Chapter 19

The sudden proposal left me stunned. Seconds passed, maybe minutes. I had no idea how much time had gone by. I only knew I'd gone stiff and was just staring at Joseph's face. He pressed his lips together, as though he had finally made up his mind. He looked nervous and uneasy, but he still gathered his courage to see it till the end. Finally, under his anxious, hopeful gaze, I nodded and managed to squeeze out a single word, "Yes." That answer felt like it drained every bit of strength from me. After I accepted his proposal, my emotions slowly settled, and my thoughts began to drift toward the future. After everything that had happened over the past few months, I finally realized that as long as I was independent and strong, love could never destroy me again. I knew that even if I were to spend the rest of my life with Joseph, I would never forget the way he held me today, as if nothing else mattered. The moment I said yes, Joseph wrapped his arms around me like he was holding