The crowd erupted into cheers and applause. I was completely caught off guard. My mouth fell open slightly as I looked around, searching for someone to confirm what I'd just heard.
"Go on, sweetie," Mary said, giving me a gentle nudge. "You deserve this moment. I'll go find Gwen and make sure she behaves herself."
Still in shock, I found myself walking toward Richard. My heart raced, not from nerves but from sheer surprise. As I reached him, I whispered, "What's going on? Why didn't anyone tell me about this?"
He smiled, taking both of my hands in his. "Because I wanted to surprise you. This time, I'm marrying you properly."
Tears welled up in my eyes as he dropped to one knee. The room fell silent, all eyes on us. He pulled out a ring, a sparkling diamond.
"Benita Williams," he said, looking up at me. "Will you marry me all over again?"
