Chapter 22: Embracing New Beginnings

**Thelma Zane’s Perspective** As I returned to my room, my hair was carefully tied back with a dark green hairband, its color complementing the velvet hues of my dress. I paused for a moment to admire my reflection in the mirror. Call it vanity, but I couldn’t deny that the person looking back at me was, indeed, quite charming. My cheeks were slightly flushed with anticipation, and my eyes sparkled with the excitement of what lay ahead. I stepped out into the corridor, where my mother was waiting for me with a radiant smile. “You look stunning,” she said warmly. “When you were just a baby, I always thought you were the cutest child of all. And now, you’ve grown into such a beautiful young lady.” Her words wrapped around me like a soft embrace, but our moment was interrupted when I noticed a familiar figure approaching us. His confident stride, his neatly pressed attire, and the faint but refreshing scent of lemon that surrounded him—it was Aldrich. His scent reminded me of cru