Paul dropped to his knees, tears welling in his eyes. “Melissa, listen to me. It isn’t what it looks like.” His voice broke as he rushed to explain. “That cottage… I found it months ago. It was abandoned, falling apart. I’ve been restoring it for you—for us—for the baby.”
Melissa’s breath caught. Confusion warred with her fury.
Paul pressed on. “I wanted it to be a surprise. A home surrounded by nature, just like you always dreamed of. The woman you saw—Claire—she’s an old friend, an interior designer. She’s been helping me fix the inside. That’s all.”
Her anger faltered. Tears blurred her eyes as she studied his face, seeing only sincerity. “Paul… why didn’t you just tell me? We could have done it together.”
“I wanted it to be perfect,” he whispered. “A gift for you. I’m so sorry for the lies and the pain I caused. No more secrets, Melissa. From now on, we do this together.”
Melissa knelt beside him, clutching his hands. Her voice broke, but it carried both forgiveness and resolve. “Together.”