Chapter 10 New Life
A year had flown by, and I had finally settled into life in Evercrest. At first, it was a struggle. Being in a new city with no family or relatives, not to mention barely escaping an awful phase of my life, was overwhelming.
I often felt lost, unsure of where I was heading. But as time passed, things started to change. I worked hard, networked, and built new relationships.
Slowly, I began to create a life for myself. I made friends, connected with business partners, and eventually started to thrive. My business was growing, and I found joy in my personal life too.
Andrew had become a central part of that happiness. After the Paul incident, he was there for me in ways I hadn‘ t expected.
His support had been steady and unwavering, and we grew closer day by
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day. He was reliable and kind, the type of man I hadn’t known I needed until he was right there beside me.
It wasn’t long before our professional relationship shifted into something more personal. Soon, we found ourselves in a relationship, and I couldn’t have been happier.
He filled a void I didn’t realize I had. I had completely distanced myself from everything related to Casouth, my home country. I rarely went back, and the friends or family who understood why made the effort to visit me instead. The scars of the past began to heal.
One crisp, sunny afternoon, Andrew and I decided to spend the day at Central Park. We grabbed a few books, packed some sandwiches, and set out to enjoy the fresh air and take in the city views.
It was a perfect day–clear skies, a light breeze, and the park was bustling with energy. We found a nice, quiet spot near
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the artificial pond, the kind of place where you could watch the world pass by without getting caught up in the chaos.
We were sitting on a blanket, with Andrew flipping through his book and me lazily rgazing at the serene water, when I noticed.
something happening on the pond.
A few boats started gliding across the surface. At first, I didn’t think much of it, but the crowd around us began to stir. th People were gathering, craning their necks. anto see. Andrew, noticing my interest, closed whynis book and suggested we move closer to heget a better view.
“I think we’ve got the perfect spot,” I 1Asaid, but he insisted, “Come on, Ruby.
Let’s get closer; you don’t want to miss. adehis.
ens
- MS.
shrugged, curious about what was
happening. We walked over to the edge of she pond just as the first few boats passed
JusBɔy.
Jule
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They were small and beautifully adorned with vibrant flowers–red roses, pink roses, lavender, and even blue irises. The
craftsmanship was stunning, each boat a floating garden of blooms. The sight alone was mesmerizing, but what followed was even more unexpected.
Two boats floated into view next, carrying musicians a violinist, a guitarist, and a trumpet player–each one playing a soft, romantic melody that added to the atmosphere.
People around us clapped and cheered as the boats passed, their excitement growing. It was a beautiful spectacle, and for a moment, I thought it was just some random city event. Then, out of nowhere, I noticed something different.
Five more boats appeared, each one carrying a person standing tall, holding up a large sign. As they moved closer, I realized the signs spelled out something. I squinted, reading them one by one:
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hapter 10 New Life
utiful Will… you… marry… me… Rudy?”
1 roses,
rises
“Oh, what a grand proposal,” I muttered
nder my breath, turning to Andrew with a
ing int
aised eyebrow. “Wonder who Rudy is…”
- s. Thes
trailed off when I saw Andrew. He was no
bat folhat
fed.
onger standing beside me. Instead, he was neeling down on one knee, holding a
ew vimall, velvet box open, inside of which was giggleaming diamond ring.
epone pl
or a moment, I thought he was joking. My Idedidded
hind raced, and I stared at him, waiting or him to laugh and say it was just a prank. dppled an
excit
ught it w
ut he stayed where he was, his face erious, his green eyes locked onto mine Sahatiful
ith an intensity that left no doubt about is intentions. People around us began to Then, of
otice what was happening, whispering different
nd gathering in a tight circle around us.
peared
Ruby,” he said, his voice steady but filled anding
h emotion, “do you want to spend your with me?”
moved
belled out
em one ood there, frozen, trying to process
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what was happening. He had hijacked someone’s proposal moment–or at least, that’s what I thought at first.
“Andrew,” I stammered, still a little
dazed, “why are you–wait. Did you… were. you the one who arranged that boat. parade?”
He looked up at me sheepishly, a nervous. smile playing on his lips. “Yes. Well, there seems to have been a little spelling problem, but it’s really me asking. So, what’s your answer?”
I blinked at him, my heart swelling with at mix of disbelief, amusement, and affection.
The crowd around us had grown, their eyes glued to the scene, waiting for my response. I stared at Andrew, his nervous anticipation clear on his face. Then, out of nowhere, I burst into laughter.
I laughed so hard that my stomach hurt, and tears streamed down my face. The crowd watched in confusion, unsure of
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how to react.
Andrew looked momentarily defeated, his shoulders slumping as he was let down by my reaction. The onlookers shot him. sympathetic glances, thinking of what I was going to say to him.
