I was waiting for my fiancé, Alex, who was supposed to pick me up from work. Even though I had a car, it had become our little tradition since we first started dating.

Every morning, Alex drove me to work, and every evening he picked me up. It was a way to spend a little more time together, and I liked it. It made me feel cared for.

As I stood outside my office, I watched the cars go by, my eyes searching for Alex’s familiar vehicle. Finally, I saw Alex’s car pull into the parking lot. My heart did a little flip, and I felt a wave of happiness wash over me.

I approached the car, and when I opened the door, I saw a bouquet of flowers on the passenger seat. The sight of the beautiful flowers made a wide smile immediately appear on my face.

“Are these for me?” I asked Alex, taking the bouquet into my hands. The flowers were bright and colorful, and they smelled amazing.

“Of course, I wanted to make you happy,” he replied with a warm smile. I felt a rush of joy and got into the car, holding the flowers close.

“Thank you, Alex,” I said, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek. He looked at me with such love in his eyes, and it made my heart flutter. He started the car and drove out of the parking lot.

“I wanted to talk to you about something,” Alex said after a few minutes of comfortable silence.

“Wow, sounds serious,” I replied, trying to lighten the mood with a joking tone. I was a little nervous about what he might say.

“No, nothing like that,” he said, squeezing my hand. “It’s Lily’s birthday tomorrow, and she asked if I could be there. I want you to come with me.”

Lily was Alex’s daughter from his previous relationship. She was turning six. I had met her a few times when Alex picked her up on weekends. She was a sweet kid, but the thought of attending her birthday party made me uneasy.

“At your ex’s house? I’m not sure if it’s a good idea,” I said, feeling a knot form in my stomach.

“It’ll be fine. I already talked to Sarah, and she’s okay with it,” Alex reassured me, but I still felt uncertain.

“But it will still be uncomfortable,” I admitted, looking down at the flowers in my lap.

“I want you to be by my side,” Alex said softly. “Besides, you’re my fiancée now, and you’ll always be a part of Lily’s life.”

I smiled, feeling a warmth spread through me. It was nice to hear Alex talk about our future together. It made me feel secure and loved.

“Alright, I’ll go,” I said finally. Alex looked relieved and leaned over to kiss me again.

“Thank you, Emily,” he said. “It means a lot to me.”

I nodded, hoping that everything would go smoothly. The thought of spending time with Lily and Sarah was still daunting, but I trusted Alex. I knew he wouldn’t let anything bad happen.

The next day was my day off, so I had plenty of time to get ready. I was very nervous, so much so that my hands were shaking as I applied my makeup. My thoughts were all over the place. This was the first time I would see Sarah, Alex’s ex.

I had so many questions but didn’t want to bring them up with Alex. He never talked about her, and it seemed like a painful topic for him.

When Alex arrived to pick me up, I took a deep breath and stepped outside, feeling my legs shake with every step. I saw him waiting for me, looking calm and reassuring.

As soon as I got in the car, Alex gave me a concerned look. He took my hand and said, “Don’t worry, everything will go well.”

“I know, but I can’t help it,” I replied, my voice shaking a bit. Alex pulled me close and hugged me tightly. His embrace was warm and comforting.

“You know me too well,” I said, trying to smile. Alex kissed my forehead and let me go, but kept holding my hand.

“If you feel uncomfortable, let me know and we’ll leave,” he said, looking into my eyes. I could see how much he cared about me.

“Alright, thank you,” I said, feeling a bit more at ease.

Alex drove off, and within 15 minutes, we were standing near his ex’s house. The house was small but neat, with flowers blooming in the front yard.

“Ready?” he asked me. I just nodded, my nerves coming back. Alex got out of the car, then opened the passenger door and helped me out.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself, and we walked to the front door. Alex knocked, and within seconds, a young, attractive woman appeared.

“Hi!” Sarah said cheerfully. “We’ve been waiting for you! Come in.” She stepped aside to let us in. The inside of Sarah’s house was just as neat and beautiful as the outside.

“I’m Sarah,” she introduced herself, extending her hand with a friendly smile.

I shook her hand. “Emily,” I said, trying to match her friendliness.

“Oh, I know. Lily has already told me about you. She seems to like you a lot,” Sarah said.

“Well, I don’t know… I’ve always gotten along well with kids…” I stammered, feeling a bit shy.

“Don’t be modest. I’m glad she likes you,” Sarah said kindly. I felt a warmth inside, expecting her to be rude, but she was very nice.

Lily ran up to us and threw herself at Alex. “Daddy! What will you give me?” she asked immediately, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Alex laughed. “You’ll find out when you open the presents,” he said, picking her up. She giggled and hugged him tightly. He carried her to the backyard, where the party was likely to take place.

I followed, feeling a bit more relaxed now. Sarah smiled at me, and I smiled back, hoping the day would go well.

All day, I watched how Alex and Sarah interacted with Lily. They answered all her questions patiently, even the silly ones. Lily asked why the sky was blue and if dogs could talk, and they both gave her thoughtful answers.

It was clear that Lily was a wonderful, well-mannered, and friendly child, which was definitely due to her parents.

I looked at Alex and Sarah and thought about how good they looked together. They worked as a team to make Lily’s birthday special.

Although they didn’t communicate closely or warmly, there was no coldness or hostility between them either. They were respectful and kind to each other, which made the atmosphere pleasant.

By the end of the day, I realized how good and kind Sarah was. She even gave me food to take home when I mentioned I often ordered deliveries.

“You must be busy,” she said with a smile. “Here, take this. It’s homemade, and it will save you some time.” Her kindness touched me, and I felt grateful for her generosity.

As Alex and I drove home that evening, I decided to ask him a question that had been bothering me all day.

“Can I ask you something?” I said, looking over at him.

Alex nodded, keeping his eyes on the road. “Sure, what is it?”

“Why did you and Sarah break up? She’s wonderful,” I asked, my voice gentle.

Upon hearing this, Alex pulled over and stopped the car. I didn’t understand his reaction and felt a knot in my stomach.

He sighed deeply and looked down at his hands. “I cheated on Sarah with her friend,” he said, his voice filled with regret.

“Oh,” I whispered, shocked. “But why?”

“I was drunk and don’t remember anything from that night,” he explained. “But that friend told Sarah everything. A few days later, she packed up, took Lily, and left.”

Alex started crying. It was the first time I had seen him cry. Tears streamed down his face, and my heart ached for him.

“She said she didn’t hold a grudge against me but couldn’t stay with me either,” he continued, his voice breaking.

“I’m sorry,” I said softly, reaching over to hug him. I felt sad for both him and Sarah.

“Don’t think I’m with you just to replace her. I truly love you,” Alex said, looking into my eyes. “But I’ll always love Sarah. She’s someone I lost because of a stupid mistake.”

“Would you want her back?” I asked, fearing his answer.

“That’s impossible now,” he replied, shaking his head.

For the next twenty minutes, Alex cried in my arms. I held him tightly, feeling his pain as if it were my own. An idea formed in my mind that I could never have imagined before.

I decided to try to bring Alex and Sarah back together. It was clear they hadn’t fully moved on from each other, and maybe they could be happy again if someone gave them a little push.

I loved Alex deeply, and it hurt to think about this, but more than anything, I wanted him to be happy.

The next day, I took a bold step. I secretly took Alex’s phone and arranged a meeting with Sarah on his behalf. My hands shook as I typed out the message, and my heart raced as I pressed send.

I didn’t know if it was a good idea or how it would turn out, but their potential happiness and a complete family for Lily were worth at least trying.

Later, I asked Alex to go to a café with me. He agreed, though he seemed curious about why I was being so insistent. When we walked in and he saw Sarah sitting at a table, he looked at me with a worried expression, his eyes questioning.

“I think you two should talk,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “I want you to be happy, and if that means being with her, so be it.”

“Emily, wait,” Alex tried to protest, but I gently pushed him toward Sarah and left the café to give them a chance to talk alone.

I stood across the street, my heart pounding in my chest. I occasionally glanced at them through the window. They talked for over an hour, both of them crying at times.

It was hard to watch, but I knew it was necessary. Eventually, they finished their conversation and hugged.

Sarah left the café and walked toward me, her eyes red from crying. I felt a mixture of fear and hope as she approached.

Sarah approached me, her cheeks still wet from tears. I could see the pain in her eyes, but also a sense of relief.

“You did something sneaky,” she said, her voice trembling a bit. “You texted me from Alex’s phone, didn’t you?”

“Yes, but it was with good intentions,” I admitted, feeling nervous. “You both deserve happiness.”

“You’re right,” she said, nodding slowly. “But that happiness has to be found separately. Our relationship is in the past.”

“You look so good together, and I thought maybe it wasn’t too late to change things,” I said, trying to explain my reasoning.

“I loved Alex. We had problems like everyone else, and we tried to solve them. We even thought having a child would help, and it did,” Sarah said, her eyes reflecting the memories. “But when Alex cheated on me, my whole world collapsed. I don’t hold a grudge against him, but I can never be with him after that.”

In my desire to reconcile them, I hadn’t thought about how painful it was for Sarah. “I’m sorry, I just had this idea and—”

Sarah interrupted me. “It’s okay. I’m very grateful you did this. We finally talked everything out and can both move on. You and Alex are a great couple. I think you’re really the one he needs, if you still want him after everything you’ve learned about him.”

“Yes, I love him,” I said, feeling the weight of my words.

“Then don’t give your love to someone else,” Sarah said, her tone kind but firm.

“I just don’t know if he’ll ever love me as much,” I confessed, my insecurities bubbling to the surface.

“He already does. His ‘love’ for me was actually driven by his guilt,” Sarah explained, looking at me with understanding. “But I hope after this conversation, everything will change.”

She stepped closer and hugged me tightly. I hugged her back, feeling a sense of closure and gratitude. A few minutes later, she let me go and added, “Don’t let the past ruin your present.” Her words lingered in the air as she walked away.

I watched her leave, feeling grateful to have met her. She had given me something invaluable: clarity and hope. I saw Alex come out of the café, smiling and holding my favorite coffee.