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 reim 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 hershes.


    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 herposure. "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.


    Cassius stepped over and opened it. Standing outside, travel-worn and weary, was Elvis. At the sight of his brother, Cassius''s eyes misted, and for the first time in days, a spark of life returned to his face.


    "Elvis, you''re back."<fn5c04> Fresh chapters posted on FindN()vel</fn5c04>


    "Sorry I''mte, big brother," Elvis said, catching his breath. "Where''s Evadne? Is she all right?"


    "It''s good you''re here. Evadne''s still got her left leg in a cast, but she''s on the mend. Everything else has healed up—no need to worry..."


    Cassius trailed off suddenly as he caught sight of a young woman


    standing quietly behind Elvis. She was unfamiliar delicate almost ethereal, her head bowed shylybut something about her felt uncannily familiar.


    "Elvis, this is...?"


    With a gentle smile, Elvis reached for the girl''s hand and pulled her close, his arm protectively circling her waist. He gazed at her, eyes overflowing with tenderness.


    "This is Elsie Archer."


    Cassius stared at her, disbelief flickering across his face as he took in herpletely transformed features again and again.


    "Elsie... are you really Ms. Archer?"


    Elsie blushed and nodded, overwhelmed by embarrassment.


    "Ellie!" Evadne called out, making her way over with Arnold and Camille supporting her, her eyes shining with excitement.


    "Ms. Evadne,” Elsie said, hurrying forward when she saw Evadne struggling to walk.


    The two women sped each other''s hands tightly.


    "Is this... the way you used to look?" Evadne''s eyes brimmed with tears of joy. She nearly sobbed with happiness.


    Elsie''s lips parted, but she was too choked up to speak.


    “It''s beautiful... you''re beautiful,” Evadne whispered, her hand trembling as she reached up to gently touch Elsie''s cheek. "You''re


    yourself again. I''m so se happy for


    you."


    No wonder Elvis had vanished these past few weeks-he''d been by his lover''s


    side while she underwent surgery.


    "I found one of the best stic surgeons in the world for her," Elvis said, stepping forward to stand beside Elsie. The two of them


    shared a long, searching l


    as if


    they could lose themselves in each other''s eyes. "We wanted to restore Ellie''s old facepletely, but the previous surgery changed her bone structure so much that even the best could only get her about eighty percent back to how she was."