Page 188 of The Bittersweet Bond

Evin didn’t say anything, but a small flicker of confidence lit up inside her. Maybe Rafael was right. Maybe Nele’s taunts were nothing more than insecurity disguised as arrogance. But even that thought didn’t completely quell the simmering anger in her chest.

The rest of the rehearsals, the ones where she didn’t have to dance with Rafael, went noticeably better. Evin poured every ounce of her energy into each turn, each leap, as if with every step, she could shake off a piece of the weight she carried. It was exhausting, her muscles burned, but the pain was worth it. This kind of fatigue felt cleansing—it silenced the noise in her head, redirected everything into the dance.

I can do this.

By the time rehearsals ended, her limbs were heavy with exhaustion, but it was a strangely freeing sensation, as if she had let some of her worries melt into the floor of the stage and left them there.

It will be fine…

Chapter 50

Endless Waves

Evin

She sat at the beachside café, her fingers absentmindedly stirring the foam of her now-cold hot chocolate. The week had flown by, yet every day had felt endless to her. Most of her time was spent in training, immersing herself in the precise movements, the rhythm of the music, the burn in her muscles. It was her escape—a place where she could shut off her thoughts for a while. But the final lifts and turns still weren’t perfect, frustrating her as much as they fueled her determination. Even the most exhausting hours in the ballet studio couldn’t stop her mind from drifting back to the words left unsaid, the ones still hanging in the air.

Sergej had become a fading shadow. A shadow that still followed her, but at least a shadow. Because over time, she had come to understand that wounds didn’t just heal. At best, they faded—like scars that told their own silent, indelible story. Maybe she would never fully heal, but she had learned to take control of her memories. A small victory, but one that helped her keep moving forward.

On Friday evening, she found herself sitting in a small café by the beach. The sound of the waves in the background was calming, yet her thoughts refused to quiet down. She had hoped to escape for a little while, but the moment she looked up and saw Milka standing in front of her, she knew that wouldn’t happen

"Hey," Milka said, tilting her head. "Got room for the traitor of the year?"

Evin leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "Depends. Are you planning to betray me again, or was that a one-time thing?"

Milka let out a dramatic sigh, dropping her bag onto the table. "One-time thing. A limited edition mistake. Never to be restocked."

A pause. Evin didn't laugh.

Milka tapped her fingers against the table, glancing at Evin’s untouched drink. "I know you’re mad. I would be too. But you can’t ignore me forever."

"Watch me."

Milka huffed. "Ev, come on. You passed out. That’s not—normal. What was I supposed to do? Just pretend like nothing happened?"

Evin’s jaw tightened. "You were supposed to let me handle it."

"And what if you didn’t?" Milka countered, leaning in. "What if you kept burying it, like you always do?"

Evin’s fingers curled around the edge of her cup. "That’s not your call to make."

Milka exhaled, rubbing her temples. "It is!" Her voice softened. "It is, okay? But I panicked. I saw you like that, and I—I didn’t know what else to do."

Evin turned her head away, her throat tightening.

"You would've done the same," Milka said, quieter now. "Tell me I’m wrong."

Evin wanted to. But she couldn’t.

Instead, she picked up her spoon and stirred the drink she had no intention of drinking.

Milka sat back, watching her. "Look, I’m not asking you to forgive me right now. I justdon’t want this to be the thing that breaks us."

Evin inhaled slowly. The anger hadn’t fully left her, but beneath it was something else—something raw and tangled.

"You’re impossible."

A flicker of a smile crossed Milka’s face. "Impossibly loyal."

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