Chapter 177

Chapter 177
Emily's POV

A few months later.

The roar of the crowd blurred into something softer as I crossed the stage, diploma clutched tight in one hand and my phone in the other, refreshing the text chain where Ethan, Alex, and Mason were arguing over the best parking spot near the auditorium. The ceremony had dragged—speeches about the future and becoming our best selves—but now that the weight of the leather folder was in my hands, real and final, everything felt suddenly lighter.

I spotted them immediately when I pushed through the double doors into the afternoon sun. Ethan stood with his arms crossed, grinning like he'd won something. Alex leaned against the brick wall in his pressed suit, looking out of place in the best way. Mason bounced on his heels next to them, holding a bouquet of sunflowers that looked comically oversized in his hands. The relief that rushed through me wasn't about the degree—it was about seeing them here, together, solid proof that the last four years hadn't been some elaborate fever dream I'd somehow survived.

"There she is," Ethan said, pushing off the wall and closing the distance between us in three long strides. He caught me around the waist and lifted me clean off the ground, spinning once before setting me down. "College graduate. Finally."

"Finally?" I laughed, shoving at his chest. "I did it in four years like a normal person."

"Felt like forty," Mason cut in, pressing the sunflowers into my arms before pulling me into a hug that smelled like vanilla and the fancy soap Alex kept buying in bulk. "Congratulations, Em."

Alex waited until Mason let go, then stepped forward and kissed my temple, his hand curving around the back of my neck in that way that still made my stomach flip. "Proud of you," he murmured against my hair, quiet enough that only I could hear it. "Knew you'd make it."

I wanted to say something smart or deflect with humor, but the words caught in my throat. Four years ago I'd been so convinced this moment would never come—that I'd end up trapped in the same cycle my mother had been caught in, that the violence and fear would follow me no matter how far I ran. But I'd run straight into these three instead, and they'd refused to let me fall.

"Group photo," Mason announced, already waving down a passing stranger—a mom in a floral dress who looked delighted to be asked. "We need documentation."

We clustered together on the steps, me in the middle with Ethan on one side and Mason on the other, Alex's hand resting on my shoulder from behind. The woman lifted my phone and squinted at the screen. "Okay, everyone smile! You all look so in love."

I felt Mason tense beside me, but before I could say anything the woman continued, her tone warm and curious. "Are these your brothers?"

The question hung there for half a second—awkward and well-meaning and completely off-base. I glanced at Ethan, who raised an eyebrow like he was waiting to see how I'd handle it, then at Alex, whose mouth had curved into something amused and expectant. Mason just looked at me, open and trusting in that way he always did when he wasn't sure what script we were following.

"No," I said, and my voice came out steadier than I expected. "They're closer than that."

The woman's smile widened, confused but polite, and she took the photo without asking for clarification. When she handed the phone back I looked at the screen and felt something warm and permanent settle in my chest. We looked like exactly what we were—messy and unconventional and completely sure of each other. Ethan's arm was slung around my shoulders, Mason's grin was wide and genuine, and Alex's expression was softer than he ever let it be in public. The four of us, frozen in a moment that felt like the start of something instead of the end.

"Perfect," I murmured, tucking the phone into my pocket before anyone could critique the lighting or demand a retake.

"Now that we've documented your academic achievement," Alex said, steering us toward the parking lot with a hand on my elbow, "we have a more pressing matter to address."

"Which is?"

"Your official job offer." He pulled an envelope from his jacket pocket and held it out to me, his expression carefully neutral in that way that meant he was pleased with himself. "Effective immediately upon receipt of your degree—which you now have—you're the General Manager of The Echelon House. Full benefits, competitive salary, decision-making authority, and a corner office with actual windows."

I stopped walking, staring at the envelope like it might bite me. "Alex."

"Don't argue," he said, pressing it into my hand. "You've been running that place for almost three years. This just makes it official."

Mason leaned in close, his voice dropping conspiratorially. "He had the business cards printed three months ago. He's been carrying that envelope around like a nervous dad waiting for report cards."

"Shut up," Alex said without heat, but his mouth twitched at the corner.

I opened the envelope and scanned the offer letter, my eyes catching on the salary line and refusing to process it as a real number that would appear in my bank account. "This is too much."

"It's market rate for someone with your experience and track record," Alex said evenly. "If anything, I'm lowballing you to keep the board from asking too many questions."

Ethan slung his arm around my shoulders and pulled me against his side. "Just say thank you and let the man be proud of you."

I looked up at Alex, who was watching me with that intensity he usually reserved for contract negotiations and chess matches, and realized he needed me to accept this—not just the job, but the acknowledgment that I'd earned it. "Thank you," I said quietly. "For seeing me."

His expression softened, and for a second I saw past the polished exterior to the version of Alex who'd sat with me at three in the morning when I couldn't sleep, who'd taught me how to read a P&L statement and negotiate with suppliers who thought they could push me around because of my age.

"Always," he said, and it felt like a promise that went deeper than employment contracts.