Emmelyn froze in place when she saw the image inside the crystal ball became clear.
When she realized who it was... beads of tears fell down to her cheeks so profusely. She pressed her lips with both hands and unconsciously held her breath.
She saw a beautiful baby sleeping peacefully with her mouth slightly opened.
This was the moment that Emmelyn had been waiting for all these months. She had been longing to see Harlow that she often dreamed of it when she slept.
Her feeling at this moment couldn't be described in words. She was really, really happy.
Even though Harlow now looked so different from what Emmelyn remembered, she knew that the sleeping baby she saw in the crystal ball was her daughter.
She just knew.
Maybe it was a mother's instinct? She wasn't sure and didn't care to analyze.
All she knew was the beautiful chubby baby with so much white hair on her head that she was looking at now was Harlow, her precious daughter.
Goshh... she looked so healthy and adorable, Emmelyn thought to herself. Harlow's long lashes fluttered slightly during her sleep.
Her mouth was opened and Emmelyn could see two very small teeth were showing between her lips. Harlow looked nothing like the wrinkly, tiny, red baby she saw the last time.
Her feelings were mixed between happy to see Harlow, and sad because she had missed so many things in her baby's life. When she thought about it, Emmelyn couldn't help but sob uncontrollably.
What made her feel worse was the fact that she could never be near Harlow again. Her daughter seemed to have a good life if she could grow to be this chubby and healthy.
The thought that Harlow would suffer a tragic life if Emmelyn would return to her life filled Emmelyn with dread. Her efforts to look for the Leoralreis and Myreen were futile because today she realized she only faced a dead end.
She was a cursed woman. All because a man was in love with her.
She was oh so unlucky...
Myrcella looked at Emmelyn with a sympathetic gaze. She could understand what Emmelyn was feeling because she was also a mother.
Moreover, the tears that this young woman was shedding were all caused by Catalina's selfishness. It made Myrcella feel more responsible to do something to make up for what happened.
So, she put her right hand above the crystal ball and then rubbed it gently. Emmelyn was astonished when the vision inside the ball zoomed out and she could now see Harlow sleeping on someone's lap.
Emmelyn gasped and couldn't breathe for almost one minute when she realized who it was that was carrying Harlow on his lap, rubbing her head full of hair gently to make her sleep soundly.
"Mars..." Emmelyn let out her husband's name.
She was in awe when she saw how much Mars doted on Harlow. From the way he looked at Harlow and the gentle movement of his fingers running through her thick white hair, Emmelyn could see an overflowing love.
"Is that her father?" Myrcella asked Emmelyn with a smile.
She was also mesmerized by the scene between father and daughter in her crystal ball. That reminded her of Alexander and Elise when Elise was still a child.
Myrcella could recognize a doting father when she saw one.
Emmelyn nodded weakly. Her voice was barely audible when she replied, "Yes, that's Harlow and her father."
Her eyes were solely focused on the heartwarming sight before her. Emmelyn felt so relieved to know that her scummy husband truly loved Harlow and took good care of her.
She was wondering, did Lily help Mars a lot in taking care of Harlow? Or did he look for a woman to help him raise their baby?
Emmelyn knew Lily would try her best to be there for Harlow and help Mars with anything he needed as a new father, but she had to be realistic.
Lily already had three children of her own and she loved being a hands-on mother. So, it was not fair for Lily's young sons to expect her to take care of Harlow too.
Knowing Mars, Emmelyn suspected that her husband would find help from other people. She hoped Queen Elara could be there for Harlow after she was revived. She could imagine her mother-in-law would love Harlow so deeply and spoil her rotten.
Mars suddenly looked up and seemed to be talking to someone. Emmelyn furrowed her brows and tilted her head to see closer, hoping to hear what Mars was saying.
There was no sound heard.
"I am sorry, we cannot hear anything," Myrcella said apologetically. "We can only 'see'."
She rubbed the crystal ball again and this time the vision zoomed out of the scene, showing Mars sitting on the comfortable chair with Harlow on his lap. His face looked tired. He was talking to someone at the door and then motioned the person to come closer.
"Oh..." Emmelyn felt choked when she saw a really beautiful woman with long blonde hair came to Mars with the biggest smile. This woman must be from high nobility, judging from the way she dressed and carried herself.
She looked rich and elegant from head to toe. Her beautiful face was adorned by a sweet smile and pink blush on her cheeks.
Emmelyn didn't want to admit it, but her heart ached when her mind told her Mars must have kept the beautiful woman by his side to help him take care of Harlow.
No matter how smart and loving he was as a father, Mars was still a man who never had the experience to care for a baby. He needed a woman's help.
Since Queen Elara 'died' before Harlow was born, Mars couldn't get his mother to help him with the job.
The most logical thing to do was find one of the noblewomen in the capital to help him take care of Harlow. With Harlow now being six-month-old, this woman must have been present in Mars' life for that long.
Did they grow closer because of Harlow? Did Mars ever think of finding a new wife to raise Harlow together?
All these thoughts filled Emmelyn's mind and made her feel distraught. She couldn't hear what the woman was saying to Mars, but she could guess it must be something along the lines that Mars should give Harlow to her so she could put her to bed. Mars also needed rest.
Mars nodded and gave Harlow to Lorian. He said something and then closed his eyes, looking extremely tired. Lorian stood before the king with baby Harlow in her arms. She said something but Mars didn't seem to hear her.
He already fell asleep on the sofa. This sight made Emmelyn feel sad. Mars always had a problem sleeping for as long as she knew him. He even had to take a hot bath and sleeping potion every night if he wished to sleep properly.
After Emmelyn came into his life, he said he no longer needed those because sleeping with Emmelyn in his embrace was enough to make him relaxed and helped him sleep better.
But now, he could sleep just like that? Did that other woman also help him overcome his sleeping problem?
This nudged Emmelyn's ego and hurt her feelings. Not only did Mars not trust her when everyone accused Emmmelyn of Queen Elara's murder, but he was also able to replace her so soon.
It hurt Emmelyn so badly to see her husband and daughter being taken care of by another woman.
Her tears flowed more profusely when she remembered how much she had sacrificed for them and even went all the way to Myreen to make sure this damn curse wouldn't hurt them, only to be faced with another dead end.
Meanwhile, Lorian's heart fluttered when she watched the king sleep on the sofa.
Ahh...this man was so handsome, so manly...
So dreamy.
After she received Harlow from Mars, she tried to tell the king to move to the bed to get proper rest. However, Mars didn't reply.
Apparently, he already fell asleep as soon as Harlow was no longer on his lap.
Sigh. He must be feeling exhausted for sleeping like this, Lorian thought. Leading his massive army on a long and arduous journey while taking care of a demanding baby all day must have taken its toll on him.
Ahh.. what a doting father. What a king.
Lorian kept watching Mars with a dreamy expression. She already forgot that her intention to come here was to get Harlow and take her to sleep with her and Ilma, so Mars could get his rest.
Lorian and her sister, Ilma, went with the king to Summeria because their mother told them this was a perfect opportunity for the girls to score points from the king.
Sooner or later, he would need to get a wife to get a male heir and help him raise Harlow. When that time came, they wanted to be the top candidates for the role.
Not only was their brother, Gewen, very close with Mars, but they also hoped to get closer to the king themselves by spending as much time as possible on this journey.
Being Harlow's caregivers seemed to work in their favor too because they could hover around Mars anytime.
She stepped closer to the king to look at his face better. She never got this opportunity before.
Ahh... her heart pounded faster and faster.
Mars was really handsome. He had this sweetness and charisma that melt all the women's hearts around him.
Lorian licked her lips unconsciously. She was mesmerized by the beautiful sight before her.
She touched Mars' arm gently with her right hand, to see if he would wake up by her touch.
No... he was really fast asleep.
This made Lorian become bolder. Her slender fingers traced the man's arm gently, going up to his shoulder.... then his neck...
She swallowed hard.
She would never get this opportunity again, she thought to herself, and finally decided to be bold.
So, she kissed his right cheek.
SMASH! BANG!
Emmelyn was so upset when she saw the woman landed a kiss on her husband's cheek, that she smashed the crystal ball with all her might to the floor.
It all happened so fast in a moment of rage, that Myrcella didn't have time to catch the crystal ball before it hit the floor.
She was dazed when she realized her valuable magical artifact had been destroyed in a blink of an eye.
Meanwhile, Emmelyn froze when she saw the crystal broke into thousands of little pieces, and the shards shattered on the floor around her.
When she realized what she had just done, her body was trembling and she apologized profusely in a stammer. "I-I'm so... sorry... I-I didn't mean to... to break it... I am sorry..."
Myrcella didn't know what to say.
Mars knitted his brows when he felt something touch his right cheek. His golden eyes opened and he found a woman's face was very close to his.
Lorian?
Mars' mind instantly went to work and he remembered Lorian came earlier to his chamber and get Harlow.
Why was she still here? The young king suddenly felt his right cheek warm and moist.
With a raised eyebrow, he touched that cheek and immediately realized what happened.
"What did you do just now?" He groaned and threw Lorian a murderous glare.
The woman shrank on the spot and her chest palpitated. She looked like a rabbit that was caught by a scary tiger and was about to be devoured. She tried to say something but no words came out of her lips.
Seeing how pale and trembling she was, Mars quickly got up and snatched Harlow from Lorian. He was worried Lorian would accidentally drop Harlow because she was so scared.
"How dare you!" He growled furiously and pushed Lorian's shoulder out of anger. His strength was too great for her and Lorian was tossed on the floor.
She instantly passed out.
.
.
************
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