Rowena seemed to be dreaming. Maybe she was already dead and in heaven. After Ivan’s death, she had thought there was no more beauty in the world. Not until today, when she held a tiny, beautiful baby in her arms.
Rowena was stunned. For a few moments she could only sit in silence, her eyes unblinking. She kept staring at the little princess, who occasionally squirmed in her embrace.
A whirlwind of emotions swirled in Rowena’s chest. There was a joy in her heart that she had never thought possible. She could feel happiness again. She still could, and it was all because of the Princess.
“Oh, God,” Rowena whispered, her voice trembling with overwhelming happiness. She blinked and a single tear of joy rolled down her cheek. “We’ve finally met, my love.”
Rowena took a deep breath, then smiled tenderly as she caressed the baby. Her trembling hands, still in disbelief, traced the baby’s soft cheek with the utmost care and gentleness. She was startled by the sensation that flowed through her at that touch. It felt magical, as if the entire world had been absorbed and merged into the essence of her being.
There was a feeling that Rowena couldn’t put into words. There was an energy that she couldn’t explain. But she could feel it, she could feel its effects.
Rowena’s face looked pale but radiant. Her body was completely exhausted, yet brimming with energy. She felt like a corpse, but she had never felt more alive than at that moment. She thought it wasn’t just her baby being born, it was as if she herself had been reborn into the world.
Rowena lovingly kissed the baby’s forehead, then whispered softly, expressing the gratitude she felt. “You are the greatest gift of my life. You are the most beautiful blessing I’ve ever had, my love.”
The baby’s tiny lips twitched as if in response to the love Rowena was pouring into her. Then she wriggled again, as if to embrace Rowena with the same happiness.
Rowena’s smile turned to a soft laugh, a laugh that barely made a sound as her energy was drained by the time travel and the birth. Yet her heart felt full. This joy gave her the strength to continue. A sense of undeniable relief filled her chest, no matter how heavy her breathing had become. Her body may have been tired, but her soul was at peace, calmer than ever.
“All this fight was not in vain.” Rowena let out a long breath, without the slightest trace of fatigue, as she gazed at the baby. Occasionally she played with the baby’s tiny nose and her laughter grew louder. “You have given me a reason to go on, my love. So now there’s nothing I want more than to be with you. What do you think? Do you like that?”
The baby blinked slowly. Then its clear eyes looked at Rowena.
Rowena froze at that moment. The baby’s gaze left her speechless. Every beautiful word in her mind vanished in an instant.
Time seemed to stand still. Rowena was caught in a confusing sensation, as if she stood at the crossroads of time, and a voice echoed in her head.
“You don’t need to know who I am, but I promise. We will meet again.”
Rowena gasped. Suddenly her chest felt tight. She couldn’t breathe and her breaths came in ragged gasps.
“No,” Rowena shook her head repeatedly. Her expression changed as a single possibility crossed her mind. “It can’t be.”
Contrarily, Rowena’s conviction told her the opposite of what she was saying. No matter how much she denied it, the conviction only grew stronger.
Rowena closed her eyes and her tears of joy quickly turned to tears of regret. “It’s you, darling,” she murmured, holding the baby with trembling hands. “It’s you. It’s you who came to me and saved me from death.”
The guilt that had been buried for months resurfaced. Rowena was overwhelmed, and there was nothing she could do but acknowledge everything with deep regret.
“Forgive me, darling.” Rowena took the baby’s tiny fingers and kissed them, tears streaming down her face. “Forgive me. I know I shouldn’t have done it.”
There were several apologies on the tip of Rowena’s tongue, all waiting to be spoken. But a single smile from the baby made them all disappear.
Rowena bit her lower lip. The moans of regret were held back in her chest.
Meanwhile, the baby continued to smile, as if trying to soothe her, trying to reconcile the guilt she felt. She wiggled with more enthusiasm, occasionally making noises.
Rowena nodded through her last tears of remorse. She smiled, as if she understood the language the baby was communicating. “I know. You were worried about me, weren’t you? You were worried about my well-being after losing Ivan, and you came here. You didn’t want me to hurt myself.”
As much as she wanted to save Ivan, Rowena thought about what had happened. The woman who came to her rescue at the edge of the cliff was her own daughter.
“No wonder your smile reminds me of Ivan,” Rowena continued with heartfelt emotion. Her look at the baby was filled with love. “You are just like Ivan, darling. I am so lucky to have you. You are my miracle.”
Even the word “miracle” may not fully capture Rowena’s view of the baby. To her, the baby was truly more than anything. The baby was not just a gift, but a new light in her life, a savior from the dark times that had once bound her. The baby’s presence seemed to her to be proof of nature’s promise that for every darkness there would always be a light.
A new path lay before Rowena. A new chapter of beautiful stories was ready to be written alongside the baby. She was certain that with the baby’s presence, precious days awaited her in the future.
Rowena’s reasons for staying in the world had multiplied. She would care for the baby, raise it, and teach it many things. She would also take the baby to see the beauty of the world and, most importantly, deliver Ivan’s message.
“I love you, darling,” Rowena whispered as she rocked the baby. The baby’s eyes grew heavy and he began to fall asleep. “We love you. Ivan loved you so much.”
The baby fell asleep in peaceful serenity, and Rowena couldn’t stop looking at her. She remained in awe and wonder. She was so mesmerized that everything else faded from her mind. There was no more sadness, no desire to change the past, or even the thought of leaving home. Everything was gone, leaving her to focus on one thing-the baby.
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