I’d spent hours making sure the setup was right: her favorite flowers, a playlist of our favorite songs, the candles on the table, and dinner from the little Italian place we both love. This wasn’t just dinner. This was our night.

“Lando?” her voice called softly.

“Here,” I said.

She stepped into the room, and my breath caught. She was wearing the dress I loved, the one that made her look like angel.

“What’s all this?” her eyes widening as she took in the setup.

“Just… thought you deserved something special” I said, rubbing the back of my neck. “You’ve had a crazy week. I wanted to make you smile.”

She wrapped her arms around me, burying her face in my chest.

“You’re unbelievable, you know that?” she mumbled.

I chuckled, resting my chin on her head. “Good unbelievable, I hope?”

“The best kind”

Dinner went perfectly. We talked about everything. It was easy with her, always had been. After dessert, I stood up, a nervous energy settling in my chest.

“There’s, um, one more thing” I said.

“What now?” she asked, laughing softly.

“Wait here”

I disappeared into the bedroom and grabbed the small box. I returned to her.

“What’s going on, Lando?” she asked.

I took a deep breath. “Okay, so… this isn’t what you think it is. I’m not proposing—yet,” I added quickly. “But I wanted to give you something that meant something. To me. To us.”

I opened the box to reveal a delicate necklace with a small silver charm in the shape of a racing helmet.

“It’s not just any helmet” I explained. “It’s a replica of the one I wore in my first F1 win. The one you were there for.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “Lando…”

“I just… you’ve been my constant, through everything. Wins, losses, long flights, bad days—you’re always there, cheering me on, reminding me what really matters. This is my way of saying thank you. For being you.”

She looked at me, tears slipping down her cheeks.

“You’re ridiculous” she whispered.

“Ridiculously in love with you” I shot back, grinning and I hugged her.