REALITY
CHAPTER 32
REALITY
Everyone settled back into their seats as the DJ brought the music up again. The dance floor filled once more with laughter, and conversations drifted across the venue.
As the evening deepened, guests began to offer their goodbyes, stopping to congratulate Jeffrey and Christine before heading out. Eventually, only the Reyes and Javier families remained. While the staff quietly packed away, qqq
both families agreed to meet the following week to begin planning the wedding.
Once their families had finally left, Jeffrey and Christine stayed behind to personally thank every member of the crew for making the celebration possible. Only after the last truck had been loaded did they make their way outside.
Their fingers remained intertwined as they walked toward the car. Jeffrey glanced at her; his smile was warm and sincere. “Thank you for saying yes.”
Christine smiled, the gratitude filling her eyes. “Thank you for asking.”
He laughed softly. “I wasn’t sure how tonight was going to end.”
She glanced down at the ring on her finger. “I don’t think it could’ve ended any better.”
When they reached the car, Jeffrey reached for the driver’s door, but Christine gently rested a hand over his. “You’ve had a few beers,” she said, holding out her hand. “I’ll drive.”
He looked at her for a second before breaking into an easy smile. “Okay. Safety first.” He handed her the keys, and they switched places.
Christine guided the car onto the quiet streets of Makati. The city had begun to settle for the night; traffic was light, the bright rush of the evening replaced by long, peaceful stretches of road. Neither of them felt the need to fill the silence. Sometimes they talked. Sometimes they laughed. Sometimes they enjoyed the quiet. After everything they’d been through, being together was enough.
Nearly half an hour later, Christine stopped the car into Jeffrey’s parking space beneath the condominium. They went to the elevator upstairs When the doors opened, Jeffrey unlocked the unit and held the door for her. “After you.”
Christine stepped inside. The condo welcomed them with its familiar stillness, and the city lights shimmered through the floor-to-ceiling windows, washing the living room in a soft, golden glow.
Jeffrey slipped off his shoes and loosened the top button of his dress shirt before dropping onto the sofa with an exhausted sigh. Christine laughed quietly, kicking off her heels beside him.
“What?” he asked, leaning his head back against the cushions.
“I think my social battery officially died.”
She smiled, settling beside him, close enough that their shoulders brushed naturally. For the first time all day, there were no guests waiting. No speeches. No photographers. No expectations. Just the two of them.
The quiet of the condo settled around them, a welcome contrast to the celebration they had just left behind. Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, Makati shimmered beneath the night sky. The city was still awake, but in here, everything felt still.
Jeffrey leaned back into the sofa and rested an arm along the backrest. His fingertips brushed lightly against Christine’s shoulder as his eyes drifted to the ring on her finger. “I still can’t believe it,” he whispered. “I honestly thought my heart was going to stop when I got down on one knee.”
Christine smiled, slowly turning the ring with her thumb. “You were shaking.”
He laughed. “I was.”
She looked up at him. “I thought you were going to fall over before I even had the chance to answer.”
“I probably would’ve,” he admitted, and they both laughed. The sound faded naturally into a comfortable silence. Jeffrey reached for her hand, intertwining their fingers once more. “Can I tell you something?”
Christine turned toward him. “Hmm?”
“When I reached into my pocket for the ring…” He shook his head with a quiet laugh. “I couldn’t breathe.”
She smiled knowingly. “I noticed.”
He blinked. “You did?”
“You kept flexing your fingers,” she said, demonstrating with her own hand. “Like this.”
Jeffrey looked down and laughed. “I was trying to convince myself I wasn’t about to pass out.”
“You hid it well.”
“I don’t think I did.”
“No,” she laughed softly. “You really didn’t.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I kept thinking… what if she says no?”
Christine gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “You should’ve had a little more faith.”
“I usually do,” he smiled. “Just… not today.”
A quiet silence settled between them before Christine spoke again. “Can I tell you something too?”
Jeffrey looked at her immediately. “Always.”
She lowered her eyes to the ring. “I didn’t decide today.”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I didn’t decide when you proposed.”
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He stared at her. “You didn’t?”
She shook her head, a small smile crossing her face. “I think… I’d already decided a long time ago.”
Jeffrey didn't say anything, simply waiting.
“I don’t even know when it happened,” she laughed quietly to herself. “It just did.”
His curiosity showed plainly on his face. “When?”
She met his eyes. “I think… it started when you stopped trying to impress me.”
Jeffrey smiled. “I wasn’t trying to impress you.”
“I know,” she said, smiling back. “That’s exactly why.” She began counting softly on her fingers. “You remembered my coffee. My favorite bench. You remembered I hate parsley.” She laughed. “You even remembered celery and cilantro.”
“I had to,” he smiled. “They’re important.”
She looked at him for a long moment. “You defended me when nobody else did. You never asked me to become someone else.”
Jeffrey’s smile slowly disappeared, and emotion settled quietly across his face.
“So…” Christine whispered, looking at the ring again. “…by the time you got down on one knee tonight, my answer had already been yes for quite a while.”
Jeffrey lowered his head and laughed, trying unsuccessfully to hide how emotional he had become. “You’re really trying to make me cry on my birthday.”
Christine nudged his shoulder. “I thought engineers weren’t supposed to cry.”
“We don’t,” he paused. “We just leak occasionally.”
Christine burst into laughter, and he smiled as he watched her.
“There it is,” he said.
She looked at him. “What?”
“That laugh. I’ve missed hearing it.”
She rested her head against his shoulder again. “So… if I hadn’t walked across that hallway…”
Jeffrey’s eyes drifted toward the city lights. “I’ve actually thought about that. If someone had told me a year ago that walking across a hallway would completely change my life… I would’ve laughed.”
Christine smiled. “I’m glad you walked.”
He turned toward her. “So am I.”
Another peaceful silence settled between them. Neither felt any need to rush. For the first time in months, they weren’t trying to solve a problem; they were simply enjoying the moment they had fought so hard to reach.
Jeffrey let out a long, tired yawn and slumped against the cushions.
Christine stood up, heading toward his room to find a clean, comfortable pair of shorts and a t-shirt. When she came back, she handed them to him. “You should take a bath and change before we try to get any sleep.”
Jeffrey nodded, heading toward the bathroom. He paused at the door and glanced back at her with a playful smirk. “Okay. Just make sure you’re still here when I’m done.”
Christine chuckled, her eyes meeting his with a warm, steady look. “Of course.”
The bathroom door clicked shut, followed by the sound of the shower. Christine sank back onto the sofa, the silence of the condo finally settling over her. The adrenaline of the day was bottoming out, leaving her with a heavy, peaceful kind of tired. She glanced at her hand—the gold band caught the dim light, and a fresh wave of quiet joy hit her. It was official.
She stood up and wandered to the window, staring out at the city. It was late, but the streets were still glowing. She thought about the afternoon—the tense talks with his mom and Amanda, the way the air had shifted from sharp to soft. Everything that had been holding them back had finally snapped, and for the first time in forever, the weight was gone.
The shower cut off. A moment later, the bathroom door creaked open.
Jeffrey stepped out, hair damp, wearing the clothes she’d grabbed for him. He looked younger—the CEO mask completely stripped away. He caught her watching him and walked over, his eyes softening. He didn't say a word; he just pulled her into his arms, resting his chin on her head. He smelled like soap and the specific, familiar scent of him.
"You're still here," he murmured, his voice thick with relief.
Christine leaned back, her hands resting on his chest. "Told you."
Jeffrey let out a long, shaky breath, pulling her a little closer. "I just had to make sure I wasn't dreaming."
"You're not," she promised, tracing his jawline. "We're just getting started."
He leaned down, pressing his forehead against hers. "I really like the sound of that."
Christine said “I will take a bath also, did you kept my spare clothes from the sleepover last week?”
Jeffrey smiled and answered “Yes, it's in my closet, nice and cleaned”
Christine’s eyes lit up with relief. She let out a soft laugh, feeling a wave of comfort wash over her. “You actually kept them? You’re a lifesaver, Jeff.”
Jeffrey just leaned against the doorframe, watching her with a look of pure contentment. “I told you, I wanted to make sure you were comfortable whenever you decided to stay.”
Christine stood up, smoothing down her hair. “Well, I’m definitely taking you up on that offer.”
As she walked toward his closet, she felt a strange, happy flutter in her chest. Seeing her own clothes neatly folded away in his space—it wasn’t just about having something to wear; it was the realization that she really was home.
She pulled out her bag, and sure enough, everything was perfectly clean and ready. She turned back to him, flashing a bright, grateful smile. “You’re the best, birthday boy. Don’t go anywhere while I’m in there.”
Jeffrey chuckled, his gaze following her as she headed toward the bathroom. “Nowhere else I’d rather be.”
Christine disappeared into the bathroom, and Jeffrey stayed right where he was, leaning against the bedroom wall. He listened to the faint sounds of the water running and the rustle of fabric as she got settled. It was such a simple, domestic sound, yet it felt like the most significant change his apartment had ever undergone. For the first time in years, the space didn't just feel like a base of operations—it felt like a home.
A few minutes later, the door opened, and Christine stepped out. She was wearing the clothes from the previous week, her hair damp and swept up in a loose clip. She looked scrubbed clean, relaxed, and impossibly beautiful in the soft bedroom light.
She caught him staring and arched an eyebrow, a small, knowing smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "What?"
Jeffrey pushed off the wall, walking over to her. He didn't say a word; he just took her hand, bringing it up to his lips to press a lingering kiss against her knuckles, right where the gold band sat.
"Nothing," he said, his voice dropping to a low, quiet hum. "Just… I’m glad you’re here."
Christine’s smile softened into something deeply tender. She reached out, cupping his face with both hands, her thumbs tracing his cheekbones. "I’m glad I’m here, too."
He stepped closer, closing the small gap between them, and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her flush against him. The weight of the day—the speeches, the nervous tension of the proposal, the family dynamics—finally melted away entirely. There was just the quiet hum of the AC, the soft glow of the bedside lamp, and the feeling of her heart beating against his chest.
"Happy birthday, Jeff," she whispered against his neck.
He pulled back just enough to look her in the eyes, his expression earnest. "It’s been a hell of a day. But honestly? It's the best one I've ever had."
He led her toward the bed, the moonlight spilling across the duvet. As they climbed in, the exhaustion finally caught up, but for the first time in his life, Jeffrey didn't feel like he needed to plan for tomorrow or organize the next meeting. He just tucked her in, held her close, and listened to her steady, rhythmic breathing as she drifted off, knowing that when he woke up tomorrow, the ring on her finger would be the first thing he saw.
The following morning, the soft glow of dawn filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting long shadows across the living room. Christine stirred first, her head still resting on Jeffrey’s shoulder. She shifted, her gaze lingering on the ring that caught the first rays of sunlight.
Jeffrey’s eyes opened slowly, his arm tightening around her instinctively. He didn’t reach for his phone or check the time. He simply watched her.
“Morning,” he murmured, his voice thick with sleep.
Christine smiled, leaning up to kiss his forehead. “Morning.”
He shifted, propping himself up on one elbow to look at her properly. The exhaustion from the night before had faded, leaving behind a quiet clarity. “We have to face the world today, don’t we?”
“Eventually,” she conceded, tracing the line of his jaw. “But not just yet.”
He let out a low laugh, pulling her closer. “I could get used to this.”
They lingered there in the quiet of the condo, the city outside beginning its steady, rhythmic pulse. The urgency of the wedding preparations, the guest lists, and the logistics—all of it felt distant, pushed to the periphery by the simple reality of waking up together.
For once, there was no plan to follow. No deadline to meet. Just the morning, and the quiet promise of what lay ahead.
to be continue…