Chapter 111: Reunion
As the carriage trundles closer to Seraphina’s heart, the temple fading in the distance, I notice something out of place in the bustling street. A large, familiar figure standing beside a small girl. My heart skips a beat. It can’t be.
Noelle, ever perceptive, catches the shift in my expression. "What are you looking at?" he asks, curiosity piqued, his eyes following mine out the window. When they land on the figures, his eyes sparkle with recognition.
Without thinking, I rap on the carriage roof, signaling the driver to stop. The carriage grinds to a halt in front of them. My hand is already on the door, and I’m out before the wheels have even fully stopped turning.
Standing before me is Big Ben, his massive frame a wall of protection as he instinctively places Mona behind him. His dark eyes meet mine with a flicker of recognition, and for a moment, we just stare. Then, from behind him, a little head peeks out. Mona.
"Mr. Husband?!" she calls out, her voice trembling with tears.
The sound of her voice, so small and full of emotion, nearly undoes me. I’ve missed this little runt more than I thought possible. My arms open wide without a second thought, and she bolts from behind Big Ben straight into them.
I catch her effortlessly, her tiny body colliding with mine as if she belongs there. Her small hands clasp around my neck, and she buries her face against me, sobbing softly.
"It’s a little mean, Mona. What about me?" I hear Noelle’s voice from inside the carriage, light and teasing. Meanwhile, the little furball in my arms, wriggling as if determined to escape, leaps out of my grasp and bounds toward Noelle. With a soft laugh, I place her gently in the carriage, watching as she effortlessly jumps into Noelle’s waiting arms, immediately nestling into his embrace like she belongs there.
I turn back just in time to see Ben sway on his feet, his face pale, before collapsing to the ground. My heart skips a beat, worry overtaking me as I stride toward him, calling his name, but there’s no response. His unconscious form lies there, lifeless, and my mind races.
"Ben!" I drop to my knees beside him, reaching out to check for any sign of life, panic gripping me for a moment before I feel the faint rise and fall of his chest. Relief floods through me, but the worry remains. What could’ve caused this? What’s going on?
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