The dimly lit common room crackled with the warmth of the fire. Mattheo leaned back, his arm draped lazily over the edge of the sofa. You perched next to him, trying to suppress a laugh as your fingers played with the frayed edge of your sweater.

“I’ve got something funny to tell you,” you said, your tone light but tinged with nervous energy.

“Oh yeah? Go on, babe,” Mattheo replied, tilting his head toward you. His curls fell messily across his forehead as he smirked. “I’ve been needing a laugh today.”

You hesitated for a moment, glancing down before meeting his eyes, which sparkled with curiosity. “So, my father didn’t agree with our relationship—crazy, right? And then I put my foot down because, well, I love you, right?”

His smirk softened into something warmer, more tender, as he nodded. “Yeah?”

You waved a hand, laughing a little too brightly. “Well, then things got a little heated, and, uh... I now have no surname.”

Mattheo’s brows knitted together as he sat up straighter, his playful demeanor shifting. “What do you mean you have no surname? And how is this funny?”

You bit your lip, trying to stifle the bubble of nervous laughter rising in your chest. “He disowned me, Mattheo.”

For a moment, the words hung in the air, and his expression shifted entirely. The light humor in his eyes vanished, replaced with something deeper, more protective. “Oh...” He leaned closer, his voice softer now. “Oh, babe...”

His hand found yours, his grip firm and reassuring. “Seems like you’ll take my surname quicker than you thought.”

You blinked, your breath catching as the weight of his words settled over you. “What?”

Mattheo leaned in even closer, his voice dropping to that low, teasing tone he used when he meant every word. “You heard me. If they don’t want you, I’ll make sure you have a family—my family. You, me, forever.”

Your heart raced as his words sank in, and you stared at him, searching his face.

“I’m serious,” he said, his voice quieter now but no less certain. “Marry me.”