Vessara looked better today than she had in the last few days. No shadows pulled beneath her eyes, and tiredness was not evident on her expression anymore.
Susan walked beside her, their fingers interlaced, the older woman's thumb tracing small circles against Vessara's knuckles. They walked towards the waiting car.
Vael stood by the open door of the black SUV, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp as they tracked their approach. He wore a charcoal suit today, the jacket unbuttoned, revealing a white shirt underneath.
When his gaze landed on Vessara, something in his expression softened—a small shift in the set of his jaw and the slight relaxation of his shoulders.
"Good morning, Mom," he said, his voice carrying easily across the short distance.
Susan released Vessara's hand to step forward, pressing a kiss to her son's cheek as he leaned down. "You look well-rested."
"I slept well," Vael admitted. Then he turned to Vessara. "How are you feeling?"
