Accidentally Yours, My Super Rich Second Husband-Chapter 33: Lost and Found

Tourists swarmed past as they stood by the palace gates, frantically looking around. Delphinia felt her heart race as she called, "Ashton? Ashton!"!" Her voice wavered, her panic growing with each second of silence.

Evander kept his cool, but his eyes scanned the crowd with a sharp focus.. "He couldn’t have gone far. We’ll find him."

"How can you be so calm right now?" Delphinia snapped, spinning to face him. Her hands were trembling, and her voice cracked with barely restrained fear. "Your son is missing!"

Delphinia’s breath hitched as her eyes darted from face to face in the crowd, searching desperately for Ashton. A child’s laugh nearby made her heart jump, but it wasn’t him. She didn’t know she could feel this kind of fear—this overwhelming, suffocating terror for someone who wasn’t even her child.

She pressed a hand to her forehead, trying to steady herself. Why does it hurt this much? she wondered. She wasn’t Ashton’s mother, not even close. Yet the idea of losing him clawed at her insides, as if her heart would split in two.

Evander placed a firm hand on her shoulder. "Delphinia, breathe," he urged gently.

Looking out into the sea of tourists, she swallowed hard. "I didn’t think... I didn’t know I could feel this scared for him."

Evander moved in closer, his eyes locked on her.. "Panicking won’t help us find him, Delphinia."

His calm response somehow made her anxiety worse. She bit her lip hard, her teeth pressing into the tender flesh as guilt clawed at her. This is my fault. I should’ve held his hand. I was too busy staring at the palace like an idiot.

Her hands clenched into fists, and her mind raced with horrifying possibilities. What if Ashton had been kidnapped? What if he was already far away, dragged into a car by strangers? Human trafficking. The thought hit her like a punch to the stomach, and her knees felt weak. No! Stop thinking like that. He’s here. He has to be here.

"Delphinia," Evander’s voice pulled her out of her spiraling thoughts. "Focus. Let’s move out of the crowd and look around more carefully."

She nodded, though her heart felt like it might burst. They pushed through the packed crowd, calling out for Ashton again and again. Delphinia’s voice grew hoarse, and her fingers ached from gripping her phone so tightly. The constant noise of the crowd was deafening, making it hard to think as she searched desperately.

Her chest tightened with each step. "Ashton!" she yelled again, desperation lacing her tone. She felt a lump rise in her throat, tears stinging her eyes as she looked frantically.

Then, as if fate took pity on her, Her eyes landed on a familiar figure by the lamppost, standing alone in the middle of bustling crowd. She froze for a heartbeat, her mind barely registering the image before her body sprang into action.

"Ashton!" she cried, breaking into a run. Her heart pounded, and relief flooded her senses as she reached him.

Dropping to her knees, Delphinia wrapped her arms tightly around him. The scent of his shampoo, faint but familiar, grounded her. "Oh, Ashton," she whispered, her voice shaking as she buried her face in his hair. "I was so worried. You don’t know how many bad scenarios were running through my head."

Ashton looked up at her, his big, innocent eyes filled with confusion and a hint of guilt. "I’m okay," he said softly. "I didn’t mean to scare you."

Pulling back slightly, Delphinia cupped his cheeks in her hands, her eyes scanning him for any signs of injury. "Are you hurt? Did someone—" She stopped herself, unable to finish the thought. Her fingers trembled as she smoothed his hair. "Don’t ever do that again, Ashton. Please. If it’s too crowded or you’re uncomfortable, tell one of us, okay? Promise me."

Ashton nodded, his lower lip trembling. "I promise."

He made his way to them, his expression calm but hard to read. He knelt down, speaking in a firm but gentle tone. "Listen to your mother, Ashton. What you did was dangerous."

Delphinia’s breath hitched at his words. Your mother? Her eyes darted to Evander’s face, searching for any sign that he misspoke. But his focus remained on Ashton, who now hung his head, clearly remorseful.

"I’m sorry," Ashton said, his voice small. "I didn’t mean to make you and Delphinia worry."

Evander placed a hand on Ashton’s shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "We’re glad you’re safe. Just don’t wander off again."

They chose to head out of Buckingham Palace after everything that happened, they began walking back toward a quieter area. What had been excitement before now felt like an uneasy knot in her stomach.Her mind replayed the moment Ashton had been missing, every second stretched on, the pressure in her chest growing heavier.

She glanced at Ashton, who walked silently between her and Evander. His small hand was securely clasped in Evander’s larger one, and Delphinia couldn’t help but notice how natural they looked together. It was always like this, she realized—Ashton gravitating toward Evander. And though she understood why, but it didn’t make the sting of being left out any easier.

As they continued walking, Ashton suddenly slowed his pace, causing both adults to glance at him. He looked up at Delphinia, his bright eyes searching hers for a moment before he raised his free hand toward her.

Delphinia blinked, momentarily stunned. "Ashton?" she asked softly.

"Hold my hand," he said simply, his voice earnest.

Her heart swelled, a warmth spreading through her chest as she knelt down slightly to take his hand. His tiny fingers curled around hers, and she smiled, her earlier worries momentarily forgotten.

"Thank you, Ashton," she said, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. They resumed walking, and Delphinia’s smile grew as she noticed how natural it now felt, the three of them together—Evander on one side, her on the other, and Ashton in the middle.

Maybe this is what family feels like, she thought, holding onto the moment as tightly as she held Ashton’s hand.