It all started in March 2024 at our friends Victor and Ayo Hopo’s traditional wedding introduction in Dallas. Funny enough, we were supposed to meet months earlier on a virtual date with the Hopos, but someone (no names mentioned!) got sick and never rescheduled. When we finally met in person in Dallas for their introduction ceremony, P-Boy was a little salty but still a gentleman. He opened the door for me, we flipped through Ayo’s family photo albums, and had breakfast together. I couldn’t finish my food, and that’s when he “begged” me for my last piece of chicken… and yes, I gave it to him. Meeting face-to-face for the first time was nice! We spent time hanging out with the couple—went to church together, enjoyed a candlelight live music tribute to Taylor Swift, and caught up again at the Hopo’s housewarming party. But then… someone left that party without saying goodbye. And just like that, we didn’t talk or see each other again—for six whole months. (Yes, you guessed it—Essence was really playing hard to get.) Fast forward to October 2024 in Lagos, Nigeria. That’s where the real story began. I (Prince) offered to drive Essence to her bridesmaid dress fitting. The fitting took nearly three hours, but I waited patiently, happy just to be there. Afterward, I invited her to come along with my friends and me for our own suit fittings so she could explore more of Lagos. From there, we spent more time together—hanging out with friends, visiting new spots in the city, and getting to know each other. It made a big difference for me seeing Essence in Lagos. Things started to feel more authentic and natural, and I knew I was going to miss being around her. On her last day before flying back to the US we hung out with friends, and during the ride back to her Airbnb, we started to plan the next time we would see each other. It was during that trip that I saw Prince's kindness, which really stood out to me and drew me to want to get to know him deeper. Once we both settled back home—me in Dallas and Prince in Germany—we connected and scheduled a phone call. Despite the time difference, one phone call led to another and soon we were speaking 3–4 hours every other day. It didn’t take long before I realized she was the special one. We slowly began introducing each other to our community, sharing about our dreams and goals in life, setting up virtual double dates, learning about our routines, and praying for each other. She became my best friend. What drew me in even more was her love for God, her deep connection to family, and her thoughtful perspective on life. We simply couldn’t stop talking. We started dating the very first day we saw each other during the Texas trip. From there, our journey took off—with adventures together in Austin, Houston, and even across the pond to Germany, Amsterdam, France, and London. It was during our time in London that Prince surprised me with the most beautiful proposal—one that exceeded my prayers.