He smiled, but then his expression softened.
“Nadya, I know I already asked you to marry me. And I know you already said yes. But I want to ask you again, not because I think the first time didn’t count, but because I want you to understand what I’m promising now.”
He opened the box.
Inside was the new ring.
He didn’t kneel immediately.
Instead, he looked at me and spoke from the heart.
“I promise to listen when you’re hurt instead of trying to avoid the conversation. I promise not to make you guess what I’m thinking when the truth is difficult to say. I promise to respect the family I came from while building the family I hope to have with you.”
His eyes shone.
“And I promise that when we face a problem, I will remember that you are my partner, not someone I need to protect from the truth.”
