Page 71 of The Arrangement

He smiles the smile that's seen me through my highest highs and my lowest lows.

"Tory," he begins, his voice steady, "from the moment we met, you've captivated me, challenged me, and made me a better man. Every day with you is a gift, a new adventure I want to embark on for the rest of my life. I love you more than words can express, and I can't imagine my world without you in it. Will you marry me?"

Tears of joy blur my vision as his words wash over me, each one a testament to our journey, our love. The room spins, filled with the enormity of this moment, of his question.

"Yes," I breathe out, the word a declaration, a promise. "Yes, I will!"

Ecstatic, he slips the ring onto my finger, a perfect fit, a symbol of our bond, our future. We embrace, laughter and my tears mingling in a beautiful cacophony of emotions. In his arms, I find my home, my future, my forever.

The warmth of his embrace, the sound of his laughter, it's all I need to feel at peace. Yet as I start to drift off to sleep, nestled in his arms, a thought nudges at the edge of my consciousness—a new, life-changing secret I've been holding onto. The positive pregnancy test hidden away in the nightstand drawer, a promise of a new chapter waiting to unfold.

I decide to spill the beans about the baby tomorrow. I can't help but grin like a madwoman. My heart's so full it could burst. Imagining the look on Maksim's face, and then getting to tell everyone else? It’s going to be something else. But tonight's proposal is plenty of excitement for one evening.

Drifting off to sleep, I'm wrapped up in a whole lot of love for Maksim and thrilled for what's coming. Our little family is growing, and I can't wait for all the tomorrows we've got ahead of us. Life's just getting started, and it's going to be beautiful.

The End