Chapter 7 - He Asked Me To Marry Him—And The Girls Helped Him Plan It**
Richard proposed six months later.
He planned it with the girls, and they’d all managed to keep it a secret from me, which was a miracle in itself.
We were on a family vacation in Hawaii, a place I’d always dreamed of visiting but never thought I’d get to see.
We spent the days on the beach, building sandcastles, swimming, watching the sunset over the ocean.
On our last night there, Richard said he’d arranged a private dinner on the beach just for the five of us.
The sun was setting, painting the sky pink and orange and purple, the waves crashing softly on the shore.
There was a table set with candles and flowers, our favorite food waiting.
After dinner, the girls started acting strange.
Olivia pulled out a poem she’d written, about how much she loved having Richard as her dad.
Grace gave him a drawing of our family, all of us holding hands on the beach.
Lily handed him a small box, grinning from ear to ear.
Richard took the box, then knelt down in front of me.
My heart started racing.
He opened the box, and inside was a ring, simple and elegant, a single diamond that sparkled in the candlelight.
“Emily,” he said, his voice thick with emotion.
“From the moment I saw you in that mansion, standing strong even after Margaret hit you, even as you were scared for your girls, I knew you were the most extraordinary woman I’d ever met. You’ve given me more than I ever thought I could have again. You gave me a family. You gave me purpose. You make me happier than I’ve ever been in my life.”
He took my hand.
“I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to wake up next to you every morning, I want to watch our girls grow up, I want to face every good and bad thing the world has to offer by your side. Will you marry me?”
Tears were streaming down my face by the time he finished.
I looked at him, at the man who’d saved us, who loved us, who’d become everything we’d ever needed.
I looked at our girls, all three of them watching with big, hopeful smiles.
And I nodded, so hard my hair fell in my face.
“Yes,” I said, my voice breaking.
“Yes, a thousand times yes.”
The girls cheered, running over to hug us both as Richard slipped the ring onto my finger.
Lily kissed his cheek.
“Now you’re really our daddy forever!”
He laughed, picking her up and spinning her around.
“Forever and ever, baby girl.”
That night, as we walked back to the villa hand in hand, the girls running ahead of us, I looked up at the stars and thought of Michael.
I hoped he was watching, hoped he was happy, hoped he knew his girls were safe, loved, cared for.
I knew he would have liked Richard.
I knew he would have been glad we’d found each other.
May you like
Everything felt perfect.
Everything felt right.
