I wasn’t supposed to overhear it. But maybe I was meant to.

There’s something about family gatherings that always feels familiar. Warm. Chaotic. Comforting.

Today was no different.

Our daughter, Lily, was seven months old, and every time we visited Jason’s parents, she was the center of attention. Jason’s mom fussed over her, while his aunts and uncles passed her around, taking turns cooing and doting on her.

I sat on the couch outside, watching them, feeling a sense of contentment wash over me.

“She’s just such a beautiful baby, Aria,” Jason’s aunt said. “Look at those eyes!”

I smiled at her, wondering how different everything could have been if Jason’s family hadn’t accepted us as we were.

Jason was in the kitchen with his mom, helping prepare dinner and getting everything ready for the grill outside. He always seemed so at ease in these moments, slipping effortlessly into the role of devoted son, loving husband, and doting father.

It hadn’t always been that way. At least, not in the beginning.

We were married young. I mean, I was only 20, and Jason had just turned 21. Our marriage was arranged by our parents in an effort to strengthen a business deal.

At first, I hated everything about it. I mean, Jason and I were only given two months to get to know each other before the wedding.

I wasn’t sure if love could grow in such a short amount of time. Especially between two people who were practically strangers.

But we tried.

And day by day, we learned each other’s quirks, built trust, and started creating a life together.

“I know that our relationship is based on our parents, Ari,” Jason said one day when we were getting ice cream together. “But we’ve both decided that we’re in this for the long haul. Right?”

“Right,” I agreed, adding chocolate sauce to my sundae.

“We can be happy, Aria,” he said, picking the cherry off my ice cream.

Things moved fast after that. We got married at a vineyard my father owned. And just a few months into our marriage, I found out I was pregnant with Lily.

The news hit us unexpectedly, and we were both hesitant about keeping our baby.

“What do you want to do?” he asked me one morning when I sat and looked at the pregnancy test.

“Keep her. I think the baby is a girl,” I said.

And just like that, it was decided.

Neither of us were prepared for it, but Jason stepped up in ways I hadn’t expected. After the business deal went through, my parents moved to a different state, leaving me to fend for myself in my marriage with a baby on the way.

Instead, Jason spoke to his parents and decided to take a year off work from his job at his father’s company to support me.

From that moment on, he was by my side, through every bout of morning sickness, every doctor’s appointment, and every sleepless night.

I leaned into his support, but at the back of my mind, I wondered if he ever felt the weight of it all. Jason was many things, but emotional wasn’t one of them. He rarely talked about his feelings and what this new life together meant to him.

But today, as the noise of family surrounded me, I couldn’t help but think about how far we’d come.

I stood up and quietly headed down the hallway, planning to check on Jason and Salma, my mother-in-law, in the kitchen.

But halfway there, I heard his voice.

I paused, not wanting to interrupt. He was speaking in a tone that I’d never quite heard before.

“I don’t know what I’d do without Aria and Lily, Mom,” Jason said softly.

I froze in place, my heart pounding. I hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but something about the way Jason said my name held me captive.

His voice lowered.

“She’s changed my life, Mom. Like before, I was just interested in parties and chilling on the boat. But now? I wake up every day and think about how lucky I am. I mean, I never really imagined this kind of happiness.”

I stayed hidden just around the corner from the kitchen arch, straining to hear every word. My mind raced as I tried to process the depth of his emotion.

Jason wasn’t the kind of guy to wear his heart on his sleeve like this. And if I’m being really honest, I had been wondering whether our little life was good enough for him.

We had gone from strangers to married to being parents in less than a year. Everything was rushed. So, I wondered whether his feelings for me were true.

But now? Hearing this?

I wasn’t so insecure anymore.

“I wouldn’t be half the man I am without her,” he continued.

There was a pause, and all I could hear was something being chopped.

“That’s beautiful, honey,” Salma said. “I’m glad that you feel this way. You know, when Dad and Aria’s father came to their arrangement, I wasn’t sure about it because of your age. I thought that we were setting you two up for divorce or failure in general. But you guys hit it off and made something wonderful.”

“I don’t tell Ari enough, but she’s everything to me. And Lily, my God! That little girl has taught me more about love than I ever thought possible.”

“That’s the love of a parent, my boy,” Salma said. “And the feeling that comes with being in love and at peace with your relationship.”

Tears filled my eyes, and I pressed my hand to my mouth, trying to hold back the sob that threatened to escape.

Jason had no idea that I was there, listening to the most beautiful confession I had ever heard. I wanted to run into the kitchen, wrap my arms around him, and tell him how much those words meant to me.

But I stayed rooted to my spot, overwhelmed by the weight of what I’d just overheard.

Instead, after a few minutes, I walked outside to join the rest of the family as they played with Lily.

I sat down, pretending everything was normal. I mean, it was, but it was also so much better. The world seemed brighter.

I had been worrying about our future and whether we even had a future lined up. We were young, I knew that. But a part of me always felt like we were doomed from the start.

And I had always known that he cared, but I didn’t know he felt this deeply.

How had I missed that?

Was I too caught up in being Lily’s mother? Had I been ignoring Jason?

That evening, after we returned home and put Lily to bed, the silence between us felt heavy. Jason sat beside me on the couch, his hand resting on my knee as he ate some of the leftover dessert we brought home.

“You’ve been quiet,” he said, his voice soft. “Is something on your mind?”

I bit my lip, unsure of how to begin.

I wanted to tell him everything I’d heard, but I didn’t know how Jason would react.

Finally, I took a deep breath.

“I overheard you today… when you were in the kitchen with your mom.”

Jason’s eyes widened for a moment before he glanced down.

“What did you hear?” he asked.

“You said… you said that you wouldn’t be the man you are without me. You said I’m everything to you.”

“You heard that?” he gasped.

I nodded.

“I was coming to see if you guys needed help. Lily was with the rest of the family. Jason, I had no idea. I mean, I knew you loved me, but hearing you say that…”

“Aria, I meant it,” he said quietly. “I don’t say it enough. I know that. But it’s true, Aria. You’ve made me a better person, and I can’t imagine my life without you. Without Lily. You two are everything.”

The next day, I wanted to show Jason how much his words meant to me. I spent most of the day cooking his favorite meal, and I decorated the house with candles and notes detailing all the things I loved about him written down.

When Jason walked in that evening, his face lit up.

“What’s all this?” he asked, smiling.

“This,” I said. “Is my way of saying thank you. For everything.”

We put Lily to bed and had our romantic dinner. And in that moment, I realized that arranged marriage or not, we were happy. And we were in love.

And that we had made it.

What would you have done?