Chapter 530

Willow suppressed a giggle and quickly reassured him, "Don't worry, everything's fine! It's just been so long since I heard your voice. I wanted to listen to you before the exam—call it... recharging my batteries. Hearing you always makes me perform better." Aiden visibly exhaled in relief, his rapid breathing gradually steadying. He wanted to scold her a little but couldn't bring himself to. "You should get more sleep..." he chided in a low voice, though the corners of his mouth slowly curled upward. With time pressing, they exchanged only a few more words before ending the call. Just as Willow had said, she simply wanted to hear Aiden's voice—to draw strength and encouragement from it. Even after she set the receiver down, the deep, resonant tone of his voice still lingered in her ears. "Willow, you're going to do great." "I'll be waiting for you in the capital." Her smile was so wide she couldn't hide it, prompting even Director Hale to tease her a little. By the time she left the c