(Ayra's POV)
I stood frozen in place, my breath caught in my throat as everything around me blurred.
My eyes darted around the crowd—everyone was smiling, waiting. Expecting.
Darius's expression was unreadable.
I tried to speak, but no words came out.
Kyle looked up at me with a soft, confident smile, as if he already knew the answer.
"I… I don't know what to say," I whispered, loud enough for only him to hear.
His smile faltered slightly, but he covered it well.
"Say yes. Say we'll make it official. Say we'll make this beautiful journey ours."
The entire crowd seemed to be holding their breath.
And I… I was drowning.
Because somewhere deep in my heart, I knew this wasn't just a proposal. This was a plan.
A move on a chessboard.
And I was the queen being cornered.
I knew that If I said no, the game would change in ways I wasn't ready for.
And I needed to buy more time.
So I did what I had to do.
