James had rehearsed this moment a hundred times in his head—every word, every breath—but Juliet knew nothing. Not about the ring hidden in his pocket, not about the way his hands wouldn't stop trembling.
He called Amanda.
"Get her out of the house," he said, his voice tight, almost breaking. "Make sure she dresses… like it matters."
Amanda didn't ask questions. She just called Juliet.
"Let's hang out," she said casually. "And please, dress properly. No excuses."
Juliet frowned at the odd tone but agreed.
—
By the time Juliet arrived at the venue, something already felt… off. The air was too still. Too expectant.
Then she saw it.
The decorations. The lights. The people watching.
Her breath caught.
"Oh my God…" she whispered, her voice rising into a shout. "Amanda?!"
She turned sharply. "You lied to me. You said we were just hanging out!"
Amanda only smiled, a knowing, almost emotional smile. "It was supposed to be a surprise."
Juliet's heart began to race.
Then she saw him.
James.
Already on one knee.
Her world seemed to narrow to just that moment—him, the ring, the look in his eyes. Not fear this time… but something deeper.
Determination. Vulnerability. Hope.
"I almost lost myself," he said, his voice unsteady but loud enough to echo. "I didn't think I had a reason to stay… to fight… to live."
Juliet's eyes filled instantly.
"But then you came into my life," he continued, gripping the ring tighter as if anchoring himself.
"And now… I want to live. Not just exist—live.
And I want every second of that life to be with you."
A pause.
A long, suffocating pause.
"Will you be my wife?"
The silence stretched, heavy, unbearable—
Then Juliet broke.
"Yes," she breathed, tears spilling freely. "Yes, I will."
The tension shattered.
James slid the ring onto her finger, his hands still shaking, and the crowd erupted—but all Juliet could hear was her own heartbeat, and his uneven breathing as he pulled her into him.
And for the first time in a long time, James wasn't afraid of the future.