After I Died, My Husband Went Mad - Chapter 338

She’d always insisted she didn’t need a mother who abandoned her, that the nanny who raised her was more than enough. But now, something warm and unstoppable was pouring into that empty space inside her, welling up from a place she couldn’t even name.

All at once, that endless hollowness inside her filled to overflowing. She felt breathless, as if she was drowning beneath the surface, unable to draw air under the heavy weight pressing on her chest. Her head spun, and a feverish heat wrapped around her.

Elena gently stroked her back, comforting her like a child caught in a bout of sickness, and whispered softly:

“Call me Mom, just once, darling. Will you?”

Sebelia parted her lips, but at first, nothing would come out; her throat was too tight with tears. She tried again and again, repeating the word like a child mimicking her parents, until finally she managed to say it.

“Mom. Mom… Mom.”

The moment she spoke, Elena hugged her with all the strength she had—though she was still weak, the embrace was steady and sure, and for Sebelia, it was enough.

“Yes, Mom is right here, sweetheart.”

Sebelia closed her eyes and hugged her mother back. This was it. This warmth, this safety. This was what she’d always wanted: a pair of arms she could fall into, love she could reach for and always find waiting.

“I love you, my daughter. I’ve loved you and missed you for so, so long—long before I ever got to meet you.”

Her mother’s gentle, rain-like voice filled Sebelia’s heart, spilling over into fresh tears.

“My little sun, my precious child, Sebelia—loved by all.”

As that lullaby-like voice filled the room, Rossel quietly closed the door behind them, leaning back against the wall.

There was so much the two of them needed to say.

* * *

Even as night fell, Sebelia hadn’t returned. Dehart finished his lonely dinner and slipped away by himself, barely hearing Claude calling after him. He wandered the path past the main entrance toward the annex—not to go inside, just to walk, to stretch his legs, and maybe take in the night air.

The path was neatly kept and dotted with glowing lanterns—so much brighter than anything in the Belkram mountains. The old memories made him frown for a moment, but his feet didn’t pause. Soon he was standing before the shadowy outline of the annex.

Soft, impossibly warm light spilled from the cold-colored building—if not for the curtains, he would have been able to see right inside. Dehart leaned against a tree and watched the windows. Every now and then, a shadow crossed in front of them—maybe Sebelia, maybe not.

Each time, he let out a long breath, trying to calm the ache in his chest. At last, when he felt he’d given her enough time, he straightened up. That was when the door to the annex opened.

“…”

Their eyes met—and Sebelia’s blue gaze curved softly with relief. One step, then another, she crossed the grass, and with every light footfall, it seemed like the darkness itself receded.

“Were you waiting for me?”

She held out her hand as if asking to be caught. Dehart stared at it for a moment, then smiled and took it, holding on tight.

“You were taking so long.”

“That’s my line. Why are you the one saying it?”

She scolded him, shaking their joined hands playfully. Dehart blinked in surprise, caught off guard.

“So now this is all my fault?”

“You should have come for me sooner, instead of lurking around in the shadows like some tragic hero.”

He started to protest, but then just shook his head, an exasperated smile tugging at his lips.

“All right, it’s my fault.”

Sebelia nodded, satisfied by his easy surrender. Dehart narrowed his eyes at her, but couldn’t quite wipe the smile off his face. In fact, he guided her under the nearest lamp and teased,

“I probably should have come early and put something cold on your eyes. If Claude sees how puffy they are, he’ll never let you live it down.”

“Wait, is it really that bad?”

Sebelia reached up to touch her swollen eyes, wincing at the sting.