#Chapter 220: Not Your Little Girl

Audrey Edwin’s hand was warm in mine as he led me away from the crowd of graduates and toward a more secluded area. My heart was still racing from the excitement of the ceremony, my diploma clutched in my other hand. I still couldn’t believe that it was over. My time at Grayspring… This was the end. But also a beginning. “Are you ready for your surprise?” Edwin asked, pulling me out of my reverie. I nodded, and his gray eyes twinkled with something I couldn’t quite read as he tugged me over to one of the many little gardens that Grayspring boasted. As he led me toward the vibrant roses and hydrangeas, I couldn’t help but wonder what exactly this ‘surprise’ was that he had planned. Was this the moment? Was he going to propose? It felt unlikely, but exciting to think about nonetheless. But before we could get far, a voice called out and stopped us in the middle of the pebbled pathway. The sound was like nails on a chalkboard to my ears, and I instantly felt