Chapter b103 /b

bChapter /bb103 /b

Elena’s POV

int blush bloomed on Melle’s cheeks as the nodded, her dark eyes softening with a distant, wistful look “Actually, my brot

amputated leg.

He used to love driving lived for it, but then he got into an ident at twenty thren, and it’s been for years once he’s dran Her voice dropped bto /bba /bsoft, almost reverent murmur. “I wish could one day design that car and pt it to him. The shear, squeeze in my chest.

My own gaze softened. Tm so sorry about your brother,” I said, leaning forward slightly. “That’s.. that’s truly awful The reality of her dream, bons from such personal hardship. “But hey, maybe if I do manage to make that car, I could ask your brother to test drive it be met winked, a yful gesture, hoping to inject a little lightness into the heavy topic.

Sheughed then, a genuine, bell like sound that seemed to chase away some of the shadows in her eyes. She pushed a stray lock of hair out of her facis, giving me a clearer, unobstructed view of her features. Her dark brown eyes, framed by long, dark fashes, held a depth that belied her youthful shyness She really was beautiful, in a quiet, unassuming way,

My phone buzzed, pulling me momentarily from the conversation I nced down at the screen, but before could reg

impulsive thought left my lips. “You’re really pretty, you know?” The words were out before I could censor them

She chuckled. “That’s funnying from n you

i frowned, genuinely puzzled. “Why?” tilted my head, waiting for an exnation,

She looked at me with a hooked brow, a hint of genuine surprise and amusement dancing in her eyes. “Have you looked in the mirror?” werced with an incredulous tone, as if i had uttered the most obvious statement. “You look like a fashion model Have you heard of Aishwarya? Ther actress?” she asked, her bvoice /bbrimming with a kind of awe…

My eyes widened. Aishwarya Rai? The thought was absurd. “Yeah–wait, you’reparing me to her?” My phone buzzed again, more insistently this time, pulling my attention back to the screen

She nodded frantically, her head bobbing in emphatic agreement. “Yes! Absolutely! I mean…when she was young in her twenties”

I nced down at my phone again, ba /bfrown creasing my forehead. The email subject line was a jumble of words, half–seen, half ignored. I didn’t register what it said at first, my mind still grappling with Mielle’s unexpectedparison.

I looked up, ready to continue our conversation, a self–deprecating retort already forming on my tongue. “You’re ttering me. im really not-

I cut myself off mid–sentence, my eyes widening fitting back to my phone screen. My heart, which had been beating a steady rhythm, suddenly lurched, then hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird.

The words in the email headline bfinally /bregistered.

I shot my head down, my bfingers /bfumbling with a sudden, frantic urgency as I quickly opened the email. My bgaze/b, wide and disbelieving devoured the text. The words blurred, then sharpened, then blurred again as my mind tried to process bthe /bimpossible.

“Oh my god!” I gasped. My hand flew to my mouth, covering the bsudden/b, uncontroble grin that threatened to break free.

“What bhappened/b?” Mielle asked, her voiceced with surprise, her eyes wide bas /bshe watched my dramatic shit from ca silence.

Tsation to stunned

I looked up at her, my vision swimming like something had exploded inside me, sending a shower of gathering particles through my wins –I bgot /bbepted /binto Legacy!” The words tumbled out, breathless and disbelieving. “As an intern!”

Miele’s eyes went impossibly wide. She had been in the middle of sipping her matchatte, and at my outburst, she coughed, ba /bsmallb, /bbical /bspray, my god!” she eximed, pping a hand over her mouth, her beyes /bgleaming with genuine shock and delight. “THE Legacyt They bhave /ban eptance rate of below 0.5%. Oh my god, that’s amazing Congrattions!” Sheunched herself out of her chair, and pulled me up into a sudden, crushing bhug/bb–/bb1 /bwas too surprised, too overwhelmed by the sheerb, /bunadulterated happiness to even notice the curious gases that had turned bour /bway, drawn by Mille joyous shout.

I allowed myself to simply bbask /bin the pure, unburdened joy of it. This was rest. This was mine Alise the emal had promised i significant amount that made my head sp?r 59,500 a month. It felt like I was on cloud eine.

This was enough. More than enough. Enough to save myself. Enough to make a different choice. A real chance at independence, at cecurity:

But then, all of a sudden, Mielle frore in my arms. Her muscles lensed, and she pulled back abruptly, her smile crumbling instantly, reced by a deep Brown, My heart throbbed, a cold premonition, as her joyful expression withered

bWas /bshe maybe jealous? The thought flickered through my mind, a fleeting possibility. I mean, what men was her major? What were her aspirationed didn’t know. We hadn’t talked about it. But then I noticed her looking down, her gaze fiend on the floor, as though avoiding to look up, her shoulders slumping. Her bodynguage screamed something far more primal than envy. A chill traced its way down my spine. frowned, turning my head sharply a knot of unease tightening in my stomach, just to make sure she hadn’t sem a ghost

Only to find two men sitting at a table beyond us, nestled in a booth by the far wall. Dmitri and Lacar. My jaw cinched so tight felt my teeth ache,

“God fucking damn it, I cursed under my breath, the words a guttural snarl that barely escaped my lips. Why was it always those two!

It would have been fine had they been minding their own business, buried in their phones or a conversation, But they weren’t. They were staring over, their gazes like hawks, predatory band /bunnervingly still

And I was annoyed. Beyond annoyed. There was just this strange, insidious wrongness in their gaze that made my skin crawl. It made me feel… disgusted.

I grabbed Mielle’s wrist. “Do you want to drink or get something else? Lasked.

She shook her head mutely, her eyes still food on the bfloor. /b“I’m full,” she mumbled, her voice taint.

“Then grab your bag.” I ordered, my tone sharper than intended, but I couldn’t help it. “We’re leaving.” I didn’t wait for her response, already pulling her towards the stairs. She nodded, a smallb, /balmost robotic movement, following my direction without question.

We made our way down the stairs. I bpaid /bthe bill quickly, my fingers fumbling with my card, eager to escape the suffocating presence of Dmitri and Lazar. My gaze bdarted /baround, making bsure /bthey weren’t following the hairs on nty neck pricking.

After that, we made our way out of the cafeteria, stepping back onto the crowded pavement. Mille exhaled sharply, a small sigh of relief that seemed to dete some of the tension in herb. /b

“I’m sorry, Elena,” bshe /bsaid, her voice small, almost apologetic. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her eyes still a little wary. “Tm really happy! you, though I…I ruined the moment, didn’t I?”

I shook my head, my lips twisting into a bitter smile “it’d seen their faces, I’d react the same way” scoffed, the sound a low, bderisive /bnoise. They were just that type, sucking the joy out of everything

“By the way,” I said, changing the subject, genuinely curious about her, “bWhat /bdo you study?”

Mielle bvisibly /bbrightened, her earlier anxiety fading somewhat as she spoke about her passion, “Oh, I’m actually in Biomedical Engineering,” the exined, her voice gaining a newfound confidence. “My dream is to work for Nexus BioTech full time. Since I bdid /bban /binternship tast summer. They’re bdoing /bsome incredible work with advanced prosthetic limbs and assistive devices. Especially with the new neuro–integrated bdesigns /bit’s revolutionary” Her eyes lit up as she spoke, a genuine enthusiasm radating from her. “My brother…he inspires me. I want to contribute to something that can truly

rips change lives, give people back their independence. Her gaze drifted to her hands, a shy, almost selfb–/bconscious smile

“Oh, alright,” I said, genuinely impressed. Her bdream /bwas noble. “That’s an amazing field, Mielle. And Nexus Biotech is top–tier. I bwish /byou all the best with that.” I smiledb, /bba /bsoft, encouraging gesture. And thank you for joining me. It’s been a while since I’ve hung out with friendsb./b” Iscolled, a dry, humorless sound. It was true.

‘Melle stopped me then, just bas /bI was about to turn and continue our walk, her hand lightly touching my arm. “Wait, Llena,” she said, her voice hesitant “Could I could I have your number? I’d really like it if we hung out again. 1. Thad fun today too. Her eyes were earnest, hopeful. bShe /bbwas /blike a little porcupine, wasn’t she? Cute and small, very scared band /bbristly on the outside, but soft and yearning bfor /bconnection on the inside.

I wanted tough at the absurd, aptparison, but I smiled instead, a genuine, warm smile that reached my eyes. “Of course.” I said, pulling out my

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12:33 Tue, 29 Jul GO

phone. “I’d like that too.” I quickly typed my number into her phone, and she saved it. “I look forward to hanging out again, Mel

“Me tool” she chirped, a genuine brightness returning to her face. She tucked her phone into her pocket, then her bexpression /bshifted. “bObs/b. By the way Where are you gonna do your internship? Which branch?” she asked.

“Obviously

Velhaven, right…?” I trailed off, my smileding into a frown.

All of a sudden a sickening dad began to unfurl in my stomach. I quickly pulled out my phone, my fingers trembling bas /bI unlocked the screen band /bscrolled back to the email. I had been so overwhelmed by the sheer fact of eptance, by the relief of the sry, that I hadn’t truly processed the details.

I started reading the email again, only for my heart to drop like a stone into a bottomless well as freread it.

“No… The word escaped my lips in a soft whisper,