Chapter 45 is dedicated to zilch_expectations and _angel_kissed_ and tabrina1234
Thank you for your support ❤
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BIANCA SLATER-ASHFORD
Age: 30
BRAXTON ASHFORD Age: 3
BETHANY ASHFORD Age: 3
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I swayed to the music with Ashton as Diana introduced herself to Micah with smiles and a wave. She was making him feel extra welcomed. Kevin and Kristof even went over to chat with him. It was nice seeing everyone put their ranks aside and just see each other as humans… or Origens. Jackson would have loved to see this.
“Everyone’s growing up so fast,” Beau murmured beside us. “Our youngest is already seventeen.”
“Time flies,” Ashton agreed. “It feels like it was only yesterday when we met. Jun was just nine and we all hated each other’s guts.”
Kevin chuckled. “We hated the king most of all.”
“Still do,” Ashton laughed.
“You sound like old men talking about the past,” Jun teased. “But I guess it’s fitting considering your ages. How old are you now, Beau?”
“You’re still a brat,” Beau growled and Jun evaded a playful punch.
“Jackson would have loved to see this,” Beau said, nodding towards the group around Micah.
“I was just thinking that too,” I sighed.
At the mention of Jackson, everyone went quiet. The longer he stayed with Malekh, the less likely it seemed that he would ever come back to us. I could tell how much the other guys still missed him. Things just didn’t feel the same without him here. But I suppose that was how life was. You didn’t see the value of what you had until it was gone.
The one consolation was that he at least seemed to be treated well by Malekh. He knew how valuable Jackson was as an ally, and he understood his pain.
“Daddy!”
The silence that had shrouded us was lifted as the sounds of excited running came to us. Two small children raced towards Beau, attacking both of his legs with hugs. Bianca, who was just behind them, came over to us with a large smile. Brooke walked happily beside her.
Beau picked them both up, spinning them around and they giggled and threw their arms around his neck in soft hugs.
Just like everyone else in the room, the twins had been no exception to growth. It almost made me sad seeing how much of their growth I’d missed while I was gone. They were three years old now.
“Come say hello to Elizabeth,” Beau said, pointing to me.
They stared at me with wide eyes brimming with innocence. They’d forgotten me in the one and a half years I’d spent away from them.
“Hi Bethany, hi Braxton.” I waved at them.
They looked at their dad for some confirmation that I wasn’t a stranger trying to kidnap them and then turned back to me with tentative waves and giggles. They wiggled down from their dad and plodded over to me. I scooped them up in a big hug. They were so adorable! I’d missed them so much!
After I re-introduced myself to them and hoped that I would stay in their memories from now on, they toddled over to Kristof with excited shouts.
“Uncle Kwis! Magic, magic!”
Kristof smiled down at them and then made two party hats float over to them. He placed them on their heads and their excited squeals got louder as they clapped happily.
“Do the water one!” Braxton grinned, tugging at Kristof’s pants enthusiastically.
“Oi, I wasn’t done with that!” Raúl pouted as Kristof levitated the punch he’d been drinking right out of his cup.
The children watched in awe as the stream of red danced and swirled above their heads. I smiled at the scene in front of me. Kristof loved kids and he absolutely adored Bethany and Braxton. If they asked him to bring the moon down, he’d definitely find a way to do it.
“How’re you enjoying everything?” I asked Micah.
“It’s…” He looked around at everyone. “Different. They’re different from how I thought they’d be.”
I nodded. “I want the entire empire to be like this too.”
“That’s not possible,” he sighed.
“Maybe not completely,” I mused. “But I want to get it as close to this as possible. A dream with the right plan can be attained.”
“I just wish Armani was here to see it,” he whispered.
“I’m sure he’d love it.” I smiled, remembering my last conversation with him.
He’d wanted more than anything to see the kingdom and the nobles unite without discrimination and oppression, and although it was far from over, this was a start.
“Whenever I think about him my heart hurts,” he murmured.
I was hit with a strange feeling of déjà vu hearing those words, but I couldn’t put a finger on where I’d heard them from or why they seemed so familiar.
“Armani wanted you to be happy Micah,” I said softly. “And Esmeralda too.”
He nodded with a sigh. Jun and Harlow came over to us, still bickering with each other. They turned to Micah as the mediator of their dispute and Micah said something that amused Harlow. She grinned at him while Jun pouted.
I went over to where everyone else was and watched them from a distance. The sound of Brooke playing with the kids mingled with the music in the background. Kristof came up to stand beside me with a tender smile. I smiled back.
Seeing Jun and Micah together made me feel like anything was possible. As they spoke, life drifted into Micah’s eyes and my heart melted as I saw the dawn of his long lost smile.
I genuinely hoped that the day would come when they would be able to walk side by side.
Today was the beginning, and the first step towards a blooming future.
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Hey lovelies! Thanks for reading!
Meet the twins! Did you notice anything unique about their names?
"I genuinely hoped that the day would come when they would be able to walk side by side."
-Elizabeth (The Prince's Soulmate, chapter 119)
Leave a comment and a vote❤
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