Chapter 100: The proposal
Jay had barely set his phone down when he turned to Riele with that playful glint in his eyes. “So, where would you love to go this weekend?”
Riele looked up from the book she was pretending to read and tilted her head, thoughtful. “A movie,” she said suddenly, a small smile tugging at her lips. “It’s been a while.”
Jay grinned. “Say no more. I’ll find the best one in town.”
True to his word, by that evening, Jay had already booked their seats—VIP lounge, middle row, perfect view. He texted her the details with a wink emoji, and she replied with a shy heart.
On the day of the movie, Jay arrived promptly at Riele’s house, dressed in a soft grey shirt that hugged his shoulders and dark jeans. He looked like someone out of a fashion ad but carried himself like it was the most natural thing in the world. His cologne lingered in the air like a promise.
Charlotte opened the door before Riele could, arms crossed, one brow raised. “Ah, so this is the famous Jay,” she teased. “Taking my girl out?”
Jay bowed dramatically. “Ma’am, with your permission. I swear I’ll bring her back before midnight.”
Charlotte chuckled. “You better. And no funny business, Jay. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
From behind her, Riele appeared, cheeks already pink with laughter. “Coming from you, Charlotte, that leaves a lot of gray area.”
They all burst into laughter, including Harry, who had been watching the entire scene from the stairs.
Jay reached out and took Riele’s hand. “Ready, beautiful?”
She nodded, and together, they walked to his car. Charlotte stood at the doorway, arms wrapped around herself like a proud mother watching her child go to prom. “You two behave!” she called after them.
The drive to the cinema was peaceful, filled with low music and shared glances. Jay didn’t say much, but his fingers occasionally brushed hers over the console. When they reached the theater, he parked carefully and turned to her. “I’ve got everything covered. Just enjoy tonight.”
Inside, Jay went straight to the concession stand and came back with a large tub of popcorn, two sodas, and a pack of Riele’s favorite candy, one she hadn’t even mentioned in a long while. Her eyes lit up.
“You remembered,” she whispered.
“Of course I did,” Jay replied softly.
People passing by couldn’t help but notice the two of them—how easily they fit into each other’s presence, how their hands found each other, how their eyes locked like they had their own secret language. An elderly couple smiled as they walked by. A teenager elbowed his friend and whispered, “Goals.”
In the theater, the lights dimmed, and the movie began. At first, it was just another romantic drama. But soon, the story unfolded into something more. Too familiar. A woman torn between loyalty and love. A complicated triangle of truth, betrayal, and second chances.
Riele's chest grew tighter with each scene. She tried to blink away the tears, but by the climax, when the heroine finally walked away from a love that wounded her to embrace one that healed her, Riele couldn’t hold it in anymore.
Jay noticed. He turned slightly, his arm sliding around her shoulders, pulling her closer. “Hey,” he whispered.
Riele sniffled, trying to compose herself. “Sorry, it’s just… too real.”
“I know,” he said, pressing a kiss to her temple. “I know.”
They stayed like that, quietly holding on to each other until the credits rolled and the lights came back on. People began to rise, collecting their things, filing toward the exit. But Jay remained seated.
Riele moved to stand, but he gently held her hand. “Wait.”
She looked at him, puzzled.
Jay stood, slowly. Then, to her utter confusion, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black box. He didn’t go down on one knee. Not yet. He just looked at her—really looked at her—eyes full of everything he hadn’t been able to say until now.
“You remember how you said you wanted to go to the movies because it had been a while?” he said, voice low but clear. “I knew then that it wasn’t just about the film. You wanted to feel something real again. Safe. Light.”
The room was nearly empty now, but a few people still lingered. Some watching with quiet curiosity.
“I’ve spent so much of my life being what people expected me to be,” he continued. “But with you, Riele, I’ve never had to try. You make me feel… like me.”
Her breath hitched, lips parted in shock.
He slowly got down on one knee.
Gasps echoed through the sparse crowd. Someone behind whispered, “Oh my God, he’s proposing.”
Jay opened the box, revealing a delicate silver ring, simple and beautiful. Just like her. “Riele... I love you. I want to wake up every day with your laughter in my ears, your face in my arms. I want all of it—your good days, your tired days, your tears, your dreams.”
Riele’s hands flew to her mouth, her eyes wide and wet.
Jay smiled up at her, his heart in his throat. “Will you marry me?”
For a second, the world stilled.
And then someone behind them called out, “Say yes already!”
Others laughed and began to cheer, clapping, murmuring in support.
Riele laughed through her tears. “Yes,” she said, the word tumbling from her lips like it had been waiting all this time.
Jay’s relief was so immediate, so overwhelming, he nearly dropped the ring. But he caught himself, slid it onto her finger, stood up, and pulled her into his arms.
Their lips met in a kiss full of everything they had survived—soft and sure and completely theirs.
The few strangers who remained applauded as they embraced, a couple even wiping their own eyes. It didn’t matter that they didn’t know the full story. What they saw was real. And rare.
When they pulled apart, Riele rested her head against Jay’s chest, heart still pounding. “You knew, didn’t you?”
Jay ran his fingers through her hair. “That I loved you?”
She nodded.
He smiled, holding her tighter. “No. But I was praying you did.”
They left the cinema hand in hand, the ring glittering under the city lights. A new chapter had begun. One not born out of perfect circumstances, but out of honest love, healing, and choice.
And neither of them looked back