CHAPTER 10: IN THE EYES OF FOREVER
December 1999 – The Proposal That Stopped Time
They had been together for three years. Three golden, whirlwind years of films, fame, and the quiet, hidden moments in between. Bella and Enzo had grown up together—not just as artists, but as people. They had seen each other through exhaustion, joy, triumph, and tears. They had built something strong in the chaos of an industry that could crumble hearts in an instant.
And through it all, they never stopped choosing each other.
Enzo had known for some time now. The feeling wasn't sudden—it had grown slowly, like sunrise through a drawn curtain.
He wanted to marry her.
But before he knelt, before he whispered forever, he had one thing left to do.
Flashback: Asking for Her Hand
Two Weeks Before New Year's Eve – The Santiago Ancestral Home, San Juan
It was a Sunday afternoon when Enzo stood at the old iron gate of Bella's family home, sweating through the collar of his button-down shirt and clutching a small box—not the ring, but a traditional gift for the parents: a bottle of Don Papa rum, two bundles of lanzones, and a handwritten letter.
Bella's father, Vicente Santiago, opened the door himself. Though older and often seen in linen barongs at film premieres, today he wore slippers and a faded polo shirt. He raised one brow.
"Enzo Rivera," he said. "Did Bella forget to tell us you were coming?"
"No po," Enzo said, swallowing the lump in his throat. "She doesn't know."
Vicente tilted his head.
"I was hoping to speak with you and Mrs. Santiago... alone."
Within minutes, they were seated at the long narra dining table. Elena Santiago, elegant as ever, poured him water and sat beside her husband, her posture poised.
Enzo took a breath.
"I love your daughter. Not just because she's beautiful or brilliant, though she is both," he began, voice steady. "But because she makes the world better. And she's made me better."
Elena's expression softened.
"I want to ask your blessing to propose to her. Not because I'm in a rush, but because I know it in my soul—I want to build a life with her."
Vicente didn't speak for a long moment. He tapped his fingers against the wood.
"Do you understand what it means to marry into a family like ours?" he asked. "The press. The pressure. Her name carries weight—and so will yours, once you carry it together."
"I do, sir," Enzo said. "And I'm not marrying her name. I'm marrying her heart."
There was a pause.
Then Vicente exhaled, turned to Elena, who nodded.
"You have our blessing," Vicente said. "But remember: love is a choice. Make it every day."
Enzo smiled, relief blooming in his chest. "I will, sir. Every day."
Back to the Present – The Proposal
December 31st, 1999 – Quezon City, just before midnight
Bella leaned against the railing, the skyline spread before her like a painting. Manila pulsed with anticipation. Laughter floated from the rooftop, glasses clinked, and across the city, fireworks waited to be set alight.
Enzo watched her from a few steps away.
She was glowing—not from the spotlight, but from something quieter. Joy. Peace. That rare kind of beauty that lives in the unguarded spaces of people who are deeply loved.
He held the ring box in his pocket, but his heart was louder than anything else.
Ten…
Nine…
He crossed the rooftop.
Eight…
Seven…
He took her hand. She turned, surprised.
Six…
Five…
He dropped to one knee.
Four…
Three…
Her breath caught. The world fell away.
Two…
One—
The sky exploded.
"Bella Santiago," Enzo said, his voice steady in the thunder of celebration, "for three years, I've lived my best life with you. On screen. Off screen. Every day. I want that for the rest of my life."
The ring—a simple, timeless diamond set in gold—glinted under the fireworks.
"I want to make ordinary days feel magical with you. I want to be the one you come home to. The one who kisses your forehead every night and your hand every morning."
Bella's eyes filled with tears.
"I want you. Just you. For every chapter from now on."
He opened the box.
"Will you marry me?"
She knelt with him, tears slipping freely now. Her fingers trembled as she reached for his.
"Yes," she whispered, voice breaking. "Yes. Yes."
He slid the ring onto her finger, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him as cheers broke out from all sides.
Behind them, the city lit up in celebration.
And though thousands were watching, for that one moment—it was only the two of them, hearts pounding, tears falling, caught in a love that didn't need scripts or retakes.
It was real.
It was forever.