Accidentally Proposed To The Mafia King

CHAPTER ONE

Bella's POV

I've always believed that the universe sends warnings before it breaks your heart. Little shivers, gut pinches, whispers that sound like, "Something is fucking wrong."

I have always believed that it did.

This morning, the universe did just that. Heck, it wasn't only whispering.

It was screaming at me.

I just didn't want to hear it.

"Bells, you sure you don't want me to drive you?" Ava asked from the doorway, her eyebrows raised in that way only best friends have mastered which was a combination of half concern and half judgment.

I tucked my lip gloss into my purse and forced a smile. "I'm fine. It's just a quick stop at Ethan's office. I want to surprise him before his presentation."

Ava rolled her eyes in response and folded her arms. " Oh please. Surprises are for people you trust. Last week, he canceled your date for the third time. The universe is talking to you, babe. You just don't want to hear it"

I waved her off like her words weren't scratching at something raw inside me. "He's just stressed, Ava. This pitch to Valor Tech is huge. He said they might promote him to VP if it goes well. He is not acting up. Don't make a big deal out of it please."

At my words, Ava's expression softened. "I am not trying to, Bells. You know that. I just... don't want you running after a man who's not running to you."

I laughed and I felt it was too light, too fake. "I'm not running anywhere. I'm just being a supportive girlfriend. That's all."

I then smiled brightly at her and made to leave. But when I hugged her goodbye and stepped into the elevator, that uneasy knot in my chest tugged a little tighter.

Still, I told myself what I always tell myself when I feel things I don't want to: Stop overthinking.

If only I knew I should have listened to the knots.

***

The city felt different that morning, I thought as I left my apartment building. It was as if it too was giving me a sign I could not help but to ignore.

I sighed deeply as I clutched the small velvet box in my bag, running my thumb over the outline of the ring through the fabric.

Ethan didn't know about it. He didn't know that I'd spent the last three months quietly saving, planning, praying...

He didn't know that today I was going to ask him to marry me.

I smiled, imagining the surprised look on his face, the way his serious expression would soften, the way he'd kiss me like the world finally made sense.

Because it did, when I was with him.

Or at least... it used to.

The cab ride down to Midtown felt endless, each red light dragging me deeper into my own head. At one point the driver glanced at me in the rearview mirror and then furrowed his brows