I Made His Wife’s Dress Now I’ll Marry Another Chapter 68
A year later, Sofia turned eighteen.
The temporary guardianship ended automatically on her birthday.
Her lawyer placed the termination papers in front of her. She read every page, then signed her own name.
“So now you can’t sign school documents for me anymore,” she said.
“That’s exactly how it should be.”
“The apartment and the insurance all go back under my name, too.”
“Congratulations.”
She didn’t leave Visible Seam.
The next day, she submitted a formal apprentice application. My mother and two other patternmakers conducted the interview. As agreed, I recused myself.
She earned the place on her own.
That night, we had birthday cake in the studio. When Julien reached for the last slice, he took a very small box from his pocket.
The room went silent.
“Don’t panic,” he said. “This time, it is a ring. But I’m not asking for an answer today.”
Sofia rolled her eyes. “Then why pull it out in front of everybody?”
For once, Julien seemed genuinely at a loss.
I took the box but didn’t open it.
“What exactly are you asking?”
“Clara, would you be willing to marry me, after you’ve had time to think it through?”
“What’s the deadline?”
“There isn’t one.”
“And if I say no?”
“The door to the studio next door still opens tomorrow under our rental agreement.”
I looked at him and suddenly remembered that temporary husband in the hospital lobby.
Back then, I had needed someone to stand close enough that no one would dare sign for me again.
Now, I didn’t need anyone’s name to protect myself.
And because of that, I could finally decide to keep someone beside me for no reason other than that I wanted to.
“You don’t have to wait,” I said, opening the box. “Yes.”