Chapter 300. All In

Lara freezes, her heart pounding as she takes in the sight of him. Zach looks different—older, more manly—but there’s something in his eyes that hasn’t changed. That same spark of mischief and warmth that once drew her to him like a moth to a flame.

“Zach,” she says, her voice catching in her throat. “What are you doing here?”

He takes a deep breath and steps forward. “I’ve been thinking about us, about everything that’s happened. And I realized something. I can’t let you go, Lara. Not again. I know I messed up before, but I’ve spent every day since trying to make up for it, even if you didn’t know.”

Lara’s breath hitches as she listens, emotions swirling in a tumultuous mix. “Zach, what are you saying?”

“I’m saying that I love you, I always have,” he says, his voice steady despite the vulnerability in his eyes. “I never stopped loving you. And I want to spend the rest of my life proving that to you. Will you marry me, Lara?”

The words hang in the air b