The hospital room felt heavy with silence, broken only by the soft hum of the machines. Sophie’s trembling hands gripped the sheets, her breathing uneven as she stared at Ethan. Her question had hung in the air like a storm cloud, and Ethan’s initial reaction—confusion—did nothing to ease her fears.
Ethan’s face remained a picture of calm, though a hint of unease flickered in his eyes. “Sophie,” he began again, his tone slow and deliberate as if choosing his words carefully, “I don’t know anyone named Liah. I’ve never met her, never spoken to her, and I certainly never proposed to her.”
He took a tentative step closer, his hands open and palms up, a silent gesture of reassurance. “You know me,” he continued, his voice soft but steady. “You’ve always known me. Why would I lie about somet
