The proposal, when it finally came, was nothing like Emma had imagined during her years with Daniel. No grand gestures, no public declarations, no elaborate displays of wealth and romance. Just Robert, on a quiet evening by the sea, asking a simple question.

"Do you want to build a life with me?" he asked, his voice steady but vulnerable. "Not because you need me. Not because you're grateful. But because you choose me. Because you look at our future and see something you ...