My palm rubbed small circles on my belly. "Don’t worry, baby…I will take you to see the fireworks, from now on I will fulfill the responsibility of both mother and father."
***
The carnival lights blurred, and in the glow the memories rose-a past version of us…. two teenagers sharing candied fruit, Zyan brushing sugar from my lips as he whispered: ‘If you like it, I will buy you hundreds more Lia.’
Him tugging my hand through these very stalls when we were twelve, lifting me onto his shoulders so I could see the fireworks.
I stared at the places where our laughter once lived…and felt detached, like a stranger passing through.
"Look, sweetheart…your first festival-" My words were drowned by thousands of fireworks erupting all across before my smile froze.
The night sky shone with [HAPPY BIRTHDAY VICTORIA]
And on the ground I saw Alpha Zyan kneeling with a smile. In his hand was my mother’s diamond ring I thought I had lost forever.
I remembered how I panicked, sobbing into his chest, hating myself for losing my mother's blessing to me.
His past words still echoing in my ears- ‘Just a silly ring, I will buy you hundreds more Lianna, just don't cry.’