My mysterious fiance

Previously

…"What happens now?" Elara asked, her voice barely a whisper. The question hung in the air, not of fear, but of anticipation. Liam’s thumb brushed over her knuckles. "Now," he said, his smile widening, a genuine, open smile that always made her heart flutter, "we build something new. Something real. Something that belongs to us." The city lights twinkled outside the window, a million tiny stars mirroring the hope that had begun to bloom in Elara's chest. The gilded cage was gone, replaced by an open sky, and for the first time in a long time, she felt truly free to fly.