Chapter 138: Chapter 138

When Elena wasn’t with Ryder or her friends, she spent most of her time at her flower shop. She was thriving, caring for her plants as if they were her own children. Rosalind and Venus—who had received a long explanation about the encounter with Jacob—still worked for her and lent her a helping hand whenever necessary.

Today, Elena worked the early shift and left in the afternoon because she intended to visit her parents’ grave. She still missed them, but thankfully, the excruciating pain their loss had caused was dimming. The young witch took the train to her former hometown and walked through the streets until she reached her destination—the old cemetery on the hill. She passed through the rusty iron gate and followed the gravel path, taking in the peaceful scenery. She hadn’t visited in a while and noticed a few small changes. Some graves had been decorated with flowers suiting the season of late summer, while others were plainer and covered in moss. The cemetery’s proximity to nature had always appealed to her. It was the main reason why her parents had been buried here. Elena knew they would have liked this place.

Even though she enjoyed the cemetery’s calming atmosphere, she used to avoid it. In the past, every visit had roused a profound sadness in her; a heavy sensation of loss. However, Elena’s feelings had changed over time. As she walked toward her parents’ grave, she no longer had tears burning in her eyes, and her throat didn’t constrict with sorrow. She felt lighter than before, knowing that the witch hunter who had killed them could no longer torment her.

When she reached the gravestone, she was surprised to find it enveloped by flowers just like last time, but they had changed with the seasons. Dahlias in different shades of red, burgundy, and pink had sprouted from the earth. Their blossoms were beautiful, each consisting of countless layers of petals. Despite their delicate exterior, these flowers were able to withstand harsh weather conditions—due to this, dahlias were often associated with inner strength.

Elena knew all this because her mother had grown dahlias in their garden. Seeing them here sparked a wistful smile on Elena’s lips. She kneeled and touched one of them, wondering how they had grown here. It was as if they were guarding her parents’ last resting place.

“Hi, mom and dad. I came here to tell you that everything’s fine now. I’m alright and… the people who threatened us no longer pose a danger. My clan and I took care of them, and the vampire council even supported us. The situation for us witches has improved a lot… I think you would have liked how it turned out,” she whispered and let go of the flower, brushing a lock of her hair behind her ear when the wind picked up.

“I finally got to know other witches and wizards, and they’re so kind and funny. Maybe I will even learn a few new spells from them, who knows? Oh, and before I forget… Ryder has been acting suspicious lately. I think he’s planning something. Last week, I caught him looking at the rings in my jewelry box. It seemed like he was interested in the size I’m wearing. I wonder what he’s up to.” Her smile widened and turned into a sunny beam. “Hopefully, he’ll propose soon.”

She took a deep breath, inhaling the sweet scent of the flowers. They were so pretty, she could have stayed and watched them all day, especially with today’s wonderful weather. It was windy, but the sun peeked through the clouds and warmed her face. Elena’s phone began ringing suddenly, distracting her and prompting her to reach for her purse. When she checked the caller ID, her eyes lit up.

“Hi Ryder, what’s up?”

“I just wanted to know when you’ll be home,” his warm voice said. Did she hear other noises in the background, perhaps Chump and Avocado? It sounded like he wasn’t alone.

“Oh, um, maybe in an hour? Why do you ask?”

“I was curious, that’s all. Get home safe, buttercup.”

“I will, see you later,” she replied and hung up after he said goodbye. Elena pursed her lips and inclined her head. “Just curious, huh? If that isn’t suspicious, I don’t know what is…”

She got up and stretched her legs, which were sore from kneeling for so long. “Well, looks like I should head home.” Elena took one more glance at her parents’ grave before she left, walking with a skip in her step as she made her way to the train station.

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The sun had already set when she entered the clan’s mansion. Elena looked for Ryder, but he wasn’t in his room, so she headed back to the lobby, where she ran into Helen and Edgar.

“Hi, have you seen Ryder? Isn’t he home?” Elena asked them, earning a giggle from her friend and a choked laugh from Edgar. Weird. The witch raised her eyebrows and put her hands on her hips.

“Okay, what’s going on?”

“Nothing, nothing,” Helen waved her hand and grinned. “Maybe Ryder isn’t in the house, you should take a look in the garden instead.”

“Huh, but it’s already dark outside. Why would he be in the garden?”

Helen shrugged.

“I suggest taking a look. It might be worth it,” Edgar winked conspiratorially and received a warning glance from his soulmate.

“Shh,” she hissed. “Edgar, be careful. You suck at keeping secrets.”

The couple started bickering with each other, so Elena decided to give them space and left the house in order to find Ryder. Her curiosity had increased and reached an enormous level—Ryder was definitely up to something, and the other clan members seemed to be aware of it. If her nagging suspicion turned out to be true, she might not be Ryder’s girlfriend for much longer…

She nervously rubbed her palms and trudged through the gate that served as the entrance to her flower garden, an area that was beautifully overgrown with plants. Someone—presumably Ryder—had turned on the small lamps that lined the cobblestone path, so Elena easily found her way.