75 Chapter 75 Hearts Must Part
“Theo!”,
I sighed deeply, massaging my temples as the weight of the situation settled on my shoulders. Lying would be pointless now.
Seraphina’s POV
I held him tighter, afraid to let go. “I missed you too, baby. More than you could ever know.” I eased back just enough to study his face before pressing a soft kiss to his forehead.
Mrs. Jenkins’s grip tightened around her husband’s fingers. When she spoke, her voice trembled like autumn leaves. “Seraphina, sweetheart, we are definitely not okay. What we witnessed today has completely turned our world upside down.”
I crouched down once more, making sure they could see the determination in my eyes. “It would be much better if you were thousands of miles away from all of this. I know you two cannot sit still when you are worried about someone you love. The idea of you both out there exploring the world together, creating new memories, would give me such peace of mind.”
Turning back to the Jenkinses, my expression grew more serious.
Theo, who had been listening intently to our conversation, suddenly looked with bright, excited eyes.
up
“You need to understand something,” I whispered against Mrs. Jenkins’s shoulder. “You stopped being just friends a long time ago. You are my family now, my parents in every way that matters. If anything happened to either of you because of the danger surrounding me, I would never recover from that loss.”
Exhaustion crashed over me like a wave. I could not handle another interrogation today. One more explanation would completely shatter what little composure I had left.
“I missed you so much, Mommy! The nice lady let me have three cookies!” His words came out muffled against my shoulder.
“Please go,” I urged them. “Do this for me. Keep yourselves safe while I handle everything here. I will call you every single day, I swear. But you need distance from
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75 Chapter 75 Hearts Must Part
this place. I am going to fix this mess, and then we can all be together again very soon.”
“Oh honey, that is impossible now,” Mrs. Jenkins responded immediately, wiping moisture from her cheek. “We cannot abandon you and Theo when you need us most. We came here to help you through this crisis.”
Thankfully, they seemed to understand without words.
Mr. Jenkins nodded with grim seriousness. “It feels like we have been dropped into some bizarre fantasy novel, Seraphina. Nothing we saw makes any rational sense.”
His head whipped around so quickly that his dark ringlets bounced against his cheeks. Those familiar brown eyes went wide with recognition before he threw himself from the stool without hesitation.
I moved closer, lowering my voice to an urgent whisper. “But I need you to promise me something important. If another stranger ever contacts you with demands about traveling anywhere, you ignore that call completely. Do not even consider leaving your house. Promise me.”
“That is exactly why you need to leave,” I insisted, placing firm hands on both their shoulders. “Look at what you have already witnessed in just one day. This situation is incredibly dangerous and unpredictable. I need time to resolve everything, and I need to do it without constantly worrying about keeping you safe.”
“I cannot express how grateful I am to both of you,” I said, real warmth filling my voice. “You abandoned everything and traveled across the country because I needed help. That means everything to me.”
Mr. Jenkins bristled slightly. “Seraphina, dear, we are perfectly capable of making our own decisions about our safety.”
I stood and pulled both of them into a fierce embrace, my arms wrapping around the two people who had shown me unconditional love when I had no one else. They had become my anchor, my safe harbor in every storm.
I remained silent, knowing what was coming but needing them to say it themselves.
“And those wolves,” Mr. Jenkins added with a visible shudder. “Enormous creatures roaming the grounds like they belonged here. Then we saw people, completely naked people, wandering around in broad daylight as if clothing was optional.” His cheeks flushed red with embarrassment.
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75 Chapter 75 Hearts Must Part
they stared at nothing with hollow expressions. Their bodies remained unnaturally still, faces drained of all color.
Mrs. Jenkins leaned forward, her eyes bright with a mixture of terror and amazement. “We witnessed impossible things, Seraphina. A man’s eyes shifted from deep brown to brilliant gold in the span of a heartbeat. Two massive men stood twenty feet apart, clearly having an intense conversation, but their lips never moved once! They were somehow communicating directly through their minds!”
“I understand how overwhelming this must be,” I said honestly. “I know your minds are probably spinning with countless questions right now. But in this place, survival depends on observing without questioning what you observe.”
They exchanged uncertain glances. “But Seraphina, we spent nearly all our savings getting here to help you,” Pa admitted quietly. “That dream trip feels impossible now.”
“Money is not going to be an obstacle,” I said, squeezing their hands one final time. “I already have funds set aside specifically for this trip. Enough money for two full years of first-class travel to anywhere your hearts desire. All you need to worry about is deciding which destination to visit first.”
I approached them slowly, Theo’s hand secure in mine.
“Ladies, would you mind giving us some privacy?” I managed, fighting to keep my voice steady. “I just need a few moments alone with my son.”
“Now, about that trip you have been dreaming about for years,” I said, deliberately shifting the conversation. “The one where you planned to see every corner of the world together?”
I burst through the kitchen doors, and there he was.
I chose not to elaborate on that comment. Not today.
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