From Broken to Beloved-Chapter 97- will you marry me?

After saying that, Marylin pushed Karl away gently.

"I need to do my makeup," she said. "Otherwise I’ll run out of time."

Karl didn’t argue. Smiling, he headed into the bathroom to freshen up.

For the evening banquet, Karl wore a pure black suit—understated and composed. The deep black contrasted sharply with Marylin’s simple white dress, yet the two somehow complemented each other perfectly, harmonious in a way that felt effortless.

They took a car from the hotel to the venue. Along the way, Karl discreetly secured the engagement ring he had prepared, waiting for the right moment during the banquet to propose.

Her friends had organized this gathering at just the right time. He planned to propose in front of them all—to give her a promise for a lifetime, to let her happiness be witnessed, and perhaps even carried back to the ears of that scumbag ex of hers. To let that man know that what he had discarded so casually was something someone else would treasure beyond measure.

Most of the guests were classmates Marylin had met during her postgraduate years, along with a few close friends and former colleagues she had once worked closely with. The majority were women. Of course, mixed in among them were one or two who clearly didn’t belong—people who weren’t particularly close to Marylin at all, and who had even harbored jealousy toward her beauty in the past.

They had come along simply to see how miserable Marylin’s life must be now. After all, she had resigned, left Manchester, been involved with a married man, and returned to Burg Eltz—a city far less promising than Manchester. Surely she must be living in decline now.

What they hadn’t expected was for Marylin to arrive hand in hand with a young man.

He was tall and handsome, carrying himself with an understated air of refinement. Most striking of all was the way he looked at Marylin—his gaze filled unmistakably with affection. Whether someone truly loves you or not is something you can always tell from their eyes.

Marylin introduced Karl to her friends, and soon everyone was chatting animatedly. Karl excused himself briefly—not to wander, but to speak with the restaurant staff, arranging the details of the proposal he was about to make.

Flowers were essential. Fortunately, the restaurant had its own live band, which Karl also arranged to have ready.

When he returned to the private room, he overheard someone speaking to Marylin in a distinctly sour tone.

"Marylin, your boyfriend is even a year younger than you. Not that I’m saying anything, but young men usually lack a sense of responsibility. You should be careful."

Marylin smiled calmly, took a sip of her wine, and replied,

"Not all young men lack responsibility, and not all older men have it. How good Karl is—I know that better than anyone."

Marylin had never been the type to let others push her around. And since the remark had clearly implied that Karl was unreliable, she defended him without hesitation.

Besides, she knew full well that she wasn’t particularly close to the woman who had spoken. The fact that she had shown up at this gathering of old friends made her intentions obvious. Seeing Marylin radiant and happy now must have been hard for them to swallow.

Why bother? Even if Marylin had once annoyed them simply by existing, she had already left the city. What was the point of clinging to resentment? As if her unhappiness would somehow improve their own lives.

One had to admit—there were always people in this world who couldn’t stand to see others doing well, and others who blamed their own dissatisfaction entirely on someone else.

Happiness was something one had to fight for and experience personally. Whether others were doing well or poorly should never be allowed to dictate one’s own sense of joy.

Left speechless by Marylin’s response, the woman retreated to the side, holding her glass in silence.

Karl had witnessed the exchange. He walked over casually and sat down beside Marylin, as if nothing had happened. It seemed he had chosen the perfect moment to propose. For those who secretly wished her unhappiness, a public proposal—and a warm invitation to the wedding—would be the most satisfying counterattack of all.

About half an hour later, the banquet was in full swing. Marylin and her close friends were already moving around with glasses in hand, drinking and laughing together.

Karl neither stopped Marylin from drinking nor stepped in to shield her from alcohol. It wasn’t a lack of courtesy—it was because he understood her well. Marylin was bold by nature, and in this kind of atmosphere, if he tried to intervene, she would only feel restrained. This was, after all, her gathering with her friends.

Besides, Karl had his own private calculations.

Deep down, he rather hoped Marylin would get a little drunk—because when the time came, his chances of a successful proposal might just be a bit higher.

The restaurant manager called to inform him that everything he had requested was ready. Karl walked over to Marylin, who was chatting and drinking with her graduate school roommate, leaned down, and told her softly that he needed to step out for a moment. Then he left.

A breathtaking bouquet of roses awaited him—nine hundred and ninety-nine in total. Karl had instructed the florist to arrange them into a heart shape, deliberately requesting an equal mix of red and white roses, intertwined together. Unlike the usual fiery red roses people used for proposals, this bouquet stood apart.

And of course, Karl had his reasons.

The restaurant’s band members were already in position. Karl discussed the music with them briefly, then lifted the massive bouquet in his arms and prepared to make his entrance.

Just as the group moved toward the private room, Karl caught sight of a man entering the space where Marylin and her friends were seated. If he wasn’t mistaken, that man was the same ex—the scumbag—who had once appeared downstairs at Marylin’s building.

Karl let out a silent, cold laugh. Clearly, someone had tipped the man off, letting him know she was here. Still unwilling to give up, the ex had rushed over.

Good. That would make things even more satisfying—letting him witness her happiness with his own eyes.

Inside the private room, Marylin felt an instant wave of disgust when she saw that man appear before her. If not for the number of people present, she might have reacted openly. Instead, she ignored him completely, treating him as if he didn’t exist.

Just as the ex was about to say something, the door to the room suddenly swung open. Soft, flowing music filled the air, cutting him off mid-sentence and momentarily stilling the lively chatter.

The restaurant’s live band entered first—six musicians in total, three on each side—playing as they walked forward. They moved deliberately toward Marylin, effortlessly squeezing the ex out of the way.

Once in position, the band focused entirely on their performance.

And on one person alone.

Marylin.

She stood frozen in place, stunned. As Karl’s earlier actions replayed themselves in her mind, a realization rose insistently to the surface. By the time she saw Karl walking in, carrying that enormous bouquet of roses, she knew exactly what he was about to do.

Her chest trembled uncontrollably. Her eyes burned, already turning red.

Karl walked straight up to her, handed her the bouquet, and spoke with deep focus and tenderness.

"For this proposal, I chose red roses and white roses. Today, I give both to you—because in my heart, whether white or red, there has only ever been you."

The moment his words fell, Marylin’s friends burst into loud applause and excited cheers, expressing their wholehearted approval.

Marylin lifted a hand to cover her mouth, tears spilling freely despite her efforts to hold them back.

After she accepted the bouquet, Karl reached into his pocket and took out the ring designed by Catherine. He opened the box, reverently presenting it to her. Then he lowered himself onto one knee and looked up at her.

"Marylin, from the very first moment I saw you, I fell in love with you. I hope you’ll give me the chance to love you for the rest of my life. So—will you marry me?"

His dark eyes were deep and unwavering, filled entirely with love for her.