Wil turned his head sharply toward her, as if remembering she existed only mid-thought. "Yes, you heard that right," he said, laughter bubbling up in his throat. "She is my fiancée. An official. Not unofficial like us…"
And then he grabbed Luoyang's hand forcefully, proudly, and raised it, showing the glittering diamond ring gleaming under the soft corridor lights.
"See, this is the ring I proposed to her with!" he shouted like a child showing off a trophy, as if the confession was a triumph and not a gut-punch.
Akiko's eyes widened. She stared at the ring, the diamond too clear, too undeniable. Her breath caught, once, sharply, but she didn't speak.
Luoyang, on the other hand, was mortified. Her frown deepened into something between embarrassment and exasperation. She clenched her jaw, turned to Wil, and seized his shoulders with a firm grip.
"How much did you drink to get this drunk?" she demanded.
