Page 58 of Modern Romance September 2026 Books 1-4

He came back, pulled the curtain over again. ‘Where were we?’

Hope shook her head. ‘I have no idea… Axel, are you really here?’

He nodded. ‘Yes. I’m here and I love you and I know it’s love because I can’t breathe or think without you. I’ve had a pain in my chest since you left. I need to know if you really love me too or if it was just…a passing thing, and now that you’re back in the real world maybe you’re happy that it’s all over.’

Hope shook her head. ‘Definitely not happy it’s over. And yes, I do really love you, Axel. More than anything.’

For a second nothing happened and then suddenly she was in Axel’s arms and their mouths were fused and a wild joy was moving through Hope with such force that she was trembling when they broke the kiss.

She asked, ‘You really love me?’ But she knew he did. She felt it.

He nodded. ‘Like Lucas loves Sasha.’

Hope’s eyes boggled. ‘You watched the finale of Love in Paradise?

He nodded. ‘Like a lovestruck fool. It was the only thing that made sense.’

Hope’s vision was becoming very blurry. Then Axel said, ‘Thank you for the painting. It’s beautiful.’

Hope blushed. ‘You’re welcome. You seemed to like it. Why don’t you have art like that in any of your places?’

He grimaced. ‘I have to explain something first. I told myself that I couldn’t have you in my life because I didn’t want to see your spirit crushed or your light dimmed. The thought of you becoming cold and brittle like my mother—’ He stopped and she felt him shudder slightly.

He went on, ‘But I know that could never happen to you because you’re simply too good. I’m the one who has let their light be dimmed and spirit be crushed. Ever since Ares was taken I’ve felt like I had to make it up to him, and my sisters, to forge a legacy on their behalf, and I did come to be proud of the success I’ve achieved, but you were right, it’s empty and meaningless without them.’

‘You’ve been in self-imposed prison,’ Hope said, her heart aching.

Axel grimaced. ‘A luxurious prison.’

Hope tugged at his hair. ‘That does not make it any better.’

‘That’s why my world has been so bland…muted. I couldn’t really express myself because I was punishing myself for failing my siblings.’

Hope shook her head. ‘That’s not on you, Axel. Your brother looked really happy, by the way—I watched the wedding.’ The royal wedding between Ares Drakos and Queen Cassandra of Sadat Sur Mer had taken place a few days ago, and he was now King Consort.

‘Did you contact him yet?’

Axel shook his head. ‘No, but I will. I want to. And my sisters. I want to restructure the company and bring them on board, if they’re willing. I told Baros I didn’t have any interest in expansion. Drakos Solutions is doing fine just as it is.’

Hope’s heart swelled and she just knew that it was going to work out. She wouldn’t be surprised if Baros ended up pursuing Axel to do business with him. ‘That’s a really good idea.’

‘But there’s something I need more than all of that because none of that is important without it…’

‘What?’

Axel let Hope go and got down on one knee, in the tiny space at the end of the plane. He took a box out of his pocket and opened it. Hope looked down to see a beautiful sapphire ring with smaller diamonds either side. Subtle, elegant. Perfect.

Axel seemed nervous. He held the ring up. ‘Hope Smith, will you marry me and be my wife and the mother of our children, who I know you will love in the way that children deserve to be loved and I promise that they won’t have to join the business, they’ll be free to live their own lives and do what they please, because the only legacy I want to create is one with you. Nothing else matters.’

Hope felt emotional. ‘You’re forgetting something.’

He went pale. ‘What?’

‘You’ll need to love them too.’

Now Axel looked emotional. ‘I really want to, but I’m afraid that I’ll do the same as my parents—’

Hope came down to Axel’s level and put a finger to his mouth. ‘You won’t,’ she assured him. ‘You love me, and so you will love whoever we create and you deserve to love and be loved unconditionally.’