Masuk114~Velma’s POVHe exhaled, then smiled back, a little sad, a little proud. “You always surprise me,” he said.I leaned forward and rested my forehead against his. “You made me this way,” I whispered.He kissed my hair gently, the kind of kiss that stayed a second longer than it needed to, like he was trying to store the feeling somewhere safe.“I will let you go alone,” Theron said quietly. Then he pulled back just enough to look at me properly. “On one condition.”I already knew that tone. I let out a slow breath. “Theron…”“You get a bodyguard,” he said calmly, like he was stating the weather.I rolled my eyes without thinking. “That will make everyone stare. It will put a spotlight on me. I do not want that.”He crossed his arms, completely unbothered. “Then you are not going alone.”I looked at him. I really looked at him. His face was relaxed, almost gentle, but his eyes were set. That look meant the decision was already made.I smiled slowly, a little amused, a little tired. “
113~Velma’s POVTheron stared at me the moment the reporter’s voice finished speaking, and before I could say anything at all, the tears broke free.They did not come gently. They rushed out of me like something that had been waiting for permission. My chest tightened so suddenly that I had to grip the edge of the couch to steady myself. My breath came out uneven, loud in my own ears, and the room blurred as my eyes filled.“He was recovering,” I said, my voice shaking as I looked at Theron. “They said he was stable. They said he was doing better. How does someone go from that to… to this?”Theron moved closer immediately, the floor creaking softly under his steps. He knelt in front of me, his face full of concern, his eyes searching mine like he could hold me together just by looking hard enough.“Velma,” he said gently. “Breathe. Just breathe for me.”I tried, but the words only seemed to push the tears harder.“It does not make sense,” I continued, my hands trembling as I pressed
112~Velma’s POVI was still drawing when sleep took me.One moment, my pencil was moving slowly across the paper, shaping soft lines and shadows, my mind half focused, half drifting. The next, everything went quiet. The room faded. My hand relaxed. The sketchbook rested against my chest as I slipped into sleep without meaning to.I do not know how long I slept.I only know I woke up because someone was calling my name.“Mom.”The voice was close.“Mom,” Jaden said again, softer this time.I stirred, my lashes fluttering as light filtered into my eyes. The first thing I saw was his face hovering over me, his brows slightly pulled together, his lips curved into a small, patient smile. His hair was a little messy, his school uniform already loosened like he had rushed straight to me.I pushed myself up slowly, the sketchbook sliding off my chest and onto the bed.“Hey,” I said, my voice rough with sleep. I smiled at him. “You are back already?”He nodded, his smile widening. “Yes.”I re
111~Eva’s POVMy crying did not slow down.If anything, it grew worse.It felt like something inside my chest had cracked open and refused to close again. Each sob tore out of me, sharp and ugly, leaving my throat raw and burning. My shoulders shook so hard I could barely stay upright. The hospital air felt cold against my skin, smelling of antiseptic and loss.Then my mother’s voice cut through the noise again.“Eva,” she said, calm but firm, the way she spoke when she wanted control. “Stop crying. Enough now.”That was when everything broke.I pulled away from her touch as if it burned. My chest rose and fell violently, my breaths uneven and desperate. Fresh tears spilled down my face, hot and endless. My hands curled into fists at my sides, my nails biting into my palms.She had no idea.None of them did.They had no idea what I had done in that room. No idea how close I had stood to Chairman Fridolf’s bed, how pale his skin had looked against the white sheets. No idea how my hand
110~Eva’s POVI walked into the ward, my steps quiet, deliberate, though inside I felt like I was stomping on glass. The door clicked shut behind me, muffling the outside world, leaving only him, the machines, and the sterile scent of antiseptic.He lay there, still. I paused at the side of his bed, staring at his face. It was closed and peaceful, maybe. But I knew better. I knew he was gone.I sank into the chair beside him, legs trembling under me. My hands shook as I lifted one toward him. I pressed it gently against his arm, almost afraid the cold would burn me. It did. His skin was so cold, like marble, unyielding. I recoiled immediately, my hand falling to my lap as if I had touched ice through my soul.I looked down at my bag, at the papers I had stamped moments ago. My fingers trembled as I unzipped it, staring at the document, the ink still dark, still final. My eyes blurred. I whispered to no one, to everyone, to myself: “What have I done?”The room seemed to spin slowly, a
109~Eva’s POVI watched from outside of the room as the doctors rushed in. Their shoes slapped against the floor, echoing in the stark white ward. My heart lodged in my throat, hammering against my ribs so violently it was a wonder I didn’t collapse right there. I couldn’t see their faces clearly, only the blur of scrubs and masks, the flicker of movements, hands flying across monitors, the shuffle of papers, the squeak of the bed being adjusted.They were over him, bending and leaning, voices low but clipped, commands whispered sharply. I wanted to step closer, to help, to do something, anything, but my legs were frozen. I could feel my hands trembling, gripping the strap of my bag as if holding onto it would anchor me to reality.I caught sight of his chest rising and falling, unevenly, and I forced myself not to scream, not to collapse.I could hear muffled words. Orders, reassurances, the quiet beeping of machines. I didn’t need to know what they were saying to know they were try
55~Velma’s POVWe stepped outside, and the night breeze was soft. The lights of the restaurant reflected on the car windows, and I could hear the city around us, not loud, but alive. Theron opened the door, and I helped him settle Jaden in the back seat. I removed Jaden’s shoes so he could be comf
51~Velma’s POVI took a deep breath and let my grandfather see me again, not as the little girl he knew, but as someone who had walked through fire and come out alive.“Grandpa,” I said softly, “Theron… he invested in me when no one else would. The art galleries… they were scared of signing someon
52~Velma’s POVI took a deep breath and continued, my fingers tracing the rim of my coffee cup as I tried to gather my thoughts. “Grandpa, after the wedding… Theron and I went on our honeymoon. I was heavily pregnant by then, and honestly, I thought it would be too much to travel or even enjoy mys
53~Velma’s POVI nodded, still holding my grandfather’s hand, feeling the warmth and strength in it. I hadn’t even realized I’d been crying while telling him everything; my heart had carried so many memories that the tears just slipped out without asking. Grandpa noticed and handed me a tissue wit







