I Leapt 15 Years Into The Future To Protect My Daughter Chapter 03
Seraphina gave the hem of my jacket a tentative little tug,
her voice trembling with anxiety.
“Ma’am, you need to get out of here fast. If Claire’s mother
finds out about this, you’ll be in serious danger.”
Hearing that familiar name made my stomach drop, and I
began to understand why my daughter had grown so
timid over the years.
My heart ached for her. I pulled Seraphina gently into my arms, stroked the soft top of her hair, and murmured softly, “Don’t be scared, baby. I’m your mother, and I’m
going to protect you.”
Seraphina’s blue eyes widened slightly–they were an exact
match for mine.
She whispered shakily, “Mom… are you actually my mom?”
No logical explanation could account for the emotions surging inside me. In that instant, a warm current seemed
to flow through my very soul. I squeezed her tighter, and
tears welled rapidly in her eyes.
We needed no lengthy explanations or extra words. A
single glance was enough for us to recognize we were
each other’s closest kin.
“Mom! Mom! I’ve missed you so much, Mom!” Seraphina
burst into messy sobs, clinging tightly to my frame.
“My sweet baby girl… I’ve missed you too.” I pressed a kiss
to the crown of her head. I’d lost fifteen years of her life
already, and I swore I’d spend every day from here on out
shielding her with everything I had.
I guided Seraphina slowly out of the dim, grimy
gymnasium, only to walk straight into an unexpected
figure blocking our path.
“P–Papa… what are you doing here?” Seraphina
stammered, shrinking back nervously.
I lifted my gaze. It was Bastian.
His features had barely faded with time; he was still
devastatingly handsome, striking as ever. He’d filled out
more than the scrawny boy I remembered, carrying a far
more mature, commanding presence. It was as if fifteen
years had barely left a mark on him at all.
His amber eyes locked unblinkingly onto my face.
“Bastian. Long time no see,” I said flatly, my tone cool and
detached.
The second Bastian laid eyes on me, his eyes glistened
with sudden tears. He lifted a trembling hand to touch my
cheek, then jerked it away as if he’d been burned the
moment his fingers nearly made contact. He stared at me,
utterly flustered and disoriented.
“Vivienne… it’s really you. You’re home.”
I felt Seraphina’s fingers curling tighter and tighter
around my arm, and my expression turned icier still.
Bastian squirmed under my unforgiving stare, finally
registering the chaotic scene unfolding around him.
Claire, who’d been cowering in the corner, darted forward
like she’d spotted her savior. She skidded to a halt in front
of Bastian, crying hard as she wailed, “Mr. Crowe! Mr.
Crowe, help me! This woman’s been picking on me
nonstop, and she took out all my bodyguards! Teach her a
lesson!”
Bastian frowned sharply at Claire, irritation edging into his
voice.
“What are you doing here? Who did this to you?”
I cut him off sharply.
“So what? Are you going to kill me to get revenge for your
supposed true love and old flame?”
Bastian’s features froze solid with confusion.
“What true love are you talking about?”
“I don’t even care if that’s true or not, Bastian. You’ve let
me down more than I can say.
With that, I stepped around him and started walking
forward, pulling Seraphina along beside me.
Bastian lunged forward and gripped my wrist tightly. His
eyes were bloodshot and brimming with pain, and he
nearly roared. “You’re not going anywhere. You won’t step
one foot away from me.”
Smack!
The sharp slap rang out, and the whole area went dead
silent. The injured teens on the ground fell dead silent
mid–whimper, and even Seraphina’s jaw dropped open in shock.
I’d just slapped Bastian across the face.