The morning sunlight streamed through the curtains, brushing Sabina’s still-sleeping face. Jude had been awake long before her, stirred by the sharp knocking that echoed through the door.
Knock! Knock!
Jude slipped quietly out of bed, quickly putting on his clothes before turning the knob.
When the door opened, he was greeted by Fernan, Sabina’s father, smiling in his gentle but knowing way.
“It seems,” Fernan began calmly, his voice steady but edged with meaning, “that Sabina and you were already savoring your relationship without the blessing of matrimony first?”
Jude froze. His heart pounded in his chest, unsure how to answer. The words lodged in his throat. But Fernan’s eyes—though sharp—were not condemning. He knew how deeply his daughter loved this young man, and he had already
