Even though Evadne was still recovering-hobbling on crutches, her left leg in a cast-she refused to waste away in a hospital bed.

After another week of convalescence, she insisted on checking herself out. With her crutches and cast, she limped out of the hospital, determined to reclaim her life.

She didn't tell her father or Suri about her discharge, but her older brother, Arnold, Camille, and Jason all came to pick her up. Their presence warmed her heart more than she'd expected.

"Evadne, is it really over between you and Thaddeus?" Camille slipped her arm through Evadne's slender one, tears shimmering on her lashes.

Evadne smiled softly, her voice light and free. "Yes. It's over. We loved each other truly, fiercely. That was enough for me. I have no regrets."

Camille's eyes reddened with emotion. "How can you say that? After all that time together, he never proposed, never gave you the kind of wedding every girl dreams about... He still owes you so much! How can you just let it go?"

"Maybe he did owe me once," Evadne replied, fighting to keep her composure. "But these past two years, he risked his life for me more times than I can count. Whatever debt there was, he's paid it back in full.”

A faint, bittersweet smile crossed her lips. "This time, I'm the one in his debt. Letting him move on, letting him be happy, is the best way I can repay him."

Camille, unwilling to give up, looked pleadingly at Arnold. He only pressed his lips together and shook his head, worry clouding his face.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door.

Elvis. At the sight of his brother, Cassius's eyes misted, and for the first

"Elvis, you're back."

I'm late, big brother," Elvis said, catching

leg in a cast, but she's


as he caught sight

Elvis. She was unfamiliar delicate almost ethereal, her head bowed

"Elvis, this is...?"

hand and pulled her close, his arm protectively circling her waist. He gazed at

"This is Elsie Archer."

flickering across his face as he took in her completely transformed features

are you really Ms.

and nodded,

way over with Arnold

when she saw Evadne

women clasped each other's hands

Evadne's eyes brimmed with

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