Forty-six
FORTY-SIX
SOPHIE
W e’ve spent every day of the last five weeks together, and I’m loving every second. When Liam leaves for meetings I’m not included in, I find myself missing him. Me. Missing someone this much. I feel like one of those lovesick, doe-eyed girls I never thought I’d become. Not because it’s wrong, but because I thought I lost the only person who’d make me feel this way. Never in a million years did I think I’d feel like this again, but here we are.
The feelings came back like a wave crashing on the shore, unstoppable and all-consuming. And instead of resisting—okay, maybe I did at first—but once I let go of that insane need to fight it, I welcomed every single drop.
We’ve made it a point to go out in public as much as possible—new restaurants, parks, and even one ridiculous cooking class where Liam chopped an onion so badly the instructor had to intervene.
Since the statement was released, followed by the photos, the media frenzy hasn’t completely died down, mostly because ‘ the last Ayoub bachelor is now taken’ . I roll my eyes at that thought. Yes, he’s taken, he’s mine. But at least the narrative has shifted. Most of the articles now focus on our ‘beautiful love story,’ although a few holdouts still try to stir up drama.
The two developers who initially dropped me reached out again, eager to pick up where we left off. But Liam was right—they didn’t give me a chance before and don’t deserve a second one now. For the first time in a long time, I’m putting my value above other's convenience.
Lucas left for France the day after the statement and photoshoot, eager to return to Leora. Watching them look at each other the way they do warms my heart and makes me hopeful. Sometimes, I catch Liam looking at me that way, and while it terrifies me, it also fills me with something I can’t quite name.
Right now, we’re in his car, and for once, he’s the one driving. I’ve been watching him, admiring the way he maneuvers the wheel with one hand, the other casually resting on the gearshift. Is it just me, or is there something ridiculously attractive about a man driving? Especially when he does that one-handed thing to reverse, his arm stretching behind my seat, his movements so effortless. So damn hot.
“Are you okay?” he asks, glancing over when I don’t answer.
“What? Yeah, I’m fine,” I stammer, shaking off my thoughts. “Just excited. Where are you taking me?”
He grins, a smile so radiant it could light up the night. His hand moves to rest on my thigh, squeezing once, twice, before settling there. “I might as well tell you. You’ll find out soon enough.”
The teasing lilt in his voice makes my heart flutter.
“Coney Island,” he announces, flashing me another quick glance.
“Coney Island?”
“Yeah. You’ll understand why soon.”
When we arrive, I do understand.
We walk toward the Wonder Wheel, its vibrant lights illuminating the evening sky. I stop in my tracks, staring up at the towering Ferris wheel.
“Are you ready for another ride?” he asks, his tone playful.
My stomach twists, a nervous flutter taking over. “It’s…big.”
He squeezes my hand, grounding me. “You can do this. The one on Mount Tibidabo was scarier.”
I huff out a laugh, despite myself. “But it’s still big.”
“You’re with me,” he reassures, his thumb brushing over my knuckles.
The line is short, which means there is barely enough time to talk myself out of this. Before I can second guess, we’re climbing into one of the outer gondolas.
“For the better view,” Liam says, his voice light with boyish excitement, a stark contrast to the nervous energy knotting in my stomach.
The door closes behind us with a soft click, and the gondola lurches forward. My breath catches as we begin to ascend, the motion gentle but unrelenting. The first few feet feel manageable—until the earth pulls away beneath us, and my pulse stutters in response.
The city stretches out beneath us like a glittering canvas. Neon signs, streetlights, and the faint glow of distant buildings blur together in an endless sea of light. It’s breathtaking—truly—but the height makes my stomach churn.
I clutch Liam’s hand tighter, my knuckles whitening. He doesn’t let go, his thumb brushing soothing circles over mine.
“Hey,” he says softly, his voice a tether pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. “Look at me.”
I do, my eyes locking onto his. The noise of the world below, the creak of the wheel, even my own racing heart—everything fades.
“I’m with you,” he murmurs, his gaze steady and sure.
And just like that, the panic eases. Not completely, but enough. I hold onto him like a lifeline, my grip loosening slightly as my breath steadies.
The gondola slows, then stops. We’re at the top. Again.
“Liam…” I whisper, my voice shaky, but before I can say anything more, he shifts.
I freeze, my breath hitching as he shifts, and the gondola sways beneath us. “Liam, please.”
But the words die on my lips when he kneels in the tiny space, his hand still holding mine. His other hand dips into his pocket.
“Sophie,” he says, his voice quiet but weighted with emotion.
“What are you doing?” My voice is barely audible, the words trembling as much as my hands.
He looks up at me, and the love in his eyes is so intense, so raw, it steals the air from my lungs. His smile is soft, almost shy, but his gaze holds mine with unwavering certainty.
“Sophie. My Sophie,” he begins, his voice thick with emotion. “I know I said I’d wait until the timing felt ‘appropriate’, but I can’t. I don’t want to. You’re it for me. You’ve always been it.”
Tears well in my eyes, blurring his face, but I don’t dare blink.
“My heart knew the moment I saw you. The first time I danced with you, the first time I heard your name—I knew you were meant for me.”
A tear spills over, tracing a hot line down my cheek. He reaches up, brushing it away with a tenderness that makes my chest ache.
“I lost you for ten years, and I’ll never forgive myself for that. But I’m not losing you again. Not now, not ever.”
His words crash over me like a wave, drowning me in their sincerity. I let out a shaky laugh, my voice breaking. “But we’re already engaged…”
He shakes his head, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Not in the way that matters to me. This ring,” he gestures to my hand, where Lucas’s stand-in ring sparkles, ”this isn’t us. It’s not you, and it’s not my ring.”
He pulls a small red box from his pocket, his hand trembling slightly as he opens it. Inside is a ring so beautiful it steals my breath—a gold band with a stunning emerald-cut diamond flanked by two smaller stones, simple yet timeless.
“This ring means everything to me,” he says, his voice thick. “It is the ring my uncle—the man I loved most in the world–gave to his wife, and their love was everything I hope ours will be. They showed me what a marriage could be. What true love should be.”
My tears spill freely now, my heart clenching so tightly it’s almost painful. I remember Antoine at Lucas and Leora’s wedding, the way his face lit up when he spoke about his late wife. His voice had been filled with so much love, reverence, and longing. He said their love was eternal, that even death couldn’t take it away. Antoine’s words weren’t just about the past; they were about a love so powerful it shaped Liam’s idea of forever. And now, here he is, offering me the same promise.
This isn’t just a ring; it’s his heart, his dreams, his everything. And in this moment, I realize that it’s mine too.
“I love you, Sophie. I’ve loved you for ten years, and I’ll love you for the rest of my life. Will you marry me?”
For a moment, I can’t speak, my throat too tight with emotion. But then the words burst out of me, unrestrained and filled with certainty.
“Yes,” I gasp, nodding frantically. “Yes, yes, yes!”
He laughs, his face breaking into a radiant smile that could outshine the city below.
I grab his face, pulling him into a kiss that feels like the culmination of every unsaid word, every missed moment. His hands cradle my face, holding me close as the gondola sways gently around us.
When we finally pull apart, he takes the placeholder ring off my finger, slipping his own in its place. The cool weight of it feels perfect—like it was always meant to be there.
He leans back slightly, a glint in his eye. Then, before I can stop him, he stands and moves to the edge of the gondola.
“SHE SAID YES!” he shouts.
Cheers and whistles rise from below, strangers celebrating our moment. I laugh through my tears, my cheeks aching from smiling so much.
As the gondola begins its descent, I lean into him, my hand resting over his heart. It’s pounding just as fast as mine, a rhythm that matches the wild beat of my own. He feels it, too, because he tilts his head down, pressing a tender kiss to the crown of my head. His lips brush my hair as he murmurs, “I can finally say you’re truly mine, Sunshine.”
I sink further into him, letting his steady presence anchor me in a way nothing else ever has. “I was always yours.”
It’s funny how I’ve been driven by goals my whole life, each one like a stepping stone I had to conquer to prove something—mostly to myself. But no matter how many milestones I reached, I never felt like enough. I’d always push forward to the next one, barely pausing to celebrate the wins, big or small. Because somewhere deep down, I didn’t believe I deserved to.
But now, with Liam, everything feels different. I think about how he’s always been the one to remind me to pause, breathe, and recognize my worth. He doesn’t just celebrate my victories; he celebrates me. He’s the one who’s taught me that being present in the moment is just as important as chasing the next dream.
The fluttering wings that once hesitated inside me have finally taken flight, carried by his love and belief in me. I think about how much he’s changed my life—not by making me someone else, but by helping me see the person I’ve always been.
And now, I know why every other moment felt incomplete—because this one was waiting for me. The biggest and happiest goal I’ve ever reached so far in my life is Liam. For the first time, the goals ahead don’t feel like a challenge to conquer—they feel like a future I’m excited to share. With him.
I make a silent promise to myself: this one I’m celebrating—and every single one after this. Fully. Completely. Because this isn’t just a fleeting moment; it’s the beginning of a forever I never thought I’d be lucky enough to have. A forever with him.