Chapter138: Not Gone

|| Lilac’s POV || The night had been long and restless, my mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Elias was leaving for the border today, and while a part of me felt relieved, another part was tangled in guilt and confusion. I didn’t know what to do, how to feel, or even how to process the mess my life had become. I stayed up late, staring at the ceiling, my thoughts racing in circles until exhaustion finally pulled me into a fitful sleep. When I woke, it was to the sound of Elara’s voice, sharp and insistent. “Hey, how come you’re still sleeping?” she asked, her tone a mix of concern and exasperation. I blinked, disoriented, as I sat up in bed. The sunlight streaming through the windows was too bright, too cheerful for the storm brewing inside me. “Elara, what are you doing here? What time is it?” I asked, my voice groggy. “It’s half past noon. What happened? We were supposed to meet yesterday. No call, no messages,” Elara said, her hands on her hips as she stared me down. I rubbed