I couldn’t be more proud of her, of the woman she’d become. Every day, I was grateful to have her as my wife, my better half. She was the one who made my dark days bright, the one who brought out the humanity in me.
I would forever be grateful to her for teaching me how to love, for reminding me of what it meant to be human. Because of her, I now saw the world through her eyes and had learned to control my fury.
It wasn’t like I’d grown soft or something; it was just that I found a better way to balance the good and evil parts of me. All thanks to her.
From my seat, I watched her rub her sweaty palms over the soft fabric of her gown. Her chest was rising and falling as she maintained a steady smile, patiently waiting for her name to be called.
Her gown brushed against her legs each time she shifted her weight, a hint of her nervousness. Of course, she was nervous; this was an important day in her life, one she’d been waiting for for a long time.
The dean’s voice droned on, names flowing one after the other, each greeted by a heavy round of applause.
She tapped her left foot rapidly against the floor, tension oozing from her body. Eva had imagined this moment for years and hadn’t been able to shut up about it for the past few weeks. And now, there she was, graduating with her peers. It was a dream come true.
I watched her breathing grow shallower by the minute, fear, pride, and anticipation flickering in her gaze. Then came the moment she’d been waiting for—the dean called out her name.
A radiant smile lit up her face as she stepped forward after freezing for a split second. I was the first to start clapping, a proud grin playing on the corners of my lips.
The heavy applause drowned out the clicking of her heels as she walked to the stage, elegant as always. She kept her head high and her eyes fixed ahead until she reached the stage and accepted the degree with slightly trembling hands.
She and the dean posed for the camera as the media team snapped endless shots. She waved the paper at the crowd—proof of late nights, tears, and the sheer will to survive.
When she spotted me in the crowd, she placed her hand on her chest, her grin broadening. “Thank you,” she mouthed, gratitude perched on her face.
I beamed at her and then nodded once, still jamming those hands together.
Her throat tightened, emotions pressing dangerously close as she stepped off the stage and rejoined the others. She exchanged hugs with a few of her mates, each one wearing a bright smile.
In the vast echoing hall filled with noise and celebration, my eyes were fixed on her. As we stared at each other across the hall, the world around us slowly faded into the background. All those voices, those rounds of applause and cheers faded into the distance, leaving only the two of us.
My beautiful wife and I.
After the ceremony, I stepped out of the auditorium, waiting for her under the golden glow of the evening sun. I scanned the crowd as the hall disgorged its guests—graduates and their families.
When she finally came out, her eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for me. I waved slightly, wearing a smile on my face. She mirrored my gesture and rushed over to where I was standing.
Eva hopped onto me, her arms and legs wrapped around my body. “We did it, Demyon!” she rejoiced, chuckling. “We did it!”
I held tightly before setting her down, my eyes boring into hers. “No,youdid it,” I replied. “This is all you.”
“Maybe.” She shrugged. “But I couldn’t have done it without you.” She threw those hands around my neck. “So, thank you.”
“Have I told you how proud I am of you?” I asked, holding her by the waist.
She shook her head, smiling uncontrollably. “No. No, you haven’t.”
“Well, Evaline Tarasov, I am so proud of you.” I caressed her face with the back of my hand.
“Oooh, careful now, Prince Charming,” she teased. “You don’t wanna put me in a family way again, now do you?”
I shrugged. “Maybe.”
She laughed.
I pulled her closer and planted a soft kiss on her cherry lips.
Olga materialized beside us—almost out of nowhere, her voice cutting through the air like a sharp knife. “This is indecent behavior. You’re on a campus, for Christ’s sake.”
We broke the kiss, and I cleared my throat, my hand around my wife’s waist.
