Chapter 93 Mixed feelings

Chapter 93 Mixed feelings
Elara's POV

Warm sunlight filtered through the curtains, its gentle warmth brushing against my face until it slowly pulled me from a dreamless sleep. For several quiet moments, I simply lay there without opening my eyes, listening to the peaceful silence around me that felt unfamiliar after everything that had happened over the past few days.

The soft weight resting against my shoulder finally made me open my eyes. Raya was still asleep beside me, her head nestled against me as though, sometime during the night, she had unconsciously searched for comfort and found it in my presence. One of her hands still loosely held mine, refusing to let go even in sleep, and the sight squeezed my heart painfully. A few strands of hair had fallen across her face, partially hiding the faint tear stains that had dried on her cheeks. Even now, when she looked peaceful, the sadness hadn't left her.

Yesterday, she had lost the only family she had left.

The realization settled heavily inside my chest. No matter how hard I tried, there was nothing I could say that would make losing a mother hurt any less. Slowly, I reached up and tucked the loose strands of hair behind her ear, careful not to wake her. My fingers lingered there for only a second before I let out a quiet sigh.

"I wish I could take your pain away," I whispered.

Perhaps she heard me. Or perhaps my movement disturbed her sleep. Either way, she stirred softly before her eyelids fluttered open. For a few seconds she simply stared at me, her eyes clouded with the confusion that came from waking somewhere unfamiliar. Then reality returned, and I watched the light in her eyes dim almost instantly as every painful memory found its way back to her.

"Morning," she murmured weakly.

I offered her a small smile, though mine felt just as fragile. "Morning."

Neither of us rushed to move. We remained exactly where we were, wrapped in a silence that somehow felt comforting instead of awkward after everything we'd endured together, where words suddenly seemed unnecessary.

The stillness lasted only a few moments before the sharp vibration of a phone shattered it. Raya frowned and reluctantly reached toward the bedside table. "Who could be calling this early?" she mumbled, still sounding half asleep. She picked up the phone absentmindedly, but the moment her eyes landed on the screen, every trace of sleep disappeared from her face. Her brows drew together, and she blinked several times as though convinced she was reading it wrong.

"What..." she whispered.

I immediately sat upright. "What happened?"

She didn't answer right away. Instead, she stared at the screen for another long second before slowly turning it toward me. "Our examination results... they're out."

My heart skipped. Without waiting for another word, I took the phone from her hands. My eyes quickly scanned the page, taking in our names, our student numbers, and our grades. I read them once, then again, and again. The words refused to change. We had passed. Not barely. Not by luck. We had actually done well. A wave of disbelief washed over me as I whispered, "How is this possible?"

Raya shook her head slowly, looking just as stunned as I felt. "I don't know. We missed so much..."

She didn't finish the thought, but she didn't have to. We both understood how impossible this should have been after running for our lives, grieving, and barely holding ourselves together through each exhausting day. Vincent's face flashed through my mind, bringing with it a strange flicker of suspicion that I quickly pushed aside. Even he couldn't have reached that far into the university system.

Before I could dwell on it any longer, a gentle knock sounded at the door. Carl stepped quietly into the room and paused when he saw us both sitting up in bed, offering a small smile. "I was hoping you were awake."

"We just found out our results came out," I said, still holding the phone.

He walked over and glanced at the screen. Unlike us, he didn't look surprised at all. "Well, that's good to know."

The words to explain how we had passed without properly taking the exams died in my throat as his expression gradually turned serious. "I've been thinking," he continued, his voice steady and full of quiet resolve. "When we leave today... I've decided we're not staying in this city any longer than necessary."

Raya looked between the two of us, her eyes widening. "...Leave?"

Carl nodded, turning his full attention to me. "I've spent enough years searching for you. I'm not wasting another day keeping you somewhere that only reminds you of pain. I've made arrangements. We're leaving tomorrow morning."

I lowered my gaze, the weight of his decision pressing against the fragile peace of the morning. "What about school?"

"I'll transfer you," he replied without hesitation. "I know people who can make it happen quickly. I'll handle the paperwork, pay every fee, and ensure you continue without missing a step. You promised Mom you'd graduate, and you will."

Emotion tightened painfully inside my chest as his words wrapped around me like a promise I had waited years to hear. "I don't want to give that up," I admitted softly.

"You won't have to," he assured me, his voice softening with brotherly warmth. "You've spent your whole life worrying about surviving, worrying about money, worrying about tomorrow. Let me worry about those things now."

For several long seconds, I couldn't speak, overwhelmed by the reality of having my brother back in my life, stepping in to protect me as though it had always been his role. He finally looked toward Raya with kindness in his eyes. "I'll leave you two to talk. I know you have a lot to process."

As the door clicked softly behind him, the room fell into a gentle quiet once more. I turned back to Raya, still holding her hand, and told her how much it hurt to leave Ashmere behind even though part of me knew it was necessary. She listened with understanding in her eyes before replying that she was truly happy I had found my brother after so long, yet the thought of the apartment feeling empty without me brought fresh tears to her eyes. We spoke openly about the memories we had created together, the way our friendship had become a lifeline through every storm, and how we would keep that connection alive with calls and visits no matter the distance.

I promised her that the new city would not erase what we shared and that I would share every detail of my new beginning so she could feel part of it. Raya squeezed my hand in return, her voice carrying both sadness and quiet strength as she expressed how proud she felt of me for moving forward. The conversation flowed between us with tenderness, weaving reassurance and affection through the ache of impending separation, until the weight of tomorrow felt a little lighter in the warmth of our bond.

Raya inhaled deeply before looking back at me.

"I'm happy you found your brother."

A small pause followed.

"But..."

"I'm going to miss you."