~Draven~
I held the boy securely in my arms, heart still pounding from the near accident, and was glad I could save him. It would have been a huge disaster if the cycle had hit him.
"Are you alright?" I asked as I turned to face him.
His obsidian eyes, so like Charlene's, met mine as tears streaked down his cheeks.
"I want my mommy," he whispered, his small voice trembling.
I glanced at Kylan, who pretended to look away, giving me space. "Are you alright?" I asked gently.
The boy clutched me tighter, burying his face against my chest. "I… I want Mommy," he repeated.
I nodded, understanding without words.
Slowly, I began walking toward the restaurant, navigating through the small crowd. People murmured and pointed, whispering in admiration at what they had just seen.
"He saved that boy!"
"What a brave man!"
"He's so handsome!"
I ignored the stares, focusing instead on the little boy's comfort.
Suddenly, another small voice called out.
"Drew!" A little girl ran toward us. She was unmistakably Charlene's daughter, a perfect miniature of her mother. "Mommy is looking for you."
The boy squirmed slightly in my arms, reluctant to let go.
The girl's eyes widened as she saw me holding him. "Hi," I said, crouching slightly to her level. "I'm a friend of your mom's, and I—"
"Why are you carrying Drew? Is he being a crying baby again?" she interrupted, her tone sharp but innocent.
"I am not a crying baby," Drew protested, gripping my shirt tightly. "I just want Mommy!"
"Where's your mother?" I asked.
"She's in the kitchen," she replied, a tinge of worry in her voice. "She's busy, and we're alone."
I smiled at her honesty. She reminded me so much of Charlene—strong-willed, clever, and still a child.
I felt a strange pull toward them, protective and tender. I wondered why I felt that way when they were not my children.
"Can you carry me too?" she asked, stretching her tiny arms toward me.
I nodded, adjusting my hold to carry both children.
"Your Highness," Kylan started to protest, but I silenced him with a wave. "It's fine," I said.
We moved toward a small table in the corner. The children relaxed against me, chatting quietly, their trust in me clear despite our brief acquaintance.
For a fleeting moment, I imagined them as my own, and I had come to meet their mother. It was a bittersweet image that I wanted to last a long time.
Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out from the left side, "Drew, Dawn!"
Charlene. She appeared at the doorway, her brow furrowed and her apron slightly stained. A spoon was in her hand. When she saw me, she hid it behind her. Time froze as our eyes met. She looked worried, exhausted, and yet impossibly radiant.
"Your Highness," she said softly. "I… I'll take them."
Drew clung to me stubbornly, while Dawn tugged at her mother's hand.
I smiled inwardly at the scene, noting the bond and love flowing freely between them. Charlene approached, gently lifting Dawn into her arms, and turned toward Drew.
"C'mon, baby," she coaxed. "Let's go."
He hesitated, looking between us. I held his gaze for a heartbeat longer before letting him slip from my arms into hers.
As their hands met, a current of something unspoken passed through me—a connection I could neither deny nor explain.
Charlene's eyes flicked to me, assessing, cautious, and wary. "Thank you for keeping him safe," she said.
I gave a curt nod, refusing to show the flood of emotion threatening to break through. "Be careful," I murmured.
She raised an eyebrow but didn't press further.
Drew nestled into her chest, and Dawn tightly held her mother's hand. The image struck me like a knife. Here, Charlene and her children lived in the human world, thriving without me.
She wasn't as miserable as I expected her to be. I was the one who was still holding on and refusing to move on.
"Your highness… …" she tried to say something, but I turned abruptly and walked out while Kylan followed silently.
My heart thudded painfully in my chest, filled with longing, jealousy, and helplessness.
How could I still even want her after everything? She was no longer mine, and I'll only be a fool if I stay behind and watch her and her children.
Charlene's voice called after me as I reached the car, but I didn't stop. "Your Highness! Drew told me how you saved him from the bicycle. Thank you!"
I didn't look back. I slid into the car, closing the door with deliberate calm. "Let's go back to the hotel," I ordered, my voice steady, though my mind was burning with mixed feelings. I watched as she bowed through the window as my car drove away.
Her life was better than I expected, and hurt more than expected.