Chapter 1
One Sunday morning, the doorbell rang.
When I opened the door, a pleasant—yet utterly unbelievable—surprise waited for me.
He stood there.
Constantijn van Lindemann!
Holding a magnificent bouquet of enormous golden tulips.
My first reaction was, Is he for real? Am I not still half-asleep and dreaming about him on my feet?
"Excuse me," a soft, beautiful yet deeply concerned voice tickled my ears. I snapped out of my thoughts and looked at him.
I know I was smiling like an idiot. I say this because I felt like one.
My fingers were still curled around Tulips for Augusta, my favourite novel by Betty Neels, which I had read more times than I could count. So this—I was sure—was none other than Constantijn.
"Are you not going to invite me in, er... Navy?" he asked with a tilt of his head.
"Uh...oh! Sorry. Please, come in!" I said, stepping back—and promptly tripped over the doormat, which was folded under my feet.
While trying to catch myself, I stumbled again—this time onto the side table by the corner.
Stepping in, he reached out and caught my hand to steady me. The sudden pull brought me crashing right into him.
Being so near him was maddening. His scent filled my senses.
Our eyes locked for a heartbeat too long. Then, I abruptly pulled myself away.
"Sorry," I mumbled.
"It's okay," he said with a smile.
"But... how is this even possible? How are you here?" I asked, not believing my own eyes.
"Navya, you're my most favourite character from The Book of Mountains,” he said.
"Oh."
I whispered it, barely audible, too stunned to speak. Me? A character? Me?
As if reading my thoughts, he added, "I'm here to change the ending of your story. I want you to have a beautiful and memorable life."
"W–What? What do you mean?" I stammered, still in denial. But he was standing right in front of me.
"I don't want you to be hurt. I don't want you to be betrayed. It hurts me too when your heart aches," he said gently, placing the enormous bouquet of tulips in my arms.
My eyes widened in disbelief.
"You can close your mouth now," he said, smiling slowly.
I snapped my jaw shut. I had been gaping.
"Why would I be miserable? Why do you say that, Constantijn?" I asked, now looking directly into his eyes.
Coming closer, he said softly, "Sometimes people make the wrong choice. They think the person they’re with is the one for them... which isn't always the case."
"So you're here, out of nowhere, to save me. From that disaster," I said—not as a question, but a statement.
"Could you please listen to me, and not just go with the first person who proposes to you?" His voice was low and warm.
"Do you have someone in mind I should be considering instead… or—why don’t you choose me?"
I don’t know what got into me when I said that.
He went still. I was silent, too.
Then, gathering whatever courage I had left, I asked again,
"Why don’t you choose me? You’re here—even though I don’t know how—and that must mean you care. And I… I’m madly in love with you. I always thought you were fictional, and this, us, was beyond imagination."
After a long pause, during which I imagined his brain processing every word, he finally said,
"It’s not possible. I already have someone I love."
"Yet here you are—leaving her and your busy schedule—to save me." I shot back. "So, whose love is stronger?"
A faint smile flickered across his lips, just for a second, then vanished.
His lips tightened. His eyes, though, stared deep into mine—stormy, intense.
He turned away and walked to the window. Leaning against it, he said quietly,
"You don’t need to remind me whom I love..."
"But you're here now. With me. I don't know how, but you are. And what you said about me being fictional—it’s unbelievable. But you, my only crush—even if you’re fictional—are standing right in front of me. Caring. Worried enough to actually appear in my world… for me."
I swallowed hard. My mouth was so dry it made clicking sounds when I spoke.
"How could I not try my luck and ask you to be… mine?"
I didn’t even realise when he’d come closer again.
He placed a finger gently on my lips, and I froze.
In my haze of words and desperation, I hadn’t noticed him closing the distance.
"I’m here to change your life’s experience. And if it takes time, I’ll stay to help you," he said.
"But promise me—just don’t accept Neerav’s proposal."
