Grace bit her lips, clearly vexed. Alpha Joseia quickly stood up
and bowed, “I’d like to apologize on her behalf, Queen Violet.
She just been through a hard time. She wasn’t thinking through
about this.”
I exhaled, some of the irritation fading. “I also apologize if I’ve
been harsher than necessary. But let’s just say, I don’t tolerate
people who overstep their boundaries.”
Grace’s sister sighed. “No, we should be the ones apologizing.”
Asher stood, clearly eager to end the conversation. “Well, now
that everything is settled, we’d like to enjoy the rest of our trip
without any more drama.”
As they left, I finally let myself relax, sinking into Asher’s
embrace. “Glad that’s over.”
He kissed my temple. “Next time, have a little more faith in me.
You really think I’d let anyone walk all over you?”
I smirked. “We’ll see. Now, can we finally go enjoy the rest of
our day?”
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“After breakfast,” he said, laughing as Mia ran up to us,
excitedly pulling us toward the dining table.
Just as I took a seat, Mia’s innocent voice cut through the
morning’s tension. “Are you having a baby?”
I nearly choked on my food. Asher looked at me expectantly,
leaving the decision in my hands. I debated myself for a while
and then decided to tell her the truth.
I took a breath, then smiled at her. “Yes, sweetheart. How do
you feel about that?”
Mia hesitated. “Does that mean you won’t love me as much
anymore?”
Violet’s POV
Asher and I exchanged a worried look.
We thought this question would come sooner or later. But it’s
sooner than we expected.
Maybe now it was the time to do the “talk.””
Asher crouched down in front of Mia, his eyes gentle but
serious. “I know we’ve kept a few things from you, but I think
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you’re old enough now to understand the truth.”
I tensed slightly, unsure of what he was about to say. Mia,
sitting on the edge of the bed with her tiny hands gripping the
blanket, tilted her head in anxiety, “What truth?”
“Your real parents loved you very much, but they had to leave.
Before they did, they asked us to take care of you. That means
we are now your parents, and we will always be here for you.”
He took a deep breath before continuing. “But that doesn’t
mean you have to forget them. They will always be a part of
you. We just hope that as your heart grows, you’ll find space
for both them and us. And soon, you’ll also have a baby brother
or sister to love.”
Mia’s small brows furrowed as she processed his words. “So.
Mommy and Daddy aren’t coming back?” Her voice was barely
above a whisper, laced with a heartbreaking innocence that
made my chest tighten.
No matter how many times you explain loss to a child, it never
truly sinks in. Their world is built on the certainty that parents
are always there, always watching over them. To tell them
otherwise felt like shattering a piece of their innocence.
Asher swallowed hard. “They’re in heaven now. But that
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doesn’t mean they’re gone. Whenever you miss them, just close
your eyes, place your hand on your heart, and you’ll feel them
there. They live in you, in your memories, in everything that
makes you who you are.”
I tried doing it myself, pressing a hand over my chest,
attempting to summon some connection to my own father–to
feel something. To have a chance to apologize.
But nothing came. Just an aching emptiness.
I wished Mia was luckier than I was.
Mia nodded slowly, as if trying to believe his words. Then, after
a long moment, she climbed onto my lap, wrapping her small
arms around my neck. “I miss them. but I love you too.”
My heart clenched, and I held her close, feeling Asher’s arm
encircle us both in a tight embrace.
“We love you more, baby girl,” I whispered into her soft curls.
She pulled back suddenly, rubbing at her eyes with her fists.
“Okay, let’s go now,” she announced, as if shaking off the
sadness. “I don’t wanna be sad anymore.”
I forced a smile, stroking her cheek. “Give me a minute to fix my
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face, and we’ll go, alright?”
She nodded, hopping off my lap and stomping her tiny feet
against the floor, already moving on to the next thing.
I, on the other hand, hurried to the bathroom, shutting the door
behind me before breaking down.
Grief was tricky.
It never fully left, only hidden and flowed. Some days, it was
just a whisper in the back of my mind. Today, it felt like a
crushing weight.
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Chapter135
