Sonia’s POV
The ride to the event was quiet but not uncomfortable. The car hummed softly, city lights flickering past the tinted glass. I caught glimpses of our reflections in the window, two people sitting side by side, dressed for perfection but full of imperfect emotions.
Halfway there, he reached across the seat and gently brushed a strand of hair from my face. The gesture was so tender, so instinctive, it broke something small and silent inside me.
“You don’t have to force a smile tonight,” he said quietly. “Just be yourself.”
I looked at him, my chest tightening. “And if being myself means I still don’t know what I feel?”
He gave a faint smile, sad, knowing. “Then I’ll wait until you do.”
The anniversary venue was breathtaking, a grand hall adorned in cascading silver drapes an
