On my way home, Annie video-called me, her expression unusually serious.
“Are we still best friends? How long were you planning to keep this from me?”
Seeing her stern look, I was caught off guard. Had she somehow found out about my agreement to participate in Professor Davis’s time capsule experiment?
“I...” I stuttered.
Before I could figure out how to explain, Annie bombarded me with a flurry of words.
“I know your marriage was inevitable, but how could you not tell me about something as important as being pregnant? Lia, I’m your best friend!”
Pregnant? Me?
Annie’s face was full of grievances, while I was completely confused.
It turned out that one of her friends had seen Jared accompanying Molly to the hospital for a check-up that night and mistook her for me.
Ever since I started dating Jared, Molly had been copying my style of dressing and grooming. Given it was late at night and dimly lit, it wasn’t surprising they’d gotten it wrong.
I chuckled softly but didn’t bother to clarify.
—
Countdown: Day Four
At eight in the evening, a video of Jared accompanying his "girlfriend" to a prenatal check-up was suddenly released online by the paparazzi.
The news spread like wildfire, with headlines claiming that Jared and I were about to get married.
Looking visibly anxious, Jared rushed to explain himself to me.
“Sweetheart, it’s not what you think. She’s just an employee. She wasn’t feeling well that day, so I gave her a ride. That’s all.”
I ignored him, focusing instead on packing my things. Tomorrow was the first pre-test for entering the capsule.
To prevent any external interference, Professor Davis had gone to great lengths to create a humanoid replica of me. On the day I officially entered the time capsule, the replica would be used in a staged "traffic accident" to fake my death.
Seeing me neither crying nor angry, Jared grew visibly flustered.
He shuffled closer to me but hesitated to get too near.
I couldn’t help but find it ironic. The ever-composed Jared, always so confident in matters of love, now looked uneasy and unsure.
“Sweetheart, please don’t stay silent. If you’re upset, hit me. Do whatever you want to punish me, as long as it makes you feel better.”
Expressionless, I walked onto the balcony and answered Annie’s call.
She said she needed to talk to me urgently and asked me to come downstairs.
I went down and looked around but couldn’t find her.
As I pulled out my phone to call her back, the night sky suddenly lit up with bursts of fireworks.
I turned to see Jared holding a bouquet of flowers, kneeling on one knee to propose.
At that moment, Annie and a group of friends appeared out of nowhere, surrounding us with cheerful laughter.
Everyone started chanting excitedly, “Say yes! Say yes!”
All around us were the paintings Jared had created for me over the years, arranged beautifully under twinkling lights, creating a scene straight out of a fairy tale.
I had to admit, this was the proposal I’d dreamed of—romantic and heartfelt.
He held out a dazzling diamond ring, his hands trembling slightly as he offered it to me. His eyes, filled with deep affection and nervous anticipation, locked onto mine.
“Lia, I’ve made up my mind. Tonight, I’m officially proposing to you. Will you marry me?”
I froze, my throat tightening, and my nose stinging with emotion.
“...I will.”
As soon as I said those words, relief and pure joy spread across Jared’s face.
He carefully slipped the ring onto my finger, his eyes misting over as he kissed the back of my hand.
Overwhelmed with emotion, he stood and pulled me into a tight embrace.
At that moment, all our friends surrounded us, celebrating with cheers and laughter.
