I was nervous and confused, but the moment I saw Owen's setup and heard his words, I was completely taken aback. I never expected him to propose to me, especially not in such a dramatic way. There he was, still on one knee, looking deeply into my eyes, waiting for my response. I could have teased him, but seeing how serious he was, I knew this was not the time for jokes.
"Owen, I love you with everything I have and I would love to build a future with you. It would be a blessing to be your wife," I said, my voice filled with emotion.
His face lit up with pure joy. He jumped up, lifted me off the ground like I was a prize he had just won, and kissed my cheeks repeatedly. He shouted with happiness, promising me the world, and while some of the things he said were a bit odd, I could tell he was speaking from the heart. He began calling me all sorts of pet names, and it felt so sweet to hear him express his love. I was certain that this was the right choice, and I would never regret saying yes.
The next morning, I wanted to show him how much I appreciated this moment, so I made him his favorite breakfast before heading off to work. However, things quickly became stressful when I arrived at the hospital. A scandal had erupted about a professor taking bribes before treating patients. The media was making a mess of things, and the president called me, urging me to take immediate action to protect the hospital's reputation.
I called for a board meeting and pushed for the professor's dismissal, even though many argued his contributions to the hospital were invaluable. I couldn't let this slide, it was too risky for the institution's credibility. I insisted we find a replacement, and eventually, the president agreed to follow my lead.
Exhausted, I returned home to Owen, who gave me a much-needed massage to relieve the stress. I went to bed feeling drained, but the next day, when I asked him how his job search was going, he told me he had gotten a call for an interview at a hospital. When I asked which one, he casually mentioned, "Lemont Hospital."
My heart skipped a beat. That was my hospital! I didn't want to ruin the surprise, so I wished him luck with his interview, not letting on how much this surprised me.
Later at the hospital, I requested the file of the doctor who would be replacing the professor, and to my shock, it was Owen. I knew I had to be there for the interview. This was going to be a moment I could not miss, and I was curious to see how he would handle this.
When I joined the interview panel, Owen walked in and immediately froze when he saw me sitting there. His eyes widened in disbelief, and he blurted out, "BABE!"
"Mr. Owen, are you alright?" I said, trying to hide my amusement. "My name is Dr. Jasmine, and I'll be leading this interview. We're here to assess your qualifications, but you seem a bit nervous. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," he quickly replied, though I could tell he was rattled.
"Then let's begin. Why Lemont Hospital, and why do you think you deserve this position?"
The interview continued, but I could tell Owen was struggling to keep his composure. The questions were challenging, and I noticed his usual confidence wavering under the pressure. It was strange, but part of me was enjoying the playful role reversal, even if it made him uncomfortable.
When I got home later that day, Owen was clearly upset. He didn't greet me at the door, and his silence was enough to let me know he wasn't happy with how things had gone. I couldn't help but laugh at the situation, it was funny to see him so rattled.
"Jasmine, so you knew I was coming to your hospital for the interview, and you didn't tell me?" he asked, a frown on his face.
"Sweetheart, if I had told you, you wouldn't have come, and I need you to take this seriously for our future," I replied, trying to explain.
"You pretended not to know me during the interview, asking me those hard questions. It felt like you were trying to make things difficult for me," he said, still frustrated.
"Come on, I had to be professional," I said, rolling my eyes. "It's part of my job to do what's best for the hospital."
"And yet, you were the one sitting there during my interview, making it more complicated. You could have made it easier for me, but instead, you just made things harder."
"I was just teasing you," I said, trying to lighten the mood.
"I knew you'd be like this, which is why I didn't want to work under you in the first place," he grumbled.
"Don't say that, Owen," I said softly, "I would never treat you like you're inferior because of my position."
But no matter what I said, he wasn't calming down. I tried to kiss him, hoping to seduce the anger out of him, but he pushed me away. "I want to stay professional, Jasmine," he said, clearly using my own words against me. It was frustrating, but I knew I had to give him space.
The next morning, a delicious aroma woke me from my sleep. I followed the scent to find Owen had made me breakfast. He was standing there with a smirk on his face. "I'm doing this for the baby, not you," he teased. "You would have gone hungry if you weren't pregnant."
"Thanks, sir," I said, laughing. "Our baby thanks you."
Later, we headed to the hospital for a prenatal test, and the gender debate would finally come to an end. As we walked out, Owen was practically bouncing with excitement, laughing as if he had won the World Cup. He was so happy when the results showed we were having a boy.
We then went to his parents' house for the first time. When we arrived, his dad greeted us warmly.
"Son, how are you doing? And who is this beautiful angel beside you?" he asked, his eyes twinkling.
"Which angel, Dad? This is not Adele," Owen teased.
"Owen, why are you ruining the moment?" I joked. "Your dad just called me an angel, so are you calling him blind?"
"She's my fiancé," Owen said, looking awkward. "Mom's away, so we'll visit her another time."
But his dad was insistent. "Your mom's back from her trip, so come say hello before you leave."
Owen's face went pale, and he nervously tugged at my skirt. "Maybe we should visit her another day," he suggested, biting his lip.
As his mom approached, Owen looked like he was about to faint. "Mom, this is Jasmine, my fiancé," he said, his voice wavering.
His mom smiled, her eyes softening. "I've been talking to Adele's family to set a wedding date, and it will be ready very soon."
"Wedding date?" Owen's voice cracked, and I could see his discomfort.
"Babe, what is happening?"