"Lyra, Lyra, look at me," Ren said, cupping her cheeks.
"We need to go, now. To my car," he urged, but Lyra was too dazed to respond. Ren realized he had to act quickly; the paparazzi were likely already hunting for her, and if they were found, things could take a bad turn fast.
Ren scooped Lyra into his arms, and she wrapped her arms around his neck as he carried her to the car. After gently securing her seatbelt, he slid into the driver’s seat. He opened a water bottle, offering it to her, and she took a few small sips before handing it back.
“Hey, it’s going to be okay,” Ren said, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. Lyra only nodded in response.
Silent tears streamed down Lyra’s cheeks, her grip tightening on Ren’s hand, which rested on the clutch. Ren glanced at her with growing concern, pushing the car to its limits until they finally arrived at the Thorne Mansion.
“Let’s go,” Ren urged, helping her out of the car. The moment they stepped inside, Nora, Jasper, and Iliana hurried over to her.
Lyra’s heart felt like it was being crushed all over again. She met her mother’s eyes, the betrayal too raw to put into words.
Nora wrapped her arms around her daughter, her voice soft but firm. “You don’t owe him anything, Lyra. We’re here to help you through this, no matter how much it hurts.”
Iliana hovered close, her hands twisting nervously. "You don’t have to talk about it until you're ready. But whenever you are... we’re here.”
Jasper’s expression was hard, protective. “If you want me to deal with him, just say the word.”
Lyra shook her head, taking a breath, though it trembled. “I don’t need anyone to fight him… I just need to understand how he could do this. To us.”
They all heard the roar of the motorbike, and Lyra instantly knew who it was.
"Lyra!" Evara called, rushing inside.
"Eva," Lyra whispered as she ran to her, and the two collapsed to their knees, holding each other tightly. Evara wrapped her arms around Lyra, shielding her from the world, gently rubbing her back as Lyra sobbed uncontrollably, letting her cry as long as she needed.
Evara mouthed “water” to Iliana, who nodded and quickly fetched a glass. She handed it to Evara, who gently pulled away from Lyra, just enough to offer the water.
"You’re gonna sound like a croaky frog if you keep crying like this," Evara teased, a small smile playing on her lips as she handed the glass to Lyra. "We can't have that, now, can we?"
Lyra let out a shaky laugh between her sobs, wiping her tears as she took the glass. “A frog, really?”
“Yep,” Evara grinned. “And not even the cute kind.”
Lyra chuckled, the weight of her emotions easing just a little as she took a sip. "Thanks, Eva... for everything."
"I thought we didn’t do 'thank you's, bitch," Evara whispered to Lyra.
“I heard that,” Ren and Iliana chimed in simultaneously.
Evara rolled her eyes, muttering, "Do they have superpowers or something?"
Lyra couldn’t help but smile slightly, and seeing that tiny flicker of joy, everyone around them breathed a collective sigh of relief. Even the smallest smile felt like a victory in that moment.
Lyra finished the water, and Evara gently helped her to her feet.
"Let’s head to your room, shall we?" Evara suggested, and Lyra nodded in agreement.
YOU ARE READING
CURSED BY LOVE
Romance"Sometimes I wonder if you're even REAL, maybe that's why they call you ETHEREAL." Evara Winslow never imagined that falling in love would mark her for tragedy. But when she meets Caspian Sinclair, a charming Nerdthrob with a mysterious past, an und...
