Chapter fifty two (Love)

Peter called later that night, just as I was preparing to sleep. His voice carried a tenderness that wrapped around me like a blanket.

“Are you still awake?” he asked softly.

“I am now,” I said, smiling into the darkness.

“I just wanted to hear your voice again,” he admitted. “Today felt… bigger than anything I’ve ever lived.”

I felt my heart lift. “It felt big for me too.”

There was a quiet pause, the kind shared only by two hearts learning to speak the same language.

“Sleep well, my fiancée,” he whispered, the word sounding new and warm on his lips.

I pressed the phone to my chest after he ended the call, letting the joy settle into me. For the first time in years, my future didn’t feel blurry. It felt like something I could reach out and touch.

The following morning brought a different kind of quiet—one that sat low, almost uneasy.

Mum was in the kitchen, humming as she prepared breakfast. She looked at me with a bright grin.

“Engaged woman,” she teased. “How does it feel?”

“Strang