جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 50

42~Velma’s POVI leaned over my sketchbook, pencil hovering just above the paper, my eyes narrowing as I tried to picture the shapes in my mind. “Dylan,” I said carefully, glancing at him, “what kind of clothes are we trying to showcase at the fashion show? I want to make sure my sketches match the theme, the style, everything.”He paused for a moment, then straightened, his posture suddenly crisp and professional. The casualness from earlier seemed to fall away, replaced by something else, a focused, precise, a version of him I wasn’t used to seeing so up close.“We want to show both old and new designs,” he started, his hands moving slightly as he spoke, as if shaping the concepts in the air. “The idea is to blend traditional elegance with modern innovation. Think of garments that tell a story, that speak for themselves without anyone explaining them. Each piece should have a statement, like history meeting today. You follow me?”I nodded slowly, trying to absorb every word. “So, i

44~Velma’s POVI couldn’t stop the grin from spreading across my face as I stared at my phone. Theron’s message made my heart pound. “Are you really here? At the airport?” I asked quickly, my voice trembling a little.“Yes,”I couldn’t help it. I let out a scream right there in the office, forgetting completely that people were around. Heads turned, but I didn’t care. “Oh my gosh! I’m coming right away!” I yelled into the phone before quickly grabbing my bag and tossing in everything I’d need for the day. My mind was racing, excitement making my hands shake.I practically flew to the driveway, jumped into my car, and sped toward the airport. Every second felt like an eternity, but when I finally ran into the terminal, my eyes scanned desperately for him. And then… There he was.Theron was standing there, waving, looking as handsome as ever. My chest tightened with longing. I ran toward him, my bag swinging at my side. When I reached him, I threw my arms around his neck, and he hugged

46~Velma’s POVFor a while, we were just three in the water, forgetting everything else, our laughter echoing around the pool. The cool water splashed around us, droplets catching the sunlight, and the weight of the world seemed to vanish completely.Theron finally scooped me up in his arms, spinning me slowly as I laughed, gasping for breath. “Okay, truce?” he asked, holding me against him.“Never,” I teased, though I was out of energy to continue the fight.Jaden climbed onto his dad’s shoulders, still giggling. “You two are so slow! I win!”Theron laughed, kissing my temple. “We’ll get you next time, champ.”I stepped out of the pool, the water dripping from my hair and clinging to my skin, and Theron handed me a towel. I wrapped it around myself, and he did the same, his chest still glistening from the swim.“Let’s sit by the pool and have dinner,” he suggested, his voice low and warm. The sun was dipping, painting the sky in soft oranges and pinks.I smiled, tucking my wet hair

4~Velma’s POV“Spill the tea already, child,”I cleared my throat slowly because my chest felt full, as if every memory I wanted to share had been waiting behind my ribs for years. My grandfather was still looking at me with those calm eyes, the kind that made me feel like I was safe to speak without hiding anything. He folded his hands on his lap and leaned forward just a little, like a man preparing to listen to a story he already knew would change him.There was a pause between us. Not an awkward one. More like a door opening.“It is a long story,” I said, my voice low and unsure because I still did not know how to fit everything into words.Grandpa nodded, firm and gentle at the same time.“Then spill it all,” he replied. “I want to hear everything. From the beginning. Do not leave anything out.”His voice made something inside me settle. So I breathed in once, breathed out again, and let the memories drag me back.“I fainted at the airport,” I started. “I was scared and alone. I

50~Velma’s POVGrandpa nodded, letting me continue.“I could not believe it,” I admitted. “I kept waiting for him to say I had to leave. I kept waiting for him to tell me it was too much, too complicated. But he never did. He just… showed me the way. He enrolled me, paid for everything, and then just… let me breathe, let me start living again. And that… that changed everything for me. It changed how I saw myself, how I felt about being a mother, how I felt about love, about hope.”Grandpa’s eyes glimmered, proud and a little teary.“And that, my dear Velma,” he said slowly, “is how you became unstoppable. That is how you learned that love can be more than a word. That it can be action, protection, and belief.”I smiled at him, my chest feeling full, something I had not felt in a long time.“Yes, Grandpa,” I said softly. “And it all started because he believed I could be more than I thought I was. Because he believed in me when I was too scared to believe in myself. And I… I will alwa