"Come in," I called the next day, expecting to see Jane or my mother.
To my surprise, it was Luke who entered, a hesitant smile on his face. "Good morning, Bella. I hope I'm not intruding."
My heart skipped a beat at the sight of him. "Not at all. Is everything alright?"
Luke nodded, closing the door behind him. "Yes, everything's fine. I just... I wanted to see you before we faced the day. To make sure last night wasn't a dream."
I moved closer to him, reaching out to take his hands in mine. "It wasn't a dream, Luke. You're really here."
He squeezed my hands gently. "I can scarcely believe it. Your father... he's giving us a chance, Bella. A real chance."
I nodded, feeling a mix of excitement and trepidation. "I know. But Luke, we have to be careful. Father's tolerance is fragile at
