I saw him the second I stormed into the dimly lit bar—Sean, of all people, sitting alone with a book open on the table like time had forgotten him. My mascara was smudged, my dress still the one I wore to the aborted wedding, and my chest burned with fury. Without thinking, I marched over and said, 'Will you marry me?'\n\nHe looked up, slow, those dark eyes searching mine like I was a puzzle he’d spent years trying to solve. 'You don’t mean that,' he said quietly. 'Yes, I do,' I snapped. 'Right now. No questions. Just yes.'\n\nHe closed the book. Stood up. 'Okay.'\n\nI hadn’t expected that. Not the calm. Not the way his voice didn’t waver. And definitely not how safe I felt when he took my hand.\n\nThe justice of the peace waited in the back room. One signature. One lie. One irreversible step forward.