Anna had no idea how long she had been asleep.

It felt like she had only closed her eyes for a moment—but when she blinked awake, the room was dim, the soft evening light slipping through the curtains.

And Daniel... was sitting right beside her.

Watching her.

Not in a strange way.

But in that quiet, familiar way—his gaze soft, almost as if he had been there for a while.

"When did you come?" Anna asked, her voice still heavy with sleep as confusion flickered across her face.

Daniel didn’t answer immediately. Instead, his eyes traced her features as if making sure she was really fine.

Anna frowned slightly and turned her head toward the clock.

Her brows knitted instantly.

"Why didn’t you wake me?" she asked, pushing herself up into a sitting position.

She rarely slept like this.

Especially not when people were over.

Her mind replayed the earlier moment—talking with Kathrine, Betty, and Kevin... feeling a sudden wave of exhaustion... and then—

Nothing.

’I slept for hours...?’

A strange unease crept into her chest.

Something is definitely wrong with me.

"Wifey... are you okay?"

Daniel’s voice broke through her thoughts.

There was a hint of concern in his tone now—subtle, but there.

Mariam had already told him Anna had been sleeping, which was unusual enough.

But now—

Seeing her expression, the way she seemed lost in her own thoughts...

It didn’t sit right with him.

Anna didn’t respond.

Her gaze drifted, her mind racing as something began to click into place.

A possibility.

A terrifying, impossible—

Her eyes widened suddenly.

"No way..."

Daniel straightened slightly.

"This isn’t happening," she whispered under her breath.

"...Wifey, what’s wrong?" Daniel asked, his voice tightening. "You’re scaring me."

Anna jolted out of bed.

Without a word.

Without explanation.

She moved quickly across the room, her steps rushed, almost frantic as she searched through the drawers.

Daniel followed immediately, his worry spiking.

"Anna, talk to me—what are you looking for?"

But she didn’t answer.

Her hands finally found what she needed.

And before Daniel could even process it—

She turned and rushed into the bathroom.

"Anna!"

The door slammed shut.

Daniel’s heart dropped.

"Anna, open the door. What’s wrong?" he called, his voice rising despite himself.

No response.

Only silence.

The kind of silence that made his chest tighten painfully.

"Wifey," he said, knocking harder now, "if you don’t open the door, I’m breaking it."

Still nothing.

Then—

"Ah—!"

Anna’s sudden scream tore through the air.

"...!"

Daniel didn’t think.

He slammed his hand against the door.

"Anna!"

BANG.

"Open the door!"

BANG!!

He hit it again, harder this time, panic surging through him as every possible worst-case scenario flashed in his mind.

And just as he was about to break it—

The door opened.

It creaked slightly, revealing the scene inside.

Daniel froze.

Anna was sitting on the edge of the bathtub.

Crying.

Not quietly.

Not softly.

Her shoulders trembled, tears streaming down her face—but there was something else too.

Something he couldn’t quite understand.

His heart sank instantly.

"Anna..." he whispered, stepping inside.

He moved toward her slowly, almost cautiously, before dropping to his knees in front of her.

For a moment, she didn’t look up.

Then—

She did.

And the moment their eyes met—

She smiled.

Through the tears.

A bright, trembling smile that made Daniel’s chest tighten even more.

"Ann—"

"We are going to be parents."

Time stopped.

Daniel’s mind went blank.

"...What?"

The word came out barely audible.

Anna let out a small, shaky laugh, nodding as more tears fell.

"I checked..." she said, holding up the test with trembling fingers. "Twice... just to be sure."

Daniel’s gaze dropped to it.

Then back to her.

Then again.

As if he needed to confirm reality itself.

"...You’re... pregnant?" he asked, his voice unsteady in a way it had never been before.

Anna nodded again, this time more firmly.

"Yes."

Silence filled the space.

Heavy.

Overwhelming.

Daniel didn’t move.

Didn’t speak.

For a second, Anna’s smile wavered slightly, a flicker of uncertainty crossing her face.

"Say something," she whispered.

And that’s when—

Daniel exhaled.

A breath he didn’t realize he had been holding.

His hand came up slowly, almost hesitantly, before resting against her cheek.

"You’re serious," he murmured.

Anna let out a soft laugh through her tears. "I don’t think this is something I’d joke about."

A small, disbelieving smile finally broke through on his face.

Then—

It grew.

Soft.

Warm.

Real.

His forehead dropped gently against hers.

"We’re... going to be parents," he repeated, as if tasting the words.

Anna closed her eyes, nodding.

"Yes."

For the first time—

Daniel felt something unfamiliar.

Not fear.

Not control.

But something deeper.

Something that made his chest feel too full.

And yet... just right.

His hand slid down, gently pulling her into an embrace.

Careful.

Protective.

As if she—and what she carried—had suddenly become the most fragile, most precious thing in his world.

And maybe... They already were.

***

The evening sky stretched wide in shades of gold and soft violet, the sun dipping low as if it, too, wanted to witness what was about to happen. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Kathrine slowed her steps as she walked into the quiet lakeside garden.

"Ethan?" she called softly, her brows knitting in confusion.

He had asked her to come here—no explanation, no details. Just a message that sounded... different.

Important.

And now—

The entire place was lit with soft fairy lights, glowing gently against the darkening sky. Candles lined the pathway, their flames flickering in the breeze, leading her forward.

Her heart began to race.

"Ethan...?" she called again, quieter this time.

"I’m here."

His voice came from ahead.

Kathrine looked up.

And there he was.

Standing near the edge of the lake, dressed simply—not like the polished star everyone knew, but like him. Real. Unfiltered.

For a moment, she just stared.

Because something about him felt different.

Not nervous in the usual way.

But... vulnerable.

"You did all this?" she asked, stepping closer.

Ethan let out a small breath, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah... though I had a lot of people not helping me."

Despite herself, Kathrine smiled.

"That explains a lot."

He huffed a quiet laugh.

Then—silence.

Not awkward.

Just... full.

Kathrine tilted her head slightly. "What’s going on?"

Ethan looked at her.

Really looked at her.

And for once—the man who could deliver perfect lines without hesitation...

Had none.

"...I had a whole speech planned," he admitted.

Kathrine blinked. "You did?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "It was supposed to be impressive. Thoughtful. Something that would make you cry in a good way."

"And?"

"And I forgot all of it the moment you walked in."

A soft laugh escaped her.

"Ethan..."

"I’m serious," he said, stepping closer. "I stood here for ten minutes trying to remember it, and now I can’t recall a single word."

Kathrine shook her head, smiling gently. "Then don’t."

He paused.

"Don’t what?"

"Don’t try to be perfect," she said softly. "Just... be you."

Those words settled something inside him.

Ethan exhaled slowly.

"...That’s the problem," he murmured. "I don’t know how to do this as me."

Kathrine’s expression softened.

"You already are."

Silence lingered again—but this time, it wasn’t heavy.

It was steady.

Grounding.

Ethan took another step forward until they were standing just inches apart.

"When I first met you," he began, his voice quieter now, "I didn’t think much would change."

Kathrine listened, her heart beating faster with every word.

"You were... strong. Stubborn. A little too honest for your own good," he added with a faint smile.

She scoffed lightly. "That’s rude."

"It’s true," he said. "And I didn’t realize then... how much I needed that."

His gaze softened.

"You didn’t try to impress me. You didn’t care about who I was or what people said about me."

"I did care," she corrected softly.

"Not in the way others do," he replied.

Kathrine fell quiet.

Ethan continued, more sure now.

"You saw me... without all of that. And for the first time, I didn’t feel like I had to pretend."

Her eyes shimmered slightly.

"And somewhere along the way," he added, "you became the one person I couldn’t imagine my life without."

The air stilled.

"I don’t know when it happened," he admitted. "Or how. But I do know this—every time something good happens, you’re the first person I want to tell."

"And every time something goes wrong..." he exhaled softly, "...you’re the only person I want beside me."

Kathrine’s breath caught.

Ethan reached for her hand, holding it gently.

"I don’t have perfect words," he said. "And I don’t have a grand speech anymore."

"You don’t need one," she whispered.

A small smile appeared on his lips.

"Good," he said.

Then, slowly— he dropped to one knee.

Kathrine’s eyes widened, her free hand flying to her mouth.

Ethan looked up at her, his gaze steady, filled with everything he hadn’t been able to say before.

"But I do have this," he said, pulling out the ring.

Her vision blurred instantly.

"Kathrine..." his voice softened, but didn’t waver, "you’ve changed my life in ways I didn’t even know were possible."

"You’ve made me better... without ever asking me to be."

A tear slipped down her cheek.

"And if you’ll let me..." he continued, his grip on her hand tightening slightly, "I want to spend the rest of my life proving that you made the right choice."

He took a breath and asked— "Will you marry me?"

Silence. Just for a second. Then, Kathrine laughed through her tears, nodding quickly.

"Yes." Her voice trembled. "Yes, Ethan... of course I will."

Relief flooded his face instantly.

He stood up, slipping the ring onto her finger with slightly shaking hands.

And the moment he did—she pulled him into a tight embrace.

Laughing. Crying. Holding onto him like she never wanted to let go.

And Ethan, he held her just as tightly.

Because for the first time—he knew he had everything he had ever needed.