[Music recommendation: Yehezkel Raz - Deep Blue Sea]
.
.
As Aliana finished speaking, a profound silence settled over the room.
Outside, the heavy rain had finally stopped, leaving only the soft pitter-patter of lingering droplets echoing in the air.
Yet the young couple remained lost in their own world, their gazes locked onto one another.
Like gravity itself…. that strange magnetic pull between them quietly drew them closer until they found themselves slowly leaning toward one another, almost subconsciously.
And this time, Alester and Portia saw it clearly before their very eyes.
This… was not something that could be faked.
They had heard every word spoken earlier, and until now, Alester had remained convinced that perhaps his daughter had only agreed to this marriage because of the six-month deadline he had once given her.
