Chapter 0419
Hannah
The farmer’s market bustled with activity, the air filled with the scent of fresh produce and baked goods. I pushed Melody’s stroller into the throng, my heart pounding for a reason other than simple lovesick excitement. Today was the day. I was finally going to tell Noah the truth about my rebirth, just as I had promised Viona.
As I approached our meeting spot, my guards lingering in the crowd, I saw him waiting, looking impossibly handsome in a cream sweater with his hands tucked into his trouser pockets. When he spotted us, his face lit up with a smile that made my knees weak.
“Hannah,” he said warmly, leaning in to kiss my cheek. The brief contact nearly made me collapse with ecstasy, his lips soft and warm against my skin. Then he bent down, pressing a gentle kiss to Melody’s forehead, and I had to grip the stroller to stay upright. “There are my girls…”
My girls… I had to remind myself to breathe as Noah straightened up, pulling his shoulders back.
“May I?” he asked, gesturing toward the stroller.
I glanced down at my hands wrapped around the stroller handle, suddenly feeling nervous. “You want to push her?”
Noah nodded. “If you don’t mind.”
“Um… Yeah. Sure.” Reluctantly, I stepped back and allowed Noah to take the stroller.
As we started walking through the bustling farmer’s market, it was incredibly difficult to give up control. I found myself hovering, constantly giving Noah instructions, flinching at every bump in the gravel pathway, jumping every time someone passed unexpectedly or a vendor shouted particularly loudly.
“Watch out for that bump,” I warned, pointing at a small rise in the path. “And make sure the sun isn’t in her eyes. Oh, and don’t forget to check if she needs anything. She might get hungry soon…”
Noah glanced at me, quirking one eyebrow. “Hannah, it’s a stroller. It’ll be fine, really. I promise I won’t let anything happen to our daughter.”
I blinked, realizing how overbearing I was being. The word ‘our’ echoed in my head, bringing a fresh flush to my neck. “Right. Sorry. I’m just… not used to sharing this responsibility, I guess,” I admitted, looking away.
Noah let out a small sound of amusement. “Well, get used to it. I’m not going anywhere.”
Taking a deep breath, I nodded, forcing myself to step back a little. We continued through the market, browsing the various stalls. The colorful displays of fruits and vegetables caught my eye, and I found myself relaxing as we surveyed crisp apples and bright orange carrots on sale.
I was just starting to feel more at ease when something caught my eye. A vintage booth stood out among the produce stalls, its wooden shelves lined with antique toys and knick-knacks.
“Oh!” I gasped, pointing at the booth. “Look at that vintage toy set! Melody would love it when she gets older.” Noah followed my finger, his own eyes widening slightly upon seeing what I was pointing at. The set in question was beautiful, with hand-painted wooden animals and a little barn, all housed in a quaint carrying case.
But just as I was about to walk over to ask the vendor about it, another couple swooped in, purchasing the set right in front of me. My face fell, disappointment washing over me as I watched the vendor wrap up the toy set.
Noah, noticing my reaction, approached the couple before I could stop him.
“Excuse me,” he said, gesturing to the set, “would you be willing to part with that toy set if we paid you a bit more than what you just paid? It would mean a lot to us.”
The woman shook her head, clutching the package to her chest. “Sorry, but we’ve been looking for something like this for a while. We’d like to keep it. I’m sure you understand.”
I tugged on Noah’s sleeve. “It’s okay, Noah. We don’t need to—”
But Noah was already pulling out his wallet and rifling through it for cash. “How about double what you paid? I’m sure we could find a price that works for everyone.”
The couple exchanged glances, looking a little uncomfortable. “No, thank you,” the man said firmly, his arm around his wife. “This is for our son. We’re not interested in selling.”