Chapter 248: Reunion with parents
Vlad and Chloe were sitting in the outdoor dining area of the restaurant, separated from the road by a railing, when he was ambushed.
All eyes turned towards the fallen man and the striking woman standing beside Chloe. She had raven-black hair tied in a low bun, with a few strands framing her ethereal face.
Her skin was pale, and her deep-black eyes stared down at the rich cad who had been about to touch her precious daughter. She wore a simple gown of undyed linen that reached her ankles, ending above a pair of plain shoes. Yet, even such a modest outfit couldn’t diminish her beauty, which left the other customers catching their breath. She didn’t look a day older than thirty.
Vlad immediately recognised her voice, even though it had been almost a decade since he had last seen her. His crimson eyes widened, faint moisture appearing in them.
"M-mama," Chloe gasped, her eyes widening upon seeing her.
Vlad was about to lift his head from where he was facing the floor when Elaria shifted her gaze to Chloe.
The sharpness in her dark eyes immediately vanished, her irises trembling. A sheen of tears formed in them as she whimpered, "My baby..."
"Mama..." Similar tears formed in Chloe’s pale-lavender eyes. It had been more than three years since she had last seen her Mama, after all.
Chloe immediately rushed into her gentle embrace, the one she had craved for years.
"My baby has become such a beautiful young lady," Elaria murmured in a soft tone, tears trickling down her cheeks as she gently stroked her head.
"I missed you, Mama," Chloe whimpered, her usual stoic expression completely broken as she turned into the child she had always been in Elaria’s arms.
After crying for a few seconds in each other’s embrace, Elaria parted from her and began wiping her tears.
"Who is this rich bastard you’re hanging out with? Did he coax you with food? He didn’t do anything weird with you, right?"
"Mama, he is—"
"Be honest with your mama," Elaria cut her off mid-sentence, her eyes narrowing. "Don’t be afraid of him."
She turned her sharp gaze towards the tall young man standing with his arms crossed and a frown on his face.
Elaria’s eyes widened, a low gasp escaping her lips.
"V-Vlad?" she gasped, now that she had gotten a clear look at his face. Although he looked nothing like the teenage boy she had sent to the academy one and a half months ago, she immediately recognised him with a single glance.
"Finally recognised your son?" Vlad sighed, rubbing his face where her punch had landed. "How do you possess such monstrous stren—"
"My babyyy!!" Elaria pulled him into her embrace before he could finish his words.
It was only when he felt her warmth that he realised how much he had longed for this moment.
He bent his knees to reach her level so she could properly hug him.
"I missed you, Mom," he whispered, wrapping his arms around her back.
"My Vlad baby has become so tall and handsome," Elaria whimpered, breaking into tears again.
"Come on, Mom," Vlad sighed, his cheeks turning slightly red. "Don’t call me that. It’s embarrassing—"
Bam!
A fist landed squarely on Vlad’s face, sending him flying a metre before he hit the stone floor.
"A-another ambush?" Vlad gasped, holding his nose. "How come I didn’t sense it aga..."
"Who is this bastard touching my wife in broad daylight?" a deep masculine voice echoed.
Once again, a ripple of gasps swept through the other customers who had only wanted to enjoy a peaceful afternoon meal.
Vlad didn’t even need to look for this ambusher, immediately recognising the voice.
A tall, muscular man arrived beside Elaria and Chloe. His auburn hair was tied into a half-bun, and his striking, mature face was covered in stubble. He wore a plain tunic that exposed his broad chest and wide forearms, while thick trousers covered his legs.
"I only left my wife alone for a moment, and some bastard was already hitting on her," Edren muttered, veins bulging across his temples. He cracked his knuckles as he continued, "I will teach you a lesson so that you think twice before touching anyone’s wife—"
Bam!
A punch landed across Edren’s jaw, almost rolling his eyes back.
"You idiot!" Elaria snapped, her expression darkening.
"D-dear, wh-why are you beating me?" Edren asked, holding his jaw.
She rose onto her toes, grabbed his ear, and continued, "How could you not even recognise your own son?"
"Really, Mom?" Vlad sighed, rising to his feet while still holding his nose, which had barely survived that last assault.
Edren blinked, taking a clear look at Vlad, who now stood almost an inch taller than Edren, despite the fact that Edren was 6’4".
"Hah! Vlad barely reached my shoulders. He can’t be..." His words stopped mid-sentence as he saw the undeniable proof. The same deep crimson eyes as his own.
"Dad?" Chloe’s soft voice fell upon Edren’s ears.
He turned to find Chloe standing beside him.
"My baby!" Edren exclaimed, spreading his arms wide.
Chloe immediately rushed into his giant embrace.
"Wow," Vlad scoffed with a deep frown. "Of course you two recognise her at first sight but couldn’t recognise me at all."
Edren ignored Vlad’s complaint. He patted Chloe’s head as he said, "You have become so thin." His crimson eyes sharpened at Vlad as he continued, "Did Vlad not feed you properly?"
’Crap,’ Vlad gasped inwardly. ’She was maintaining a Bully Vlad list. If she revealed it to Dad, even the academy won’t be able to protect me.’
Vlad’s breath caught in his throat, a bead of sweat trickling down his temple as Chloe gave him a sidelong glance from Edren’s embrace.
’Yeah, I’m dead,’ Vlad accepted his fate.
Surprisingly, Chloe shook her head. "Vlad treated me well, Dad."
After a few seconds, Edren parted from Chloe and walked towards Vlad.
"Look at you, grown even taller than your own dad," Edren scoffed, ruffling his hair. He moved his massive arm around Vlad’s neck as he continued in a gentle tone, "You must have suffered a lot."
Vlad’s eyes widened, his fingers trembling at his sides. He soon regained his composure, forming a warm smile on his face.
"It was bearable, Dad."