One Night

Chapter 219

Audrey

My heart was pounding in my chest as I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting my graduation cap for what felt like the hundredth time that morning. I groaned

miserably, quickly becoming frustrated with the damn thing; the tassel kept swinging into my face, no matter how I positioned it.

“Damn tassel… Stay where I put you!”

Suddenly, a familiar form walked into view behind me. I didn’t even need to look to know that my mate had walked into the room-I had been picking up his scent lingering in the hallway, clearly trying to decide whether he should come in and help or let me stew on my own, for the last ten minutes already.

Before I could protest, warm hands were grabbing my cap and turning it, then pinning it back into my hair with practiced precision.

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“There,” Edwin said softly when he was finished, his gray eyes meeting mine in the mirror. “You had it on backwards. Is that better?”

Nodding, I turned to face him, my stomach roiling with butterflies and pre-graduation nausea. “Are you sure I look alright?” I asked, reaching up to adjust my cap again. “I feel like I look ridiculous in this giant gown.”

Edwin’s lips curled into a tiny smile, and he caught my hand before I could touch the cap again. “You look beautiful, Audrey. Especially with your silver streak on display.” His fingers brushed against the distinctive strip of hair, pinching the strands between his thumb and forefinger.

Without giving me a chance to respond, he leaned in and kissed me deeply. When we parted, I was slightly breathless and a little flushed.

Right now, part of me wanted to just take my mate’s hand and run off into the sunset, skipping my graduation ceremony. I knew if I asked, he would do it. But Lalso knew I would regret it if I didn’t walk the stage with my friends-especially after all I had done to get here.

“You’re going to do great today,” Edwin,

*

me, sensing my anxiety through the

bond. “It’ll be over before you know it and you’ll wish it had been longer.”

Inodded, trying to quell the butterflies in my stomach, but it was no use. “I know, I just… I can’t help but be nervous,” I admitted. “I mean… This is it. No more college. No more Grayspring.”

Chapter 219

“It’s an end to an era, and endings are often sad,” Edwin said gently. “But just think of it this way: one door is closing, and another is opening. Besides…” He flashed me one of those signature smirks that had become all the more common as of late. “I’ve got a big surprise for you when it’s all over.”

My heart skipped a beat at his words, and I was instantly reminded of the ring that he kept in his nightstand; well, it wasn’t there anymore. He had moved it-I’d gone to snoop yesterday and it was gone. But I knew he still had it.

Maybe it was in his pocket right now.

“A surprise, huh?” I leaned against him, trying to feel the outline of a box in his pocket with my hip. “Care to give me a hint?”

Edwin chuckled, shaking his head. There was nothing in his pocket except for his wallet, and…

No. That was definitely not a little velvet box that I felt pressing against my leg.

เ

“You’ll just have to wait and see,” he said, turning me toward the door.

The auditorium was packed when we arrived, a sea of black gowns and excited faces. spotted Tina, Betty, and Gavin near the front, waving enthusiastically.

“I

guess this is where we part ways,” I said to Edwin, suddenly reluctant to leave his side! He squeezed my hand reassuringly. “I’ll see you soon.”

With one last kiss, I joined my classmates, finding my place in the alphabetical lineup. As we filed into the bleachers, the sound of ‘Pomp and Circumstance’ played by the university band filled the air, and I felt a lump form in my throat.

We took our seats, and I scanned the crowd, quickly spotting Edwin and Avis. They beamed at me, and I felt a sense of relief upon seeing their faces-but also a hint of disappointment.

My mother wasn’t here today. Not that I expected her to be-she was still in the hospital -but… still.

The ceremony began with speeches from various faculty members, but I found it hard to focus. My eyes kept wandering the crowd, my mind flitting around like an errant hummingbird. I kept thinking about the ring, my mother, my future… everything.

One door closes, and another opens, Edwin had said. I hoped that what lay on the other side of that door was nothing but peace and happiness. Not just for me, but for all of us.

Chapter 219

V╚༥. 69%_

Finally, it was time for the valedictorian speech. Betty stepped up to the podium, looking radiant despite the unflattering gown. She took a deep breath, her eyes scanning the crowd before landing on our little group.

“Fellow graduates, esteemed faculty, family, and friends… We stand here today at a crossroads. Behind us lies the path we have traveled-four years of late nights, early mornings, triumphs, and failures. Ahead of us stretches the unknown, a future full of possibilities and challenges we cannot yet imagine…”

I felt tears prick at my eyes as Betty continued.

“But as I look out at all of you today, I am filled with hope. Because I know that each and every one of us has the power to shape that future. We have been given the tools, the knowledge, and the strength to face whatever comes our way.”

She paused, her gaze sweeping across the room. Finally, her eyes landed on me, and I saw her gaze soften. “We have all faced our own struggles to get here,” she said, her voice lowering slightly. “Some of us have battled self-doubt, others have overcome personal tragedies. But we are still here, still standing, still fighting.”

I thought of everything we had been through-my struggles with my identity, Tina coming out to her parents, Avis dropping out of school, and so much more.

“As we leave Grayspring today,” Betty continued, “we

diplomas, but the resilience, the compassion, and tharry with us not just our

determination that have brought

us this far. Let’s use what we have learned here to make the world a better place, in whatever way we can.”

I felt a tear slip down my cheek, and I quickly wiped it away. Around me, I could see other students doing the same.

“And finally,” Betty concluded, “let us be grateful. Grateful for the friendships we have made, the mentors who have guided us, and the loved ones who have supported us every step of the way. Because while we may be the ones wearing these gowns today, our success is shared by all of those who have helped us along the way.”

my mother

Finally, my gaze landed back on Edwin and Avis in the crowd. I wished that was with them, but I knew that her support was just as strong from the hospital bed, and that was all that mattered..

As Betty stepped down from the podium, the auditorium erupted in applause. I clapped until my hands hurt.

The rest of the ceremony passed in a blur, just as Edwin predicted. Before I knew it, I was walking across the stage, shaking hands with the dean as he handed me my

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Chapter 219

diploma. I heard Edwin and Avis cheering loudly from the audience, and I couldn’t stop the grin that spread across my face.

Finally, we were all standing, our tassels moved to the left side of our caps. The dean’s voice rang out, “Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the graduating class of Grayspring University!”

As one, we grabbed our caps and flung them into the air. The caps seemed to hang in the sky for a moment, a black cloud above our heads, before raining down around us.

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