Chapter 135: True Friendship
Outside, Malia, Orla, their mother, Sophia, Cyran, and his mom, Mrs. Carver all made their way to their cars.
"Are you alright?" Orla asked Malia who leaned her head on her shoulder as she half-hugged her outside the car. Malia’s face was pale, her usually vibrant demeanor subdued. She nodded faintly, though her silence spoke volumes.
"I’ll be fine," Malia whispered, her voice trembling. "I just... I didn’t expect tonight to turn out like this."
Orla tightened her arm around her sister. "None of us did," she murmured, glancing toward their mother, Sophia, who was speaking quietly with Mrs. Carver. The older woman’s face was etched with worry, her lips pressed into a thin line as if trying to contain her unease.
Cyran stood apart, leaning against his car, his arms crossed as he stared at the ground, lost in thought. He broke the silence with a heavy sigh. "We shouldn’t be surprised," he said, his voice low but steady. "But could any of us have imagined this? All this time, we only knew bits and pieces of what Ephyra went through—Myra bullying her, Alan leaving her for her stepsister... but the rest?" He shook his head bitterly. "Myra caused the accident that almost killed her. Her stepmother sent men to finish the job. And that bastard, Alan—he sent people to beat her up." He shook his head, frustration evident. "We called ourselves her friends, but we didn’t know anything about what she endured."
Malia pulled away from Orla’s embrace, wrapping her arms around herself. Her voice was shaky as she replied, "You’re right. But how could we have known if she never told us? And... don’t think I’m upset with her for that—I have no right to be. I didn’t live through what she did—I can’t even imagine the kind of pain she’s been through. But did you see her tonight? She wasn’t just angry. She was... someone else. It’s like the Ephyra we knew, the one we called our friend, was a mask. And this—this person we saw tonight is the real her." Her voice broke, and she wiped her eyes. "What if our friendship was a lie? What if she never cared about us?"
Sophia stepped closer, brushing away the tears that had started to stream down Malia’s cheeks. She pulled her daughter into a comforting embrace. "Malia, that’s not what’s important," she said softly. "Even if Ephyra kept things hidden, what matters is how she feels about you now. About all of you. Even if she hid her pain, that doesn’t mean she didn’t care. She’s been through so much, and I’m sure tonight wasn’t easy for her, either."
Orla crossed her arms, her expression thoughtful. "Mom’s right. Ephyra is probably in a terrible state of mind after everything. If we care about her, we need to focus on supporting her, not questioning the past."
Cyran nodded, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. "Exactly. She needs support, not judgment. We need to let her know we’re here for her."
Malia sniffled, wiping her eyes. "I know. But I doubt she went back to her family’s mansion, and there’s no way she’ll be answering her phone anytime soon. How are we supposed to reach her?"
"If I’m not mistaken," Mrs. Carver interjected, her voice calm but firm, "I saw her leave with a man and a woman. They were following closely behind her when she walked out. If we can figure out who they are—"