Chapter 148

Chapter 148
Rishima opened her beautiful eyes wide, staring at the male standing before her. The moment he saw her, he began acting in the strangest ways, laughing and crying like a madmale. And all the while, he kept calling her “Rishima.”
Rishima frowned as she looked at him, raising a clawed finger to nibble on it, her face showing clear hesitation. She knew she wasn’t the “Rishima” he was talking about. Roberto had told her her name was Jenna, his younger sister.
She didn’t have a mate, and she certainly didn’t share the same name or identity as the one he spoke of. She figured he must have truly mistaken her for someone else. The male continued to weep, collapsing to his knees at her feet. She had never seen anyone cry so fiercely.
Seeing such a tall, strong wolf sob like a cub, Rishima couldn’t bring herself to reveal the harsh truth. Perhaps it was out of sympathy, wanting to soothe the pain of someone who had lost his mate. Or maybe, when she saw him cry, a mysterious ache stirred in her own chest.
But in the end, she couldn’t let him live in an illusion forever. So she spoke plainly, “I’m sorry, but my name isn’t Rishima, and I’m not your mate.”
Zvonimir stared fixedly at Rishima, not even daring to blink for fear she might vanish. He felt like he was dreaming. No, no dream had ever looked this vivid. He had woken countless times from nightmares of Rishima lying lifeless on an operating table. Never had he seen her so whole, so safe, as she was now.
“Rishima, I know you haven’t forgiven me, but… please, don’t deny that you’re my mate. Please…”
These past days had been hell for Zvonimir. He couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep. His body had withered to nothing but skin and bone. If not for the three babies, he might have ended it all already.
Slowly, he had begun to accept the reality that Rishima was gone. But now she stood before him again, and he could even feel her.
This dream was too beautiful. He never wanted to wake up.
"Rishima, I’m sorry. This is all my fault. You don’t have to forgive me, but please… don’t treat me like a stranger."
He hurriedly pushed the baby stroller in front of her and spoke urgently, “Look, this is our third baby. I named her Emma. Didn’t you always regret not being able to hold her? Now she’s right here in front of you. Don’t you want to hold her just once?”
Rishima was utterly at a loss. She didn’t even have a mate. How could she possibly have a baby? The male standing before her must be suffering from a mental disorder.
As pitiful as he looked, she couldn’t go along with him. “I’m sorry. I’m not your mate. And the baby is not mine.”
The moment the words left Rishima’s lips, they struck Zvonimir like a sledgehammer to the heart. Did she hate him so much that she couldn’t even acknowledge the baby?
Almost as if sensing that her mother didn’t want to hold her, Emma suddenly burst into loud wails from inside the stroller, her cries echoing throughout the park.
Emma’s cries were piercing, to the point where it seemed like she was struggling to breathe.
Flustered, Rishima scooped Emma up into her arms. The sweet, lovely little baby actually did resemble her a bit. Though she couldn’t explain why, the very first time she laid eyes on Emma, she felt an overwhelming affection for her. It was a sacred, tender feeling rising from deep within her heart. Almost as if there were some unspoken connection between them.
“There, there…”
Rishima smiled softly at Emma. Emma immediately stopped crying and cooed as if she were trying to respond.
The sight was so beautiful that Zvonimir’s eyes turned red with emotion. His Rishima had come back. Suddenly, he swung his hand and slapped himself hard across the face. One side of his cheek instantly swelled.
Everyone nearby looked at him like he was insane. But when he smiled in response, it only made them more terrified. They quickly backed away.
Zvonimir didn’t care. Because now he was certain this wasn’t a dream. His Rishima was still alive.
“Emma, go on! Call her mommy.” Zvonimir stepped forward and gently took her tiny hand, guiding her to call Rishima "mommy".
Emma was only ten months old at the time. Although she had begun to babble a few simple sounds, calling “mommy” was still too much for her.
When Zvonimir spoke, Rishima had quickly interjected, “I’m not her mommy.” She had handed the baby back to him, then awkwardly added, “The baby’s stopped crying. You should take her. I need to get home.”
Rishima had glanced at the housekeeper who had accompanied her to the park and said, “Let’s go back.”
Zvonimir had hastily reached out to hold her back. His rude gesture had made her frown in displeasure.
“Jenna.” At that moment, a male voice had rung out. Rishima had looked up and had joyfully run toward him.
“Roberto.”
Roberto had returned home to find Rishima gone. After asking the housekeeper, he had learned she had gone for a walk in the park, so he had rushed over to find her. Who would’ve thought he’d see her standing beside Zvonimir?
Roberto had pulled Rishima behind him and had narrowed his eyes, speaking coldly to Zvonimir, “Please stay away from my Jenna.”
Roberto had known who Zvonimir was, and he had been aware of the history between him and Rishima. That was why he had always tried to keep them apart. But he hadn’t expected them to run into each other there. A sense of unease had swiftly overtaken him.
Just then, Rishima had gently tugged on his sleeve and had whispered, “Roberto, he’s also very pitiful. Don’t make things harder for him.”
Roberto had furrowed his brows. He hadn’t known what Zvonimir had said to Rishima to make her defend him like that. Could it be the medicine had worn off and she had started to remember something?
He had wrapped his arms around her and had said sternly:
“Jenna, some males are cunning and treacherous. Don’t trust anyone but me. Let’s go home.”

With that, Roberto had pulled Rishima along. Only then had Zvonimir realized something had been off about her. She truly hadn’t remembered him. It hadn’t been anger or a grudge.