After I Died, My Husband Went Mad - Chapter 337

“Bella, there you are.”

Balak appeared, his expression a little tense as he came to fetch her.

“Oh, the Duke is with you too.”

“That goes without saying.”

Dehart replied, a faint edge to his voice. Balak twitched his eyebrows but didn’t fire back as usual, and Dehart didn’t provoke him further either. Both men could tell Sebelia was nervous.

“Well, I’ll see you soon.”

Dehart pressed a gentle kiss to Sebelia’s pale fingertips and guided her over to Balak.

“I’ll see you later.”

Sebelia was barely able to move her lips. Her voice was shaky and her eyes darted around. Her nerves plain as day. Watching her for a moment, Dehart suddenly reached out, brushing her cheek with a soft, reassuring touch.

“Ah—!”

“That’s more like you. Go on now.”

He said with a warm smile that lingered in her ear. Sebelia stroked her ear and nodded.

“I’ll be back.”

Maybe it was just the shock, but a little color finally returned to Sebelia’s cheeks, and she looked much better than before. Dehart’s playful teasing eased her nerves, and with a spark of life back in her eyes, she offered him a small farewell. Dehart gladly let her go.

Sebelia walked with Balak toward her mother’s room. The path felt strangely familiar, and it took her a moment to realize they were heading for the same annex she’d noticed the day before.

Soon, a building of gray brick and a blue roof came into view. Unlike yesterday, it had a presence that made her swallow nervously. As they reached the door, her heart pounded in her ears. While she tried to steady herself, Balak raised his hand and knocked.

From inside, she heard Rossel’s voice.

“You’re here.”

Through the open crack, Sebelia glimpsed a hallway awash in warm colors. A gentle breeze, carrying warmth from deeper inside, almost made her dizzy with anticipation.

“Come in. She’s been waiting for you for a while now.”

With a soft creak, the door swung open all the way, and Rossel guided her inside.

After mentioning he had other things to do, Balak quietly slipped away, leaving the two of them to pass through a threshold-less sitting room and a grand dining room, finally stopping before a small bedroom that opened onto a garden.

By now, Sebelia felt as if she were floating just above herself, barely holding onto reality.

Knock, knock. Rossel tapped on the door. After a breathless moment of silence, a faint voice came from within.

“Dear?”

Her heart moved before her mind did. She pushed open the door—and sunlight poured in, illuminating a scene more beautiful than any dream. Without a word, Sebelia stared.

Elena stood with arms wide open, smiling.

“Mother.”

The word slipped from her lips before she realized. Her mother’s smile was soft and welcoming. For a brief, shining moment, Sebelia felt like she was standing in the middle of a childhood fantasy.

“Come here, sweetheart.”

Those lake-blue eyes still sparkled with intelligence, even after all these years. Her lips, though a little pale, had a smile, and her cheeks glowed with happiness.

Sebelia moved closer, bit by bit. Their matching eyes searched each other’s faces, never missing a detail.

Thin arms, a lingering shadow of illness, a few wrinkles around her eyes and mouth—signs of time’s passing. Her mother looked nothing like the young, beautiful, perfect vision Sebelia had always dreamed of as a child.

But Sebelia didn’t feel the least bit disappointed—if anything, she was overwhelmed.

“Sweetheart—”

“Yes.”

“Mother…”

As she stepped into her mother’s waiting embrace, a shiver ran through her. Elena drew a deep breath, holding her daughter tightly.

“Hello, dear. I’ve been waiting so long for you.”

Cradling Sebelia as if she was a child, Elena began to speak, her voice gentle and steady.

“You’re so beautiful. What am I going to do with such a lovely daughter? I always wanted to make you a special dress for your coming-of-age, you know. Balak and Rossel used to fight over who’d get the first dance with you.”

“…”

“Let me see your face, will you? Your eyes are as blue as the sea. Your hair looks just like mine did. You’ve grown so tall—I never thought you’d be taller than me when you stood up. Isn’t that right?”

As Elena stroked her hair, Sebelia wept like a newborn, trembling in her mother’s arms.

“I missed you so much, my darling.”

A warmth blossomed inside Sebelia, making her bite her lip. The thirst she thought would never fade was finally, slowly, being quenched. The emptiness she’d insisted didn’t matter was being filled at last, and she didn’t know what to do with all these feelings.