Ali rose first, hands clapping like thunder. Nova, seconds later, a hand to her chest and tears softly carving tracks down her cheeks. Silas stayed seated for one heartbeat longer, just long enough to memorize the moment, then stood slowly. He pressed two fingers to his lips and sent the kiss her way.
That was her man.
Nuri moved across the stage with the confidence of a woman who knew her worth, and walked in her divine purpose. Because she did. This wasn’t about a degree. This was about evolving. Becoming. The grace she carried. The grief she’d buried. The woman she’d sculpted from everything that tried to break her.
She accepted her degree with calm eyes and quiet strength. Her smile didn’t beg for attention—it demanded it.
When she returned to her seat, Bre didn’t even try to hold back the tears.
“You did that,” she whispered, voice barely a thing.
Nuri looked at her, nodding slow. “We did that. All of us.”
“Breyana Lavelle Bleu—Magna Cum Laude!”The announcer called, and the auditorium cheered loudly again as Bre made her way to the stage to retrieve her Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Theatre.
The rest of the ceremony blurred by in that kind of haze only joy can cause. But once the last name was read, and the tassels flipped, and the caps hit the air—it was like a veil had lifted.
Nuri and her sorors got together at the end, and performed one last step for the year, and once they were done she was greeted by her tribe.
Silas pulled her close again, whispering against the shell of her ear. “Ain’t nothin’ in this world more beautiful than you in this moment. I’m proud of you, baby. For real.”
Ali embraced her with the kind of love that made up for lost years. “Welcome to the next phase of life, baby girl.”
Nova wrapped both arms around her baby, eyes glistening. “You did exactly what I always knew you would.”
“What’s that?” Nuri asked with a smile.
“You beat the odds, and now there’s no limit,” Nova told her, hugging her tight again.
Nuri wasn’t the same girl who had arrived four years ago—wide-eyed and searching. She was wiser now. While in places she once believed would never heal. The heartbreaks, the betrayals, the buried truths—they didn’t break her. They became her foundation. Every storm had refined her. Every lesson had shaped her. And in the reflection of her own smile, she finally saw what everyone else had always seen. A woman who’d bloomed in spite of it all. A force. Unapologetic. Free.
As she walked away from the ceremony and into her next chapter, Nuri felt the rhythm of possibility humming at her heels. Her steps were slow but sure, steady like she carried the blessing of every woman who’d ever been silenced and rose anyway. The four years she spent at Blake had given her more than a degree. They gave her clarity. And the most valuable lesson of all—that she was, in every sense of the word, unstoppable. The world hadn’t seen the last of Nuri Marciano. She was just getting started.
Four Months Later…
Three months had passed since Nuri crossed the stage at Blake University, her name echoing off the walls as the final chapter of her intellectual journey came to a close. True to her word, she packed up her old life and planted new roots in a place calledBleu Rose, Chicago—a city that mirrored her transformation with its charm, grit, and depth.
Days moved just as fast in Bleu Rose as it did in Atlanta, but the air felt different. The hustle was still present, but peace had a stronger voice here. Nuri had landed exactly where she was supposed to be. By day, she worked under one of Chicago's most revered counselors atThe Bleu Rose Firm, her passion for psychology pouring from her heart into the healing of others. Bynight, she wore the title of a full-time graduate student atBleu Rose University, chasing her Master's degree with the same fire that got her through every test academically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Silas was still who he’d always been—sharp, intentional, unapologetically devoted, and rich as hell. He’d walked away from everything illegal without a second glance. Money wasn’t his motivator. Legacy & Love was. And, the truth was that in this season of his life, both were spelled N-U-R-I. Though he could’ve spent his days chilling and enjoying the fruits of his labor, he chose to teach… He chose to pour his knowledge of the mind into eager students who reminded him of a younger version of himself—hungry and ready. His professorship at the university wasn’t for prestige. It was personal.
Across town inBleu Water Estates,Ali had already carved out space for a life he’d been building for seven years—waiting on God, fate, and love to align. Nova’s move to Chicago had been the last puzzle piece. It was hard at first to consider leaving Atlanta and all the memories etched into its streets, but watching Nuri choose herself, choose love, made the decision easier. She and Ali had a second chance to get it right, and by the grace of God, they were stepping out on faith. They were finally standing in the center of the peace they prayed for.
It was Tuesday night—family dinner night. A tradition born out of a need for reconnection and kept alive by consistency and love. Ali had sent the usual reminder a few days prior, and now, the house was alive with the aroma of Nova’s smothered turkey wings, garlic butter mashed potatoes, and green beans. Laughter spilled from the kitchen. SmoothR&Bplayed softly from the vintage house speakers, and when Nuri and Silas arrived, it felt like a breath of fresh air. They were greeted not just with hugs, but with a warmth that wrapped around them like home. This was the vibe, and the real cadence of life was what they’d foughtfor. What they’d prayed over… and what they were keeping sacred.
As Nuri and Silas walked through the door, Ali received a call just before he got up to meet them at the door. Ali didn’t look at the screen. His gut told him who it was before he even pressed answer.
“What’s up, Sweetness,” he said, voice calm.
“Hey, Dad. What you doin’?” Rose asked, light as always.
Rose.
The name alone was enough to make his heart skip. Ali rubbed a hand down his face, slow and deliberate. “Nothin’ much. Just gettin’ ready to go to a meeting,” he lied. His eyes found Nova across the room. She was smiling, radiant even, in the way only a woman could be when surrounded by family and finally at peace. He wasn’t sure how long that peace would last once the truth clawed its way free.
“You good?” he asked, keeping calm as his thoughts raced a million miles per minute.
“Yea, I’m good. Just wanted to let you know I’ll be coming home for a couple of months. Summer break starts in two weeks.”
