The words hung in the air like a thunderclap, shattering the quiet. Eliana's honey eyes widened in disbelief, her breath catching in her throat. She blinked rapidly, as if trying to clear a haze from her vision, her slender body going rigid against his. "What... what did you just say?" she whispered, her voice barely audible, laced with a tremor that spoke of shock and something deeper—perhaps a flicker of old hope warring with fresh wounds.
James, standing frozen by the window, looked equally stunned. His interlaced fingers loosened, and he uncrossed his arms, mouth opening slightly as if to interject, but he clamped it shut, his eyes darting to Rafael with a mix of surprise and reluctant admiration. He said nothing, stepping back into the shadows, content to let the drama play out.
"Please Marry me, Eliana?"
