The Night Everything Changed
That night, in our hotel suite overlooking Lake Michigan, I sat in front of the mirror, removing the pins from my hair one by one. Daniel stepped in from the balcony, took off his jacket, and set it neatly on a chair.
He came up behind me, wrapped his arms around my shoulders, and rested his chin lightly against my neck.
“Tired?” he whispered.
I nodded, my heart pounding. He took my hand, led me to the bed, and gently lifted the quilt.
That’s when I froze.
Instead of flowers or rose petals, there was a small wooden box covered with an embroidered cloth.
Daniel picked it up carefully and looked at me with a strange mix of sadness and resolve.
“Emily,” he said softly, “before you say anything… you need to know the truth.”
