We step into a vast room crowded with people. But it isn’t loud. There’s no chatter, no laughter, no clinking glasses, just a heavy, expectant silence, the kind that presses against my ears. Every person inside is facing the same direction, bodies angled forward, attention fixed on whatever is happening at the front.
Erik guides me to a spot near the back, his hand still locked around mine. I don’t pull away. I can’t. I need something solid, something to stop me from tipping over as the air seems to thin around me.
My pulse roars in my ears as I look past shoulders, suits and dresses, past faces blurred by panic.
Until I see him—
Warren.
He stands near the front of the room, composed and devastatingly familiar, like he belongs exactly where he is.
And beside him—
Nancy.
Perfect. Polished. Close enough that there’s no mistaking what she is to him. Something inside my chest gives way. A quiet, awful fracture, the kind that doesn’t make a sound, but changes everything.
“Good afternoon,” Nancy’s father begins, lifting his glass as the room settles. His voice is calm, practised, the kind that’s used to being obeyed. “Thank you all for being here today.”
He glances at Nancy, pride softening his expression, before turning his attention to Warren.
“My daughter has always been strong-willed,” he continues. “Intelligent. Determined. She doesn’t make choices lightly, especially ones that affect her future.”
He pauses for a second.
“So when she told me she had chosen Warren Baxter, I knew this wasn’t just about affection. It was about partnership. About loyalty. About two people who understand responsibility and the weight that comes with it.”
He smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes.
“Today, I’m proud to announce the engagement of my daughter, Nancy Winters, to Warren Baxter.” He raises his glass higher. “To family. To unity. And to a future built on trust.”
The room erupts in applause whilst my heart shatters to pieces.
Nancy says something to Warren. He shakes his head, but whatever she’s asking she seems insistent. And then Warren steps forward.
The room stills again, like everyone’s collectively holding their breath. He takes the glass from Nancy’s hand, his fingers brushing hers, and something in my chest caves in. The large ring on her finger sparkles in the light.
“I’ll keep this short,” he says, his voice steady. Familiar. The same voice that whispered my name in the dark just last night.
My stomach twists.
“Anyone who knows me,” he continues, “knows I don’t make promises lightly.”
A few people chuckle.I don’t.
He looks at Nancy then, whilst his thumb rubs over the diamond, and I wait, stupidly, for him to hesitate. For him to falter. For him to glance at the back of the room where I’m standing, barely breathing.
He doesn’t.
“Nancy challenges me,” he says. “She understands the world I live in. The responsibilities I carry. And she stands beside me anyway.”
Each word lands like a quiet, measured blow.
“This engagement isn’t just about love,” he adds. “It’s about commitment. Loyalty. Building something that lasts.”
Pain tears through my chest.
“So,” he finishes, lifting his glass, “thank you for being here to witness the beginning of our future.”
