Elias stood before the half-finished house, sunlight glinting off the metal scaffolding as workers moved about the site. The air smelled of fresh cement and sawdust, and the faint rhythm of hammers echoed through the wide compound.

“Mr. Carter,” one of the contractors called, hurrying toward him with a clipboard. “The interior wall framing’s done, but we’ll need your confirmation on the master suite’s extension before we move to the roofing.”

Elias nodded, taking the clipboard and scanning the plans. “We’ll go with the larger window design. Maya loves natural light,” he said quietly, almost to himself.

The man smiled. “Your fiancée must be a lucky woman, sir.”

Elias gave...