Alpha's Regret After Her Rebirth (Hannah and Noah)

Chapter 0491

Amber shook her head, blinking quickly to dispel her tears. "It's like this weight I can't shake. No amount of therapy is helping. And I realized... I think I just need to get away. I need to start over, somewhere far from here. Somewhere I can figure out who I really am without all the... the baggage."

Viona looked like she was about to be sick. "Amber, we never wanted you to carry that alone. We would have been there for you. You should have told us."

Amber gave a small, grateful smile. "I know, Vi. I know should have. But this is something I need to do on my own."

She paused, her gaze dropping to the table.

"All my life, I was so focused on being... well, what everyone thought I was. The spoiled rich girl. The one with the perfect life, the easy family connections, the shopping sprees and parties and handsome boyfriends. But I want to be more than that. I don't want to just be known for those things when I'm dead and gone someday."

"So... what are you going to do?" Emma whispered.

"I applied to work as a nurse at a hospital in an impoverished pack overseas. They need people, and they're willing to take me on, even if I have to learn a few things along the way." She gestured to the ticket. "I want to make a difference. I want to help people who have nothing, and learn what it's like to live without all the things I've taken for granted."

We all sat there, stunned. I was too shocked to even speak for the longest time. Viona knocked back all of her drink at once, gesturing to the waitress for another. Emma just sniffled and grabbed a nearby cocktail napkin to dab at her eyes.

"Amber," I finally whispered, "this is so... unexpected. You never once let on that you were planning any of this."

She laughed, a soft, almost embarrassed sound. "I didn't bring it up because I didn't know if I'd actually go through with it. But I realized... I have to. I have to find out who I am. And all of you... You've shown me what it's like to care about something, to want to be something more. You girls have all been an inspiration, whether you knew it or not."

Emma reached over, squeezing her hand. "We're going to miss you so much. But Amber, this is... this is incredible. Honestly, I'm happy for you."

"Same," Viona said as she accepted her new drink from the waitress. "You're a real bitch for pulling this on us, but I really am happy for you."

Amber sniffed, dabbing at her under-eyes with a manicured nail.. "Don't get all mushy on me, ladies. I'll be back for the holidays. It's not like I'm dropping off the face of the planet."

I gave a shaky laugh. "You'd better promise not to miss Melody's birthdays."

"Promise," Amber said with a choked sound. "Auntie Amber has to spoil another little girl, even if I'm not spoiling myself anymore."

We all hugged her then, a mess of laughter and tears, each of us holding her a little tighter than usual, a little longer than usual, knowing that the time we had together was precious. She was going off to do

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something brave, something we all respected, and that made it both harder and easier to let her go.

As we finally pulled back, Amber wiped her eyes as a glimmer of her old grin crept back. "Hey, I'm throwing a party the night before I leave. One last hurrah, with everyone there. No excuses." Emma laughed, a little choked up. "Wouldn't miss one of your famous parties."

Viona smirked. "Like we'd let you leave without a proper send-off."

Amber turned to me then, and I managed the tiniest of smiles. "I couldn't miss it for the world."

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