Elle’s POV
After we finished the ritual and had tea with Ethan’s mum, the night felt quieter, heavier, like something important had shifted. I couldn’t explain it, but something in the air just felt different.
We said our goodbyes at the door. Ethan’s mum hugged him first, her arms wrapping around him tightly like she didn’t want to let go. She whispered something to him—I couldn’t hear what—but he nodded slowly. His face looked serious, like he was carrying a secret too heavy for words.
Then she turned to me. Her eyes softened, and without hesitation, she pulled me into a hug too. Her embrace felt warm, like the kind of hug you didn’t know you needed until you got it. “Take care of him,” she whispered gently into my ear. I blinked, caught off guard, but I nodded, feeling something tug
