After I Finally Bought My First Apartment, My Father Demanded I Sell It and Hand the Cash to My Sister

When I pushed through the heavy brass doors of the courthouse and stepped out into the crisp, autumn air, it felt like I was breathing for the very first time in my life. The immense, suffocating weight that had rested on my chest for years was entirely, permanently gone. I walked down the marble steps, the rain having cleared to reveal a brilliant, golden afternoon sun.

I walked toward the parking lot, and my breath caught in my throat.

Leaning against the driver's side of my sedan, holding two large cups of coffee and a small bouquet of vibrant yellow sunflowers, was Lucas. He looked incredibly handsome in a dark peacoat, his intense hazel eyes locking onto mine the moment I appeared.

"What are you doing here, Lucas?" I asked, a massive, genuine smile breaking across my face as I walked toward him.

"I couldn't let you face the dragon entirely alone," he smiled back, handing me the coffee and the sunflowers. "Besides, I needed to make sure my favorite physical therapist survived the battle. How did it go?"

"Parole denied," I stated, the words tasting like pure, unadulterated freedom. "He is serving his full sentence. It's over, Lucas. It is finally, truly over."

Lucas’s face lit up with profound relief and fierce pride. Without a second thought, he reached out, wrapped his arms around my waist, and pulled me into a tight, incredibly warm embrace. I buried my face in his chest, inhaling the scent of cedar and rain, feeling safer than I had ever felt in my entire life.

When he pulled back slightly, he didn't let go of my waist. He looked down at me, his expression turning deeply serious, yet incredibly soft.

"Sophia," Lucas said, his voice dropping into a low, terrifyingly sincere register. "You are the strongest, most brilliant woman I have ever met. For the past two months, you have been my therapist, my confidant, and my inspiration. But your professional boundary is officially obsolete, because my knee is fully healed."

My heart hammered a frantic, beautiful rhythm against my ribs. "Is it?"

"It is," Lucas confirmed, a slow, devastating smile spreading across his lips. "Which means I am no longer your patient. So, I would like to formally ask you out on a real date. No clinics, no legal binders, no diners. A real date. Will you let me take you out tonight to celebrate your freedom?"