"You have no idea how difficult those seven years were without you," he confessed, his voice shaking with emotion. He broke down into tears, seeking solace in the crook of my neck.

"How could you leave me without hearing my explanations? How could you do that to me?" His voice wavered with anguish.

"I did everything for us, but you left me without hearing my explanation. You know..." He lifted his face, locking eyes with me. Tears filled my eyes too, mirroring his pain and longing.

"You did everything for us? How can you say that? Lying to me and getting engaged to someone else was for our benefit? You should have told me one word, and I would have left without a second question, but you lied to me," I said, my voice trembling with anger.

"No, you misunderstood me. I never got engaged to anyone. My father locked me at home and warned me that if I didn't leave you, he would hurt you. I knew my father—he can do anything to get what he wants. How could I let you get hurt? That's why I accepted my father's proposal. He said I could be with you, but I had to get married and give him a grandchild to maintain his status in society. He felt ashamed knowing I was in love with a man. He didn't want anyone to know about me. But I never intended to get married and ruin another life. I was just trying to buy some time to think about what to do next. But that day, you heard us talking and misunderstood me. You didn't even give me a chance to explain," He burst out, his words pouring out in a rush, carrying the weight of years of struggle.

My heart sank at his words, and for a moment, I was speechless. I reached out, wiping his tears with my thumb, letting my fingers linger on his face.

"Alex," I whispered, finally feeling the weight of guilt settling in my chest. "I didn't know what to do back then. I was hurt and confused. I thought you had betrayed me."

"I would never betray you, Babe. You were my everything. You still are," he said, his eyes filled with a mix of pain and regret. "I was trying to protect you, protect us. I was afraid of losing you."

Tears welled up in my eyes as I listened to his words.

"But you did lose me, Alex. You lost me for seven years. And in those seven years, I built a new life. I have Lisa now. I have responsibilities." I could sense his curiosity about Lisa's mother, even though he never asked directly. I remembered his reaction when I introduced Lisa to him in the hospital—he looked terrified.

"I know," he said, his voice breaking. "And I respect that. But can't you see? I never stopped loving you. I never moved on. I couldn't. You're everything to me."

"You're not curious about Lisa's mother? What if I'm married?" I asked, feeling a pang of uncertainty.

"No, you're not married. I know you haven't given my place to anyone. And I also know Lisa isn't your biological daughter," he said, surprising me.

"What? How did you...?" I trailed off, bewildered.

He ruffled my hair with a smile. "Do you really think I'm stupid? Lisa is turning eight next month, so if you're her father, you probably had to be with her mother before us. And I know I'm your first," he whispered proudly.

I couldn't believe he knew everything already. "Don't worry, you don't need to explain anything to me. You said she's your daughter, so she is. And now she's mine too. I don't care what people think, what my family says. I don't give a shit about anyone's opinion. From now on, she's our daughter. We'll take care of her together. I promise you I will never give you a reason to complain."

The weight of his confession settled over me, and I realized that this was a moment I had dreamt of, even during the darkest days of our separation. Despite everything we had been through, the love between us had never faded.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I reached out to touch the ring, feeling the cool metal beneath my fingertips. It was beautiful, a symbol of the love and commitment we shared.

"Then let's get married," I finally whispered, my voice barely above a breath.
A smile spread across Alex's face, lighting up the room with joy.
I took another ring from the box and slipped it onto his finger with care and reverence.

In that moment, surrounded by the warmth of his embrace, I knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, we would face them together.

Our love had endured, stronger than ever, and I was ready to embark on this new chapter of our lives as husbands.

He had waited for me for seven years, so I knew he would never make me cry again.

I also realized that what happened in the past was the result of my insecure feelings. But I'm not the same Leo from the past. I don't feel scared of small things or insecure anymore.