Chapter 1: The Man with the Silver Hair
The late afternoon sun stretched across the living room floor, painting everything in a golden hue. I sat on the edge of the couch, absentmindedly flipping through the mail — utility bills, pizza coupons, and a postcard from a car dealership offering a free oil change. Nothing that demanded urgency.
Then the doorbell rang.
I checked the clock. Serena always came around this time on Saturdays, part of our father-daughter ritual ever since she moved out after turning eighteen. I knew her knock, her bubbly voice echoing down the hallway, the way she kicked off her shoes and talked a mile a minute about her week.
But today, her voice sounded different.
She laughed. “No, nothing like that. It’s… actually serious.” She perched on the edge of the couch, fidgeting with the hem of her dress. “There’s someone I want you to meet.”
I raised an eyebrow. “A boyfriend?”
Her cheeks flushed. “Fiancé.”