Chapter 132 Chapter 132
Chapter 132 Chapter 132
Aliyah’s POV
He looked extra handsome, confident, determined, and vulnerable all at once. He walked straight toward me, stopping only a few feet away. The others fell silent, watching with gentle smiles. Papa gave a subtle nod of approval. Cohen looked proud. Tracy wiped a tear from her eye. Asher slowly lowered himself onto one knee, pulling out a small red velvet box from his pocket. He opened it, revealing a stunning diamond ring that sparkled brilliantly under the lights. My hands flew to my mouth.
“Aliyah,” he began, his voice deep and steady, though I could hear the emotion cracking through. “Five years ago, I lost you, and it nearly destroyed me. I made mistakes — stupid, painful mistakes — while I was searching for you, drowning in pain and regret. I can never take back that night with Tatiana, but I swear to the moon goddess and to you that I never got her pregnant. That boy is not mine. You’ve seen the proof now.”
“I know I’ve hurt you. I know I’ve made you doubt me, doubt us. But from the moment you came back into my life with our beautiful Elara, I’ve known one thing for certain: you are my mate, my heart, my everything. You are the strongest, most incredible woman I’ve ever known. The way you fight for our daughter, the way you’re building your own dreams with this bar… it amazes me every single day."
He continued. “I don’t want to spend another night without you by my side. I don’t want secrets or fears keeping us apart. I want to wake up every morning and see your face. I want to protect you, cherish you, and love you the way you deserve. I want to be the father Elara needs and the husband who makes you feel safe and adored."
I swallowed a lump of saliva
“Aliyah Censori… will you marry me? Will you let me spend the rest of my life proving that my heart has always belonged to you?” He looked up at me, eyes shining with unshed tears, the ring held out like a promise. Everyone waited in breathless silence. I stood there, completely speechless. My mind went blank. Words wouldn’t form. My heart pounded so loudly I could barely hear anything else.
The decorations, the faces of our family and friends, the man I loved on his knee. it was all too much. Too beautiful. Too overwhelming. I opened my mouth, but no sound came out.
The entire world seemed to hold its breath as Asher knelt before me, the diamond ring glittering like a promise I wasn’t sure I was ready to accept. My heart hammered against my ribs, a chaotic rhythm of love, fear, anger, and overwhelming confusion. Everyone was watching.
Papa, Cynthia, Cohen, Clara, Tracy, Hope, their faces filled with expectation and joy. But inside me, a storm raged. How could I say yes when so much pain still lingered between us? I opened my mouth, and the words tumbled out before I could stop them.
“Asher… I don’t even know where to begin,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “Five years ago, I left pregnant with our daughter. I suffered alone, raising Elara while wondering if you had moved on. Then I come back and find out you slept with Tatiana while I was gone. You admitted it. You had a one-night stand because you were stressed and looking for me. That hurt me more than you can imagine. She came to our daughter’s welcome party, humiliated me in front of everyone, tore my dress, scratched me like some wild animal. And now this… a proposal?”
Tears welled up in my eyes, but I forced myself to continue. I needed him to understand every fear that had been eating me alive.
“I’m still in doubt, Asher. I’m scared that one day another woman will show up claiming you as hers. I’m terrified that our secrets will keep tearing us apart. I don’t want Elara to grow up in a home filled with arguments and mistrust. I want stability for her. I want a relationship where I don’t have to sleep in a separate room because the pain is too fresh. I want to believe you when you say you’ll protect us, but how can I when your past mistakes keep coming back to haunt us?”
My hands shook as I stared at the ring. The words I had been holding back for days finally broke free.
“And… I’m pregnant, Asher.” A collective gasp rippled through the small crowd. Asher’s eyes widened, his lips parting in shock. I continued before he could speak, my voice rising with emotion.
“Yes, I’m pregnant with your child again. I found out after that meeting with Mrs. Jose. I’ve been throwing up every morning, hiding it because I didn’t know if we were ready. I didn’t want you to think this baby would trap me into staying with you. I was scared it would be another mistake, another reason for us to stay together when we’re still broken. But here we are… and I can’t keep lying to you anymore.”
The silence that followed was deafening. I took a shaky breath and looked straight into his eyes, the ones that had always held so much power over me.
“But despite everything. The hurt, the doubt, the fear. I still love you. I love the way you are with Elara. I love how you’re trying to fix things. So… yes, Asher. Yes, I will marry you."
A radiant smile broke across his face, relief and joy flooding his expression. He rose slowly to his feet, took my left hand gently in his, and slipped the diamond ring onto my finger.
It fit perfectly, the stone catching the light like a beacon of hope amid the chaos.
Without another word, he pulled me into his arms and kissed me. The kiss was deep, passionate, and filled with all the unsaid apologies and promises. For a moment, the world faded. The decorations, the watching eyes, the fears. And it was just us. When we finally pulled away, both of us breathing heavily, foreheads resting against each other, I felt a fragile peace settle in my chest.
Hope's little eyes were covered and that made us all chuckle.