After Death, Love Unveiled

Chapter 24

If it weren't for his rivalry with Asher, Lysander wouldn't have even bothered with this competition

When Elara overheard Lysander-usually so straight-laced-make a rare comment about Asher, she couldn't help but chuckle

"Wow, never pegged him for the gossiping type, Elara thought, though she knew Lysander was just being honest.

"You're seriously something else!" she exclaimed. "I mean, look at you-handsome, smart, great at sports. Every pri at my table today couldn't stop drooling over you."

"I don't even know who they are, Lysander said flatly

Elara laughed. "I know you don't. That's not the point-I'm just saying, you've got people mesmerized"

Lysander didn't respond, staying silent as usual.

After a pause, Elara asked, "Aren't you worried people might start talking? I mean, us hanging out together, so publicly, at school? You know how people are."

"What would they say?" Lysander shot her a confused look.

Elara smirked. "There's this rumor going around that I'm, you know, some rich guy's sugar baby. They're always whispering about it behind my back. My reputation's already trashed."

Lysander's expression didn't change. "I couldn't care less about that," he said firmly, "Besides, do you even look like the type who needs some old dude's money!"

Elara laughed again, shaking her head. He'd clearly heard the rumors all along but never said a word-until now.

"He doesn't show up just to play knight in shining armor, does he?' she wondered.

The driver pulled up and dropped them off at a restaurant for dinner.

Asher? Now that was out of the blue. Seemed like he wasn't too thrilled about her hanging around Lysander. "Typical guy-acts like he doesn't care until someone else steps in, she

like eating?" Lysander asked, snapping her out of

"I'm easy, whatever you're having works

to throw in some spicy

between them were starting to feel comfortable. Like they'd fallen

been back lately?" Lysander asked, his voice tinged

her head lightly. "He's

she had traveled back in time, he had died in a car accident just before her SATE Now, she was working hard every day, hoping to boost her grades, but no matter how much effort she put in, there was never enough time to be with him. He was always buried in work, and even when she tried to get close,

sure he stayed

Chapter 24

Elara slowly chewed her food, staring blankly at the table, clearly lost

serious, but since she wasn't talking, he wouldn't push

tension in the room was thick as soon as Asher stepped

almost bored tone, "Nothing's changed. He sounded as indifferent as he felt about Jefferson's question. "Nothing? Didn't I tell you to win

should I? She dumped me. What, you want me to crawl back, begging for another shot? I've got

back. But at

stormed over and slapped Asher hard across the face. "You useless piece of

we had money rolling in. My gambling didn't matter then! But no, you had to screw things up with that broke-ass girl. Now look at what you've done! You let the big fish get away!

slammed shut, Asher rushed to the spot under his bed where he'd stashed some money. Sure enough, every last

Jefferson, Asher barely had any privacy. There were only a few places he could hide things, and his father always

his college expenses, knowing he couldn't depend on

the house. Jefferson was already long gone, nowhere

rage bubbled up inside him. He clenched his fists,

Elara and Lysander walked

down in torrents. The Hawthorne family's driver hurried to open an umbrella and