Accidentally Yours, My Super Rich Second Husband-Chapter 42: An Old Face

Ashton tilted his head slightly, the leash of the newly adopted dog dangling loosely in his small hand. His wide, curious eyes darted between Delphinia and the unfamiliar woman, who seemed frozen in place. The two women locked eyes, their faces blank, like a puzzle missing too many pieces.

"Delphinia?" Ashton’s voice broke the silence, tugging gently at her sleeve. She blinked, startled out of her thoughts, and looked down at him. The warmth in her eyes flickered briefly, replaced by a strained smile.

"Yes, Ashton?" she asked softly, stroking his hair as though the motion could soothe her unease.

"Who is that lady?" Ashton asked, his head tilting toward the woman.

Delphinia hesitated. Her fingers lingered in his soft curls as she fought for a response. Her heart raced, pounding against her chest, and she could feel the tension in her muscles as if her body had locked itself into place. Her tongue felt heavy, and words refused to come out.

Instead of answering his question, she said, "Ashton, darling, can you do something for me?" She bent down slightly, keeping her voice gentle. "Can you head to the car with Goldie? I need to talk to... my stepsister her for a moment."

Her voice faltered at the end, the word sister echoing in her mind like a forbidden name.

Ashton’s brows furrowed as he glanced at the woman again, then back at Delphinia. "But it’s just a moment, right? I’ll wait here," he said firmly, shaking his head. His small hand tightened its grip on Goldie’s leash as if anchoring himself to her side.

Delphinia’s resolve wavered under his innocent persistence. Clenching her jaw slightly, she fought to keep calm. She looked at Lyvia, standing a few steps away, looking calm and collected despite everything. Lyvia’s long hair caught the afternoon sun, and Delphinia noticed it had darkened, no longer the golden blonde she remembered. Had she dyed it? When was the last time she’d seen her?

It didn’t matter. None of it mattered.

Delphinia straightened and said gently, "Okay, but how about this? You can wait in the car with Goldie. I promise I won’t take long." She touched his cheek lightly, her fingers trembling slightly. "Goldie might need some company while I talk, don’t you think?"

Ashton hesitated, his lips pursing as he mulled over her suggestion. Finally, he nodded. "Okay... but you have to promise it’ll really be quick."

"I promise," she said, mustering a smile that she hoped was reassuring.

With a small nod, Ashton guided Goldie toward the car, the dog wagging its tail happily, oblivious to the tension in the air. Delphinia watched him climb inside and saw him immediately pull out one of Goldie’s new toys. Only once she was certain Ashton was settled did she let her shoulders relax—just a little.

She turned her attention back to Lyvia, who hadn’t moved. Her heart twisted as she forced her feet to move forward, away from the car. Lyvia’s gaze followed her every step, her lips curling into a faint smile.

"It’s good to see you again," Lyvia said smoothly, as if those words had been rehearsed. There wasn’t a hint of anger or coldness, just a delicate warmth that didn’t seem to belong.

Delphinia returned the smile, though it didn’t reach her eyes. "Same here," she replied, her voice casual but barely holding together. Inside, a darker thought whispered, Did she really mean that? Did I?

Lyvia tilted her head slightly, her eyes flickering toward the car. "Who’s the boy?" she asked casually, though her gaze lingered a little too long, like she was trying to piece together a puzzle.

Delphinia bristled at the question. She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, using the motion to collect herself. "What do you want, Lyvia?" she asked instead, her voice sharper now. "I don’t have much time."

The words hung in the air, and for a brief second, Lyvia’s mask fell.. Her lips parted as if to speak, but no sound came out. Her eyes darted away, then back again, as if searching for something—what, Delphinia didn’t know.

Finally, Lyvia sighed. "Why didn’t you come home?" she asked softly, her voice laced with something that might have been concern. "After the divorce... everyone was worried about you."

Delphinia stared at her, unblinking. The words were like needles, pricking at old wounds that had never fully healed. Worried? she thought bitterly. No one was worried about me.

"Worried?" she repeated. "That house isn’t my home, Lyvia. It never was." Her voice grew colder, and she could see the faint flinch in her sister’s expression. "Father made that very clear."

Lyvia opened her mouth, then closed it again, her shoulders tensing. "He didn’t mean it," she said quietly, though even she didn’t sound convinced. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Delphinia let out a humorless laugh, shaking her head. "Who are you trying to fool, Lyvia? Me or yourself?" Her voice wavered slightly, but she pressed on. "No one missed me. No one cared when Kai filed for divorce. No one even asked if I was okay. They didn’t care then, and they don’t care now."

Lyvia’s eyes softened, and for a moment, she looked like the sister Delphinia used to know. But the years had stretched the distance between them too far, and that softness only made the ache in Delphinia’s chest worse.

"Delphie..." Lyvia began, but Delphinia cut her off.

"Don’t," she said sharply, her voice trembling. "Don’t call me that. And don’t waste your time or energy on me. I won’t go back, Lyvia. Nothing you say will change my mind."

For what felt like ages, they said nothing, making the quiet between them even heavier.

Lyvia’s expression shifted, her sadness giving way to a small, wistful smile. "You look well," she said softly. "I’m happy for you, Delphinia. Truly."

Delphinia stayed silent, her eyes fixed on her sister as her feelings twisted into knots.

Lyvia hesitated, as if she wanted to say more, but instead, she took a step back. "Take care of yourself," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

She stood there, staring after Lyvia as she moved away. Her chest felt heavy, and she blinked hard to fight back the sting in her eyes.

"See you around, Lyvia," she muttered under her breath, though she wasn’t sure if her sister could hear her.