"What?!" Axel's shriek ricocheted off the floor-to-ceiling glass windows. A pigeon perched on the ledge outside startled and took flight, wings beating frantically against the afternoon sky. "Have you lost your mind?! You did what?!"
"You heard me, Axel." Lucas's tone remained as calm as a frozen lake. "I asked her to marry me." He paused, his digital pen hovering an inch above the glass tablet as a rare flicker of hesitation crossed his face.
The pause stretched just long enough to feel uncomfortable, the silence pressing against the room's pristine walls like an unwelcome guest. He cleared his throat, a slight rasp betraying his discomfort. "Well... not asked, exactly. But it came close to that."
