Finally, when the faint silhouette of the kindergarten gates appeared through the fog, Alina let out the breath she didn't realize she had been holding. Relief washed over her shoulders like warm water, loosening the tension she had carried all the way through Blackleaf Forest. As the car rolled to a stop, she quickly turned off the headlights and sat for a moment, calming her racing heartbeat before stepping outside.
Locking the car door, she turned toward Dante, who had already stepped out. "Good night, sir," she said softly, a small, genuine smile tugging at her lips despite her exhaustion.
He studied her for a moment, those green eyes calm but unreadable, then gave a short nod. "Good night, Miss Alina." His tall figure disappeared into the darker path leading to his side of the grounds, his presence fading like a shadow blending with the night.
