Sarah’s POV
When Reagan finally loosened his hold, I didn’t even realize at first that I’d been crying too. My hands automatically went up to brush the wetness from his face, and only when he reached for mine did I feel the tears sliding down my own cheeks.
We both ended up laughing—soft, breathless laughter that felt half like relief and half like sothing new blooming between us.
It probably looked crazy from the outside. Maybe it was crazy. But in that mont, it felt perfect.
"I’ll tell my parents," I said softly, my fingers still tangled with his. "I’ll tell them that you and I have already talked, that we’ve agreed to marry. Georgia and Nick will have their wedding soon, and I don’t want to compete with them for attention anymore. I’m done with that part of my life."
I drew in a shaky breath, my eyes searching his. "And I don’t ever want to make you look pitiful in front of anyone. Because you’re not. But people will always try to twist things—they’ll think I chose you because I had no choice. They’ll think your parents offered you to mine because they had no choice."
The words caught in my throat, but I forced them out, gentle but firm. "The last thing I want is to ruin the reputation you’ve worked so hard to protect. So... let’s take it slow, alright? And if you’re scared that I’ll back down soday—that all of this is just a spur-of-the-mont decision—then make a contract in your favor, and I’ll sign it without hesitation. Just so you know, I’m all in."
I didn’t even understand why the tears kept falling. My heart felt overwheld, but not in a bad way. It was like every emotion I’d locked away—relief, hope, happiness—was finally spilling out all at once. I wasn’t breaking anymore. I was unfolding, evolving. Shedding the old and growing the new.
Reagan squeezed my hands so tightly it almost hurt, but in the sweetest way. And in his eyes, I saw it: the sa mix of fear, joy, and determination that was swirling inside .
Reagan’s palms stayed on my cheeks, warm and steady, his thumbs brushing away every tear as if each one mattered. His eyes held mine, soft but unwavering. "No," he whispered, shaking his head. "I won’t do that. There’s no need. I’ve waited for you for years, Sarah. Another year isn’t long."
"Let’s tell our parents together, alright? Let do the talking. As a man, it’s my responsibility to do so," he said, and it lted my heart.
"Then let’s wait for Nick and Georgia to finish their wedding before planning ours. In the anti, we’ll go on dates, travel, and do all the cringey things couples do. We’ll really get to know each other while we wait. I agree to take it slow." His voice dipped lower, tender and certain. "And I promise to court you every single day of your life until we grow old."
My heart skipped, fluttered, then flipped over itself a few tis. I thought I’d only ever feel this with Nick—but I was wrong. Reagan made my heart race, too, but in a way that was deeper, steadier, and sohow even more intense. In that mont, I knew I’d made the right decision.
I leaned forward and hugged him without thinking. His body tensed for a split second, startled, then lted into mine as his arms wrapped around , pulling closer.
"Thank you, Reagan," I murmured against his shoulder. "Thank you for accepting —even though you’ve seen the darkest parts of , even when you’ve seen at my lowest. I promise I’ll do my best to be a good girlfriend to you, a loving fiancée, and a loyal wife. And one day, when we have kids, I’ll be a good mother to them too." The words tumbled out raw and real, but they were exactly how I felt.
He chuckled softly, his lips brushing the top of my hair. "I’ll hold you accountable for that," he teased, and we both laughed—a light, easy sound that felt like sunlight after a long storm. Then he leaned back and grinned at , his familiar self peeking through. "Co on, let’s eat before our noodles get soggy."
We dug into our food like nothing had happened, but everything inside felt different. I felt lighter. Happier. Like I’d just made the best decision in my chaotic, ssy, sad life. Like this was a choice my parents would be proud of—but, more importantly, one I was proud of.
"I won’t stay long tonight," Reagan said gently, setting his chopsticks down. "Even if I want to. I want to start this right. Tomorrow, I’ll talk to Nancy and tell her I won’t be helping her anymore. She’s on her own now."
"Then I’ll co with you," I replied quickly, eting his eyes. "I don’t have anything to do anyway. I’ll be there for you—even if it’s just waiting outside. I want to start our first day as a couple by standing beside you."
His expression softened into sothing I’d never seen before—half surprise, half gratitude. "Alright," he said quietly. "That would be better. She might not talk at all if she sees you. You know how she is."
And just like that, with a bowl of noodles between us and tears still drying on our cheeks, we were no longer just two people bound by circumstance. We were a beginning.
Tomorrow, everything will change. My pathetic life that I created for Nick would be different from now on. I would live each day making myself better. I will open up my heart more to Reagan, and I believe that soday this heart of mine will fall for him, just like how head over heels in love I was with Nick. I can feel it in my bones.
No more crying, no more heartache.
From today and moving forward, my life would just be about making happy mories with the man who loves more than anything in this world.
*********
Thank you for the Golden Ticket!
Seana4
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