Chapter 309

Adrian considered the situation. Then he bent towards Emilia and whispered, “I’m supporting academic excellence.”

She stared at him. “You are supporting my embarrassment.”

“That too.”

She hit his arm.

He laughed and finally sat. He nodded, his mouth forming two silent words. ‘Go on.’

She walked towards the stage.

The applause grew louder.

She could hear Kylie somewhere behind her, calling her name. She could hear Christian laughing as he joined in.

And she could feel her own heart beating so hard that she wondered whether anyone standing close enough might hear it.

At the steps, she paused briefly to gather her gown. Then she climbed.

The dean shook her hand.

The award was placed in her hands, and she turned towards the audience for the photograph.

For a moment, she looked out at the crowd.

The lights made it difficult to see individual faces. But she found Adrian.

He was standing with one hand raised, applauding her with the kind of fierce enthusiasm that made the people around him smile, and join in.

Emilia laughed.

She lifted the award slightly. Then she waved at him.

Adrian’s face broke into a grin. He pointed at her. “Honourable Queen!” He adored, loud enough.

The auditorium erupted in laughter.

Even the dean smiled.

Emilia shook her head, laughing as she turned back towards the photographer.

She could feel tears threatening to spill.

She blinked them away.

She had barely returned to her seat when the dean began announcing the next honour.

The Chancellor’s Medal for Outstanding Academic Achievement.

Emilia stopped breathing. She turned towards the stage. Her name appeared on the screen again.

For a moment, she simply stared.

Then Kylie screamed. “EMILIA HAYES!”

Christian grabbed her wrist before she could accidentally hit the person in front of her with her phone.

“Blue, darling, the entire university knows who she is.”

Adrian was already on his feet. He didn’t even attempt to pretend he would remain seated this time.

His applause rang through the auditorium, and when Emilia looked towards him, he spread his arms as if to say, What did you expect?

She laughed so hard that tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. Then she walked back to the stage.

The chancellor himself presented the medal.

He said a few words about the breadth of her work, her academic discipline, and her ability to approach difficult questions with both intellectual rigour and practical understanding.

Emilia listened, though she was still struggling to believe that any of this was happening. When the medal was placed around her neck, she lowered her head in thanks.

Then she turned towards the audience.

She found her mother first.

Selena was standing now, one hand pressed against her mouth, tears streaming freely down her face.

Emilia’s smile softened.

She lifted one hand and waved. Selena shook her head, laughing and crying at the same time.

Then Emilia looked for Adrian.

She waved at him, too.

He put one hand over his heart and bowed dramatically.

Emilia nearly lost it.

The photographer had to ask her to face forward again.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, laughing.

The photographer smiled. “No apology necessary.”

She returned to her seat with the medal resting against her chest and the first award held carefully in her hands.

Adrian leaned towards her. “Two.”

She looked at him.

“Eight honours in total.”

“I can count.”

“Just making sure.”

She narrowed her eyes.

He kissed her cheek before she could respond. And then the dean began announcing the third award.

The Distinguished Contribution to Research Award.

Emilia’s smile disappeared.

Her name appeared again. She looked at the screen. Then at the dean, and at Adrian.

His eyes were bright. His smile was so wide that she could see the small crease beside his left cheek.

“I love you, Emilia.” He sealed their lips quickly, and oressed their head togeher.

Emilia nodded, and stood slowly.

Her knees felt strangely weak. She glanced at her mother. Selena reached for her hand and squeezed it.

“Go, baby.”

Emilia swallowed.

Then she walked.

The third award was presented by the head of the graduate research committee. When he finished, Emilia shook his hand.

She accepted the award, and turned towards the audience.

She waved at Adrian again.

This time, she didn’t try to hide her tears.

They slipped down her cheeks as she stood beneath the lights, holding the third award against her gown.

She had imagined success many times. She had imagined the certificates. The applause.

The moment she could finally look at everything she had accomplished and know that it was real.

She had never imagined this.

She had never imagined that someone would love her so openly that he would stand in a room full of strangers and make it impossible for her to doubt his pride.

She had never imagined that her mother would be beside her, alive and healthy enough to watch her receive the recognition she had worked so hard to earn.

She had never imagined that she would be able to remember the worst moments of her life without feeling that they were the only things that defined her.

She was still Emilia Hayes.

When she returned to her seat, Adrian didn’t say anything immediately. He simply took her hand.

His thumb moved over her knuckles. Then he leaned towards her. “You’re amazing.”

Emilia laughed through her tears.

“Please don’t make me cry again.” She laughed, then pressed her face against his chest again.

His arms tightened around her. “You did it,” he whispered.

She nodded. “I did it.”

He kissed the top of her head.

“Yes, you did.”

She lifted her face. “I wish I could remember every second.”

“You will.” He cupped her cheek. “I’ll remind you.”

Her eyes shone. “Promise?”

“I promise.”

She kissed him.

It was supposed to be brief. A simple kiss of gratitude, hidden beneath the noise and movement of the ceremony.

But Adrian’s hand settled against her cheek, and the kiss lingered.

When she finally drew back, he rested his forehead against hers. “Congratulations, Dr. Hayes.”

She smiled.

“Thank you, Mr. Ashford.”

Endgame???