I extended my stay in Dubai until the weekend because it’s my birthday tomorrow. I plan to take Nia out for a romantic dinner and pop the big question to her then. I’ve planned it meticulously. I’ve booked an entire beachside restaurant for the evening, given very detailed instructions to the service staff there about what to do, hired a violinist who’ll play for us, and also found a professional videographer to capture the moment. I’m sure she’ll want pictures and video clips for her social media. I also went shopping in the morning at the Burj Mall—I had the day to myself since I’d managed to wrap up all my work in Dubai the day before—and bought myself a dapper black suit.

I look at myself in the full-length mirror in my fancy suite and take a deep breath to alleviate my anxiety. I know that a black suit never fails to impress a lady, and I’m hoping it’ll do the trick with Nia. She’s been busy the whole day with her ad commercial shoot and will join me directly at the Marina restaurant.

As the sun sets over the horizon, making the waters of the Persian Gulf look like liquid gold, I walk down to the restaurant. Nestled amidst swaying palm trees and overlooking a pristine stretch of white sand, the Marina restaurant exudes an air of exclusivity and sophistication. My lady loves to indulge in luxury. Who wouldn’t? I breathe a little easier and give myself a virtual pat on the back—the beachside setup is pretty impressive, and I’m sure Nia will say yes.

The entrance of the restaurant is adorned with an intricately carved archway built in the typical Arabian style of architecture, which leads to a spacious outdoor dining area. A luxurious cabana made of white satin drapes sits in the middle of this space, offering an intimate setting for the perfect romantic dinner. Yellow fairy lights strung along the drapes cast a warm and enchanting glow over the place.

I can see that our table has been dressed in crisp white linen and decorated with red roses, exactly as instructed. Plush satin cushions and elegant furnishings provide both comfort and style. Our table has an unobstructed view of the Persian Gulf, and as I take a seat, I savour the salty sting of the sea breeze on my skin. The world-renowned chef Anita Khanna has specially curated the menu for tonight’s dinner. Like I said, I wanted everything to be indulgent and perfect tonight!

I’m still lost in my thoughts as I sit looking at the sunset, when I’m interrupted by a loud yet familiar voice, ‘Babe! Can you believe it? My followers just hit a million!’

I turn around to see Nia almost dance her way towards me. The fact is, her energy and enthusiasm are very attractive.