Chapter 78 Shopping
Addison remembered the moment the smaller girl carefully crafted a flower crown from daisies and gently placed it on her playmate’s head. "Sister, you’re so beautiful..." she had whispered, eyes cast downward, fidgeting nervously with her fingers.
That shy little girl—her movements, her uncertainty, her soft admiration—mirrored Mila’s demeanor perfectly.
And now, standing here, Addison couldn’t help but compare the sincere look on Mila’s face to that of Claire’s—the woman who had mastered the art of false innocence. Claire, who would say one thing and mean another, who wore her innocence like a mask while cornering Addison with subtle malice, always smirking as if she’d won something invisible.
But Mila was different. The nervousness in her eyes wasn’t calculated. It was genuine. The memory confirmed it—at least, it seemed so.
Thinking of all this, Addison nodded at her mother, signaling that she understood her point. Seeing Addison so calm and understanding, the Queen smiled softly—but that smile faltered as her eyes turned red with emotion. Sadness welled up in her chest as she recalled what her mate had told her about Addison’s past experiences before she was rescued.
If she hadn’t threatened the Alpha King—her own mate—with dissolving their mate bond unless he told her the truth, he might have kept it hidden from her forever. It was only after Addison had spent nearly two years in the Sacred Land that she finally learned the full extent of what her daughter had been through.
And now, watching Addison remain gentle and considerate despite the memory loss and the trauma she had endured, the Queen’s heart ached. Addison had suffered so much... and yet, here she was, still choosing to be kind. That kind of strength—quiet, unyielding—only made the Queen feel more guilty for not being there when her daughter had needed her most.
More than anything, the Queen was seeing how much her daughter had grown and matured. Addison was no longer the carefree and willful girl she used to be. Her aura had only grown stronger, but it wasn’t just power—it was a reflection of everything she had endured. Still, the Queen didn’t want the mood to turn somber over the past.
So, with a bright smile, she clapped her hands to draw everyone’s attention.