Chapter 18: CHAPTER 18

The grand dining hall of the Cara estate was as cold as ever. The chandeliers cast a sterile glow over the long mahogany table, where her parents sat at the head, their expressions unreadable. Vaelis took her usual seat, her posture effortlessly elegant as she sipped her tea.

She knew this conversation was inevitable.

Her father set down his glass, the faint clink cutting through the silence. “Your final exams are approaching,” he said, his voice devoid of warmth. “It’s time you decide which university you will attend.”

A pause.

Her mother lifted her gaze, eyes sharp. “We expect you to make a choice that won’t bring shame to the family.”

Vaelis didn’t blink. The implication was clear—if she failed, it wouldn’t just be her failure. It would be a stain on the Cara name, an embarrassment they wouldn’t tolerate.

She set her teacup down with an almost deliberate slowness. “I wasn’t aware my future had anything to do with your reputations.”

Her mother’s lips thinned. “Everything you do reflects on us.”

“Then perhaps,” Vaelis mused, “you should stop looking at me as an extension of yourselves.”

A flicker of irritation crossed her father’s face. “This isn’t the time for your sharp tongue, Vaelis. We need to know where you plan to enroll.”

Vaelis leaned back slightly, resting her chin on her hand. “And if I choose not to answer?”

Her mother’s eyes darkened. “You seem confident you’ll pass.”

She smiled. “Shouldn’t I be?”

The tension in the room thickened.

Her father exhaled slowly. “If you fail, you will have no place in this house.”

Vaelis met his gaze head-on. “You say that as if I plan to stay.”

A beat of silence.

Her mother’s nails tapped against the table. “And how exactly do you intend to support yourself?”

Vaelis tilted her head slightly, amusement flickering in her eyes. “Oh, you don’t need to worry about that. Unlike some, I know how to invest in my future.”

Her father frowned. “What are you talking about?”

Vaelis smiled, slow and knowing. “Let’s just say… I’ve already started securing my independence.”

Her mother scoffed. “Independence? From what? You’re still a child.”

Vaelis chuckled, the sound soft but sharp. “A child? That’s interesting, considering I’ve been surviving in this household without your support for years.”

Her father’s jaw tightened. “Enough. We are asking you a simple question—where will you go after graduation?”

Vaelis stood, smoothing down her dress. “Wherever I want.”

Her mother’s expression darkened. “Vaelis—”

She turned, her gaze cool. “Don’t bother worrying about expenses. I’ll handle everything myself. My education, my living costs, my entire future. You won’t have to spare a single cent.”

Her father narrowed his eyes. “And how, exactly, do you intend to do that?”

Vaelis smiled. “You’ll see.”

Without waiting for another word, she turned and walked away, her heels clicking against the marble floor.

Behind her, silence fell.

And for the first time, her parents realized—

They were no longer the ones holding the leash.