we’d been through, we were finally getting the happy endings we deserved.

With two different people.

At least, that was what I believed.