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SEVERAL years passed, the seasons changed, but the cycle of rain stayed the same.
A car drove through Forzarin Gate into Gothic City. The silver car smoothly wound its way around the ring roads of Out, Middle, and Center Circle. The streak of silver zooming down the roads looked beautiful to the oncoming traffic. No other cars could match its speed, giving it the right of way. Turning off the spacious six-lane circle course, the car pulled into a residential district flanked by rows of trees and greenery.
Young spring leaves cast a gentle, swaying shadow on the hood.
The last drop of rain marking the change from night to day, streamed down the tinted windshield. The driver was a man with long silver hair.
He pulled into a public parking lot and got out of the car. Heavy leather boots hit the concrete. Between his dark sunglasses and black leather coat, he appeared threatening to anyone who saw him. With his muscular build and rough attire, he stood out as someone who didn’t belong in this peaceful, high-end neighborhood. Yet the man had a calm, nonbelligerent air about him.
He walked down to the corner of the high-end residential street. His eyes were trained forward the whole way.
Eventually the road took him to the side of a large mansion. The solid, elegant house protected by high walls and an excellent security system was once used by him as one of his many hideouts in this city.
He went no further.
Leaning his back against the thick wall, he wrestled with himself. One more step around the corner and he would come out in front of his old house.
What am I doin’ after all this time? The question that haunted him endlessly whispered forward again. Sighing was his only answer.
His broad shoulders slumped, betraying his muscular physique. Then his excellent hearing picked up on a metallic sound. The large mansion gates were opening.
He braced himself.
Carefully sticking his head around the corner, he spotted a young woman slowly pulling out of the driveway.
His heart did a painful flip upon seeing the face he hadn’t forgotten for a single day. If he hadn’t been restraining himself, he would have jumped out to see her.
She drove a small pink car that put safety first. He didn’t recognize it. Her car from a few years ago was white. The rear seat windows were tinted blue, possibly to block out sunlight. The car drove off after the gate closed firmly behind it. The man quickly followed. Tailing by car would be too obvious, so he went by foot. He easily ran just as fast on foot. Someone keeping speed with a car stood out worse than if he had been driving. But he didn’t seem to realize.
Where’s she goin’ alone?
Before long, the car parked in a small lot under the trees. It was the neighborhood park. She seemed to be going for a morning jog. The driver’s door opened and a woman in casual attire stepped out. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun and she had a sweater on.
The man dove behind a tree to hide.
Ahh…ahhh…she hasn’t changed a bit. The man—Zelaide—was captivated by her beauty. Yumi…my Euphemia!
Unaware of his presence, Euphemia opened the rear car door and leaned in.
Does she have somethin’ heavy in the back? Why did she stop here instead of drivin’ to her destination with it? Should I help her carry it?
As Zelaide was racking his brain, Euphemia pulled whatever she was fiddling with in the back out and straightened up with it in her arms.
What…is that? Zelaide froze as if he had been struck by lightning.
Cradled in Euphemia’s arms was a young child with gorgeous long gold hair just like her mother. He couldn’t see her face from this angle, but he did see her little white hands and feet. They were clearly mother and daughter.
The pair happily walked the path into the park without realizing they had left a strong man crying in their wake. Once they were on the lawn and out of the way of cars, Euphemia bent over and put the child on the ground. She wore a spring dress the same color as the car and a matching straw hat.
That’s…that’s…that child is… Zelaide leaned against the tree to hold himself up. He could only see the mother and daughter’s backs from where he stood.
Ahh. This is punishment for leaving my one and only mate behind.
His beloved, the owner of his body and soul, chose another man, slept with him, and gave birth to his child.
Euphemia was human. Humans had a shorter window to give birth than Beast Bloods. She had no reason to waste that precious time for the man who disappeared without even asking her to wait for him. He knew the price of his actions from the start.
And yet why did it feel like his heart had been struck by an unrecoverable blow?
Zelaide pushed off the tree and staggered after the pair as they walked hand in hand down the promenade.
The spring park was in full bloom.
Joggers and bicycles ran along the gently curving road surrounded by trees and the shadows they cast. Mother and daughter stayed on one side of the walkway to avoid them. The little girl kept pace with her mother despite her small size. She occasionally pointed out things with a grin and earned smiles from the older men and women she crossed paths with.
Zelaide was not in the mood to smile.
He knew he shouldn’t make trouble for them, but he was irresistibly drawn to them. And murderous hatred burned inside him toward the unknown man who had taken his mate.
Who is he? Where is he?
A storm of unreasonable jealousy swept over him. Instinct beat out reason.
But what’ll I do if I find him? Kill him? Won’t that just take the child’s father away and squash any lingering affection Euphemia might still have for me? I couldn’t live with myself if that happened.
During the time he was away, Zelaide had encouraged himself to keep pressing on in moments of depression by recalling Euphemia’s tenderness and love for him. He accepted every hard job he could find and challenged himself with any battle that would increase his experience and skill.