WHEN I WAS 7 YEARS OLD, I CRIED AND SAID I WAS GOING TO MARRY MY NEIGHBOR. I WENT TO A JOB INTERVIEW 15 YEARS LATER — THE GENERAL MANAGER LOOKED AT ME AND SMILED: ‘THE GENERAL MANAGER… DID YOU APPLY TO BE HIS WIFE?

“Why?” I asked, unable to hide my surprise.

He smiled gently and explained that some words are impossible to forget, no matter how much time passes.

He then took out a small box from his pocket, and my heart began to race uncontrollably.

“Avery Blake, it has been fifteen years since you made the first proposal, and now it is finally my turn,” he said as he slowly knelt down.

“Will you marry me?” he asked, looking at me with sincerity and hope.

Tears streamed down my face as I remembered the little girl in the courtyard, the scraped knees, and the closed door that had once brought me so much pain.

In that moment, I realized that every part of my journey had led me to this exact place, and it was all worth it.

“Yes, I will marry you,” I said through laughter and tears, feeling happier than I ever had before.

Epilogue

Our wedding was simple but filled with warmth, surrounded by close family members, dear friends, and sunlight that made the day feel even more special.

My mother cried even more than I did, and she whispered that I had been right all along, even when I was just a stubborn little girl.