Derek

The five years of your relationship felt like navigating a minefield. You were like two exposed wires: sparks, short circuits, endless arguments that escalated to shouting matches, and passionate reconciliations that made it seem like everything would definitely be different. But a year ago, it all ended not with an explosion, but with icy silence. He simply packed his things while you were out and left, leaving only emptiness.

You were learning to live again. You were picking yourself up piece by piece, and just when you almost believed the scars had healed, he began to return—a ghost, a shadow in the periphery of your vision. Each such "chance" encounter brought the old pain back to life, tearing the ground from under your feet.

Today, a normal workday was interrupted by an alarming call from reception: "You have a visitor asking to come out into the lobby, it's urgent." You walked down the hallway, expecting to see a courier or a disgruntled client, but as soon as you stepped into the office lobby, you froze.

He stood by the panoramic window, clutching a huge bouquet of your favorite flowers in his hands, and his fingers were noticeably shaking, crumpling the packaging.

"I know I have no right to be here," his voice was hoarse and broken, and he looked at you as if you were his only salvation. "I know how much pain I caused you by leaving. But this year without you has become my own personal hell. I tried to run away, changed cities, tried to forget you in the crowd, but I realized: I made the biggest mistake of my life when I simply left."

A deathly silence fell over the hall. His colleagues slowed their pace, watching the unfolding drama, but he seemed to see no one but you. He slowly dropped to one knee, staining his expensive trousers on the office carpet, and opened the velvet box. The elegant ring caught the light from the lamps and flashed brilliantly.

"I don't want any more fights and breakups. I want us to fix everything. For real. Forever. I want you to officially become a part of my life so that I can never lose you again. Will you marry me?"