THREE DAYS LATER
It was a beautiful day in spring. The birds were singing from outside the window and people could smell the sweet jaracanda flowers from the garden.
Harlow was crawling on the floor and reached out her father's leg. She used it for support so she could stand up.
Mars was sitting on the chair, with his chin supported by his right hand, watching the flower petals fell slowly to the ground. He smiled at Harlow and rose from his chair.
The young father could tell Harlow was bored and wanted to go outside. So, he picked her up from the floor and carried her in his arms.
"Do you want to go out?" he asked her softly. The little girl nodded. She was playing with a rag doll on the thick rug next to her father's chair and was now feeling bored.
They had been staying in the Summerian royal palace for three days, and almost never left Emmelyn's bed, for fear she would wake up when they were out.
Nobody bothered them and gave them privacy. Maxim even came to visit once a day to check on them and asked if they needed anything.
Mars was grateful because the servants were very attentive and provided everything they would ever need during their stay. Kira also bought Harlow many toys and gave them through the servants.
Food, water, and clothes were provided for Mars and Harlow. The Strongmoors didn't lack anything. The chamber where Emmelyn was staying was also very beautiful and comfortable. Mars loved spending his time, sitting on the big sofa by the floor-to-ceiling windows, playing with Harlow.
They could see the garden, the golden swans swimming leisurely in the lake, the flowers blooming around them. It was such a beautiful place and beautiful days.
Mars walked through the open windows with Harlow in his arms and watched the flowing jacaranda petals together. His back was facing his wife.
Emmelyn's lashes fluttered and she slowly furrowed her brows. As her consciousness slowly returned, she could faintly hear the voice of a man and a little child.
Was she still dreaming?
Her eyes opened and she needed some time to adjust her vision. Emmelyn raised her hand with difficulty and rubbed her head.
Where was she?
She looked around her weakly and tried to recognize the place she was in. This was such a beautiful chamber. She didn't recognize it. She batted her eyes, trying to remember what happened.
She slowly remembered she went to Myreen with Maxim, but her chamber in the Myreen royal palace was different from the place she was in now.
Was she still in Myreen? Or... did Maxim take her home?
She didn't recognize anything from this room. It was furnished with the best furniture and felt so comfortable.
She turned to the left and see in the direction of the faint conversation between a man and the young child. She thought she recognized the voice.
It sounded a lot like her husband's.
She must be dreaming or hallucinating, Emmelyn told herself.
She had not seen Mars for a long time. And he was really, really far away from here.
Ahh... was she missing him so badly that all she ever thought about in her waking moment was Mars Strongmoor?
Emmelyn furrowed her brows and pressed her hands on her temple. Slowly the memory returned and she remembered the last thing she saw was...
Mars was sitting with Harlow on his lap and... a woman suddenly came to kiss his cheek.
GASP!
She hated it! She was enraged to see her husband with another woman.
Mars was startled when he heard her gasp and turned around to see what happened. He immediately noticed Emmelyn's eyes were open and she was struggling to sit up in bed.
His heart skipped a beat and before he knew it, he had run back toward the bed and checked that Emmelyn was really awake.
"Honey...?" His voice was hoarse when he spoke. All the emotions which he had been keeping inside, all the pain, longing, sadness, welled up and filled his heart to the brim.
He put down Harlow on the rug and helped Emmelyn sit.
"You are awake," Mars whispered with joy evident in his voice. He couldn't believe this was finally happening, after waiting for three full days, by her side. "Do you need something? Do you want to drink?"
He looked at her lovingly and touched her cheek gently. Emmelyn was dumbfounded, still thinking she was dreaming. So, her husband had to repeat his question. Finally, she nodded weakly.
"Wait here... I will get you water," Mars said.
He went to the table and poured water into a cup and gave it to Emmelyn. He helped her drink it. It seemed Emmelyn's body was so weak that she couldn't move her limbs properly.
Emmelyn sipped the water and when she had enough, she motioned Mars to take the cup from her. The water felt so real.
So.. was the man real too? It was so hard to believe.
Emmelyn turned to look at Mars deeply and tried to find out if this was really her husband and she was not dreaming.
Mars bent down and picked up Harlow from the rug. He carried her and put her down on the bed, next to Emmelyn. His voice was the most beautiful sound Emmelyn had ever heard in her life when he introduced Harlow to her.
"Emmelyn, honey... this is Harlow... our lovely daughter," Mars whispered. Then he rubbed Harlow's hair. "Harlow sweetheart... this is mommy."
Emmelyn instantly pressed her lips and tears streamed down hard to her cheeks. Harlow turned to look at her and their eyes locked.
The baby looked at Emmelyn with fascination in her eyes, while Emmelyn's eyes were filled with tears. She could clearly see the resemblance between Mars and Harlow. Her husband didn't need to convince her that this adorable baby with thick white hair was their daughter.
"Gosh... Harlow..." Emmelyn whispered. She reached out to Harlow's body and pulled her baby into her embrace. "It's really you... This is not a dream."
Mars watched the mother-daughter reunion with a very heavy heart. Emmelyn had lost so much time together and many important milestones in Harlow's life. He felt so sorry about this. Harlow also didn't know her mother.
Emmelyn hugged Harlow tightly and wailed. She vented out all the longings she had been keeping for the daughter she left behind when Harlow was just one day old.
Those lonely days when Emmelyn was thinking about her daughter... All the pain and sufferings she went through just so that she could see Harlow again... they felt worth it, just so that she could hug this baby again.
Mars wanted to hug Emmelyn too, but he knew she needed time to be with Harlow. So, he let them be.
.
.
****************
NEW BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT:
Please add the new book. It's ready now. You can search the title "The King's Wife Is The Alpha's Mate" or click my username and find the book on my reading list, called "Missrealitybites Books".
This is the synopsis of "THE KING'S WIFE IS THE ALPHA'S MATE"
The king, or the alpha?
When she jumps over the academy walls to escape from her bullies, Sophie falls straight into the arms of Nicholas, the kingdom's crown prince with a sweet and sunny disposition. Sparks fly and love blossoms between the poor orphan and the prince.
But... suddenly, Leland, the dangerous new alpha of the most powerful werewolf pack in the kingdom claimed her to be his mate?! Sophie is torn between two men. One calls her his wife, the other claims her as his mate.
The prince is warm and sweet, his love is burning like the sun. The alpha is cold and overbearing, his love is as heavy as the mountain and as cold as the winter.
Which one will Sophie end up with when both sides wage war over blood, hatred, and revenge?
Leland will burn the entire kingdom just to get Sophie and avenge his race. On the other hand, the newly crowned king, Nicholas, strives to drive out the werewolves that the kingdom deemed as monsters.... while keeping a dark secret within himself — He is also a werewolf.