Chapter 222

When Henry Smith heard my answer, the tension on his face eased up. He held my hand tightly, didn’t let go for a while, then gently pulled me to lean against his shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’ve got your back, always.” The moment those words hit my ears, it was like a switch flipped in me—I fell into his arms and quietly started to cry. It was because of that promise that, even with all my doubts, I still followed him to the civil affairs bureau to get married. When the red seal was stamped the second time on our marriage certificate photo, it still felt a bit surreal to me, like I was stuck in a dream. Thinking back to our first wedding photo, we both looked like someone dragged us there by force—expressionless and awkward. This time, though, we actually smiled like we meant it. No matter what led us here, at least this moment was real. No pressure, no acting. Just two people choosing each other with no regrets. “Sophie.” Right after we walked out of the bureau and got in the car, Henry s