The Proposal
After college, Noah got a job as a software developer.
It wasn’t glamorous, but it was stable.
A year later, on a rainy evening that reminded him of our orphanage days, he rolled his wheelchair into the kitchen where I was cooking pasta.
He held out a small ring.
“Lena,” he said, nervous but determined, “we’ve been building our life together since we were kids. Will you marry me and keep building it with me forever?”
I didn’t hesitate.
Our Wedding
Our wedding was small but joyful.
A few friends from college came.
Our old orphanage director even attended and cried through the entire ceremony.
As Noah held my hands and said his vows, I realized something extraordinary:
Two children who had grown up with nothing had somehow built a life full of love.
That night we returned to our apartment exhausted and happy.
For the first time in my life, I truly felt like I belonged somewhere.
For illustrative purposes only
The Knock
The next morning, I woke up to a loud knock on the door.
Noah was still asleep beside me.
I slipped out of bed, wrapped myself in a sweater, and walked to the front door.
When I opened it, I froze.
A man stood in the hallway.
He was tall, dressed in a dark coat, his hair neatly combed. He looked to be around sixty.
But what struck me most was the seriousness in his eyes.
“Good afternoon,” he said politely.
“It’s morning,” I replied automatically.
