Ethan and Alex were up early, making final adjustments to the proposal setup. As planned, Ethan sent a message to Olivia, giving her a heads-up about the surprise proposal for Emma. Half asleep, Olivia groggily picked up her phone. Her eyes squinted at the screen, and she immediately noticed something odd—her phone lit up with a message from "Honeybun ❤️🐻."
Confused and still half-dreaming, she instantly replied, *"Dude, I'm married. I think you've got the wrong number."*
Ethan, who was already anticipating her reaction, burst out laughing, shaking his head at her sleepy state. He quickly responded, *"I know, Liv, and I also know that I'm lucky to be your husband."*
Startled, Olivia blinked her eyes wide open, finally registering the familiar number under the silly contact name. It *was* Ethan. She sat up, feeling a bit more awake now, and shot back a quick reply: *"When did you change your name on my phone? And why are you pinging me when you could've just walked in here?"*
Ethan grinned mischievously at her message. He sent her a longer text this time, explaining the whole plan: *"I didn't want to risk blowing Alex's surprise for Emma by walking in. He's going to propose today, and I need your help with the treasure hunt part of the plan."*
Olivia's eyes widened in excitement, the drowsiness completely vanishing as the realization hit her. She turned to see Emma soundly asleep next to her, completely unaware of what was about to happen.
Without making a sound, Olivia slipped out of bed and tiptoed out of the room. As she stepped into the hallway, she saw Ethan waiting with a beaming smile on his face. She approached him with a grin of her own, though the moment she was close enough, she playfully punched him in the stomach. "So… *Honeybun*?" she demanded, raising an eyebrow.
Ethan laughed, holding his stomach dramatically. "Ow! Alright, alright! It was you who called me that last night, remember? When I carried you to bed, you mumbled 'I love you, honeybun.' So, I thought it was only fair to make it official!"
Her face flushed beet red at the revelation. "I said *what*?"
He smirked. "Yep, that's right. And to be honest, I kind of like it." Olivia tried to walk away, mortified, but Ethan grabbed her at the last second, pulling her into a tight hug. He kissed her forehead softly, murmuring, "You're adorable when you're embarrassed, you know that?"
Olivia swatted at him playfully before collecting herself. "Okay, fine, *Honeybun*," she teased back, "let's focus on the proposal plan. What do I need to do?"
Ethan grinned, knowing he'd won that little teasing battle. "Alright, here's the deal. I need you to be with Emma when she wakes up. Help her find the first clue for the treasure hunt that'll lead her to Alex in the dome garden. The final destination is the proposal spot, which we've set up with lanterns, flowers, the whole deal. You'll guide her through the clues, but make sure to act casual. She can't know what's coming."
Olivia's face lit up with excitement as she nodded. "Oh, this is going to be *so* fun!" she whispered, already eager to wake up her friend. "I'm on it!"
She dashed back to the bedroom, gently shaking Emma awake. "Rise and shine, sleepyhead! We've got a fun day ahead!" Olivia said, her voice filled with energy and excitement. Emma groaned, still half asleep, but Olivia couldn't contain her smile. This was going to be an unforgettable day.