And so, our game of cat and mouse has come to an end, our new adventure begins. From friends, and secret admirers in college, to the occasional romantic fling. Ashley and Edward have been in and out of each other's lives for over a decade. A fateful encounter while they were both living in downtown Chicago sparked the flame that would lead them to secretly compare all others to one another for years to come. While both are two driven individuals focused on their successes in life and their careers, that never stopped them from yearning for one another. Whether it was poor timing or life circumstances they struggled with getting the timing right. After years of friendship and passing encounters, Edward put his foot down and wanted more. One summer day while lounging poolside, Edward proposed the idea to Ashley to enter into an official relationship. To his surprise, she agreed without hesitation. Edward and Ashley have the same drive and ambitions. While their personalities are different, they compliment each other well. They were able to design a future that they could make their own, as things began to fall into place. Feeling for the first time that they found the one who they would want to spend forever with. Their forever began on October 15, 2022 outside of Brown Hall at SIUC where Edward got down on one knee and proposed to Ashley. This was the exact spot where he laid eyes on her many years ago…