Chapter Twenty-Six: Acceptance Letters and New Beginnings
The breakfast table was unusually lively, and for once, it wasn't Caleb or Ethan stirring tension.
It was Sofia—grinning like she'd won a war.
"We got in!" she squealed, slamming two envelopes onto the table.
Audrey blinked. "Wait, what?"
Sofia waved the letters like a fan. "University. Both of us. Same program. Business and International Relations."
Caleb raised a brow. "You applied without telling me?"
Sofia smirked. "You would've bribed the entire admissions board."
Ethan chuckled. "He still might."
Audrey slowly opened her envelope and read the words that felt like a second chance:
> Dear Ms. Audrey Bell,
We are pleased to inform you of your acceptance…
She blinked, stunned. "I... I got in."
"You deserve this," Sofia said, pulling her into a hug. "We're going to rule that campus."
Caleb didn't smile, but his eyes softened. "I'll triple your security."
Audrey laughed. "We're going to class, not war."
But something in Caleb's look said he wasn't convinced.
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Chapter Twenty-Seven: Dorms and Dilemmas
Moving into the university dorms was like entering a parallel world—loud, colorful, and chaotic.
"This feels... weird," Audrey said, looking around at students dragging duffel bags and speakers.
"You mean 'normal,'" Sofia replied, tossing a fluffy pink pillow onto her bunk.
Caleb insisted on helping Audrey carry her things, though his intense presence made more than a few heads turn.
"People are staring," Audrey whispered, cheeks burning.
"They should be," Caleb said smoothly. "You're the most beautiful woman here."
She glanced away, flustered, but the compliment nestled warmly in her chest.
As Caleb kissed her goodbye, a thought struck her.
He's letting me go. Even if it scares him.
That meant something.