HE GAVE ME A RING — THEN GAVE HER THE WEDDING

The night was quiet, except for the sound of the waves kissing the shore. David held my hands, his eyes glistening in the moonlight. “Amara,” he whispered, “you’re the woman I prayed for… the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with.” Before I could answer, he slipped a silver ring onto my finger. It wasn’t just a ring — it was a promise. My heart swelled, tears burned my eyes, and my lips trembled as I said, “Yes… Yes, David.” We laughed. We kissed. He lifted me into his arms like I was the most precious thing in the world. That night, I couldn’t sleep. I kept staring at the ring, replaying his words in my head. Finally, I had my fairy tale. Finally, the years of waiting had paid off. But just as I was drifting into a sweet daydream, David’s phone — lying on the bedside table — lit up. A message appeared. I didn’t want to look. I told myself it was nothing. But then I saw it… “I can’t wait to see you tomorrow. — L” 7 My heart skipped. Who was “L”? Why did my chest suddenly feel so heavy? David stirred in his sleep, pulling me closer. But my eyes stayed on the phone… and my heart whispered a fear I didn’t want to believe.