"Marriage doesn’t have to eraseall of that," Mia says.
"It changes it. A lot," I say.
"Everything changes," Annabelle says calmly. "That’s not inherently negative."
"You’re not helping," I mutter.
Daisy climbs into my lap like she’s clocked the tension and decided to intervene. Her head presses under my chin. Warm. Certain.
"You’re not afraid of paperwork," Mia says quietly. "I think you’re afraid of wanting it to be real."
I exhale.
Robin nods once. "There it is."
"If custody wasn’t happening," Annabelle says, measured and direct, "would you still want him?"
Lila gasps. "That’s a loaded question."
"Answer it," Robin says.
The room waits.
I stare at Daisy’s ears.
"That’s not the point," I say.
Mia’s expression shifts. "Which means it is."
I hate that.
Because I don’t have a clean answer.
Would I want him without the chaos?
Yes.
And that’s the problem.
"I don’t want to marry someone because of a threat," I say finally. "I want to be chosen because he wants me."
Mia’s voice is gentle but firm. "He did choose you."
"He chose the most stable option," I counter.
"He could have hired a PR fiancée," Annabelle says. "He didn’t."
"He could have dated publicly for optics," Lila adds. "He didn’t."
"He asked you," Mia says.
The words settle.
Lila leans forward, elbows on knees. "Okay, but here’s the real question. When he looks at you, does it feel strategic?"
I don’t answer.
Because I remember the balcony from two years ago.
