"This lake…" Maximilian said, his gaze shifting from the frozen expanse back to her, his voice quieter than usual. "It might not be the same as the one from our previous life… but…"
His words trailed off as he reached into his pocket.
When his hand came out again, it held a small velvet box.
For a heartbeat, the world seemed to still.
Catherine's breath caught as she took a step back, her boots slipping slightly against the thin layer of snow beneath her. She steadied herself quickly, but her heart was already racing, her pulse loud in her ears.
This was it.
Maximilian looked at her, and for the first time since she had known him, there was something unguarded on his face.
Nervousness.
His composure wasn't gone, but it had cracks now. His breathing was heavier, his fingers tightening ever so slightly around the box, as though he was holding onto courage along with it.
Catherine had never seen him like this.
And somehow, that made everything feel even more real.
