Ch 24

A few months had passed since that night, and life had settled into a rhythm — our work schedules still demanding, but our moments together sweeter than ever. One evening, I was hunched over a patient file, scribbling notes and reviewing charts, when Lea appeared at the doorway, leaning casually against the frame.

"Honey... when are we going to get married?" she asked, smirking, a glint of mischief in her eyes.

I didn't even look up, fingers still moving across the file. "Up to you, hon," I replied, expecting her to let it slide.

Her smirk widened. "Hmm... I'll take that as permission," she murmured, and I caught the playful note in her voice.

The next day, she was in full secret-agent mode. She texted me to dress up — nothing fancy, just nice, since we were "going to the mall." I complied, expecting a casual afternoon out, maybe some shopping or a quiet lunch.

When we finally stepped out of the car, my brows furrowed. The building before us wasn't a mall. Not even close.

"Uh... hon?" I said cautiously, my tone a mix of curiosity and suspicion. "I don't think this is the mall."

Lea's smirk grew impossibly wider, her eyes dancing with glee. "Surprise, hon."

I blinked, realization dawning. "You... we're at the courthouse?"

"Yep, hon. Up to me, remember?" she teased, recalling my words from the night prior.

I groaned, a mixture of exasperation and amusement, but couldn't help the laughter that bubbled up. "Honey... ikaw talaga. Ang pasaway mo."

"And you love it, hon," she replied, taking my hand and tugging me toward the entrance.

Inside, the clerk smiled as we approached, and I felt my pulse quicken. Every step toward the counter was surreal, a mix of disbelief, joy, and the thrill of finally crossing a milestone we'd joked about for months.

Lea leaned closer as we signed the forms, her lips brushing my ear. "You're mine now, hon. Officially."

I laughed, heart full, eyes glistening. "Honey... this is the best kind of surprise. You're relentless, you know that?"

"And you love me for it, hon," she whispered, hand tightening around mine. "Forever and always."

And in that moment, the courthouse felt like the most magical place on earth, because I was there with her, choosing each other — just like we always had, only now... completely and officially.

Lea had kept up her promise — every mischievous grin, every whisper of a secret plan — and now, standing there hand in hand, I could finally say it: I was no longer a De Torre. No more shadows, no more expectations weighing me down. I was Mrs. Salonga.

Tears pricked my eyes as I looked at her, overwhelmed by everything that had led us here. "Honey... thank you," I whispered, my voice trembling. "For everything... for choosing me, for fighting for me, for... just being you."

Lea smiled, brushing her thumb lightly over my knuckles. "Hon... you don't have to thank me. I chose you, and I'd do it a thousand times over. You're mine, now officially. Forever."

I laughed softly through the tears, heart full. "Honey... you really did it. You really made me Mrs. Salonga. I... I can't believe it."

She leaned in and kissed my temple, letting the moment linger. "Believe it, hon. You're finally free from all the noise. From all the... shadows. Just us."

I wiped a tear from my cheek, still holding her hands tightly. Then, feeling playful, I tilted my head, smirk forming despite the emotion. "So... honey... what's next? Kids, maybe?"

Lea froze, eyes wide for a split second, her mouth opening and closing like she wasn't sure how to respond.

I burst into laughter, squeezing her hand. "I'm just joking... or maybe I'm not, hon. We'll see."

She laughed too, a mix of exasperation and amusement. "Honey... you are impossible. But... I love it. And you. Both."

I rested my forehead against hers, laughing softly, heart full of everything and nothing all at once. "Honey... this is perfect. You're perfect."

"And you, hon... are mine," she whispered, pulling me into another embrace. "Mrs. Salonga, officially. And forever."

In that embrace, with the courthouse fading behind us, I felt it fully — no shadows, no fears, no expectations. Just us. Just love. Just freedom. And for the first time, I knew we were exactly where we were supposed to be.