“Sarah? What are you doing here?”
I smiled and took his arm. “I was in Varinthia for work and thought I’d surprise you since you’re here too.”
Matt forced a smile. “It really is a surprise…”
At that moment, a timid voice called out, “Hubby…”
Isabella walked over holding two ice creams. When she saw me, she stopped and went pale.
I looked at her with a teasing smile. “Who did you just call ‘Hubby’?”
Isabella trembled, quickly shook her head and avoided my eyes. “No, Mrs. Thornton, you misheard. I was calling Mr. Garner.” She was so nervous she almost gave herself away.
I smiled faintly at her flushed face. “Miss Manning, you seem well. Looks like your ‘autumn melancholy’ has improved.”
Isabella forced a smile. “The weather’s been good lately… I’m feeling a bit better.”
Just then, the little girl ran over, hugged Matt’s legs and called out brightly, “Daddy!”
The word “Daddy” froze the air. Matt’s face went pale as he quickly bent down to the girl. “Lindsay, that’s wrong. You should call me ‘godfather,’ not ‘Daddy.’”
The little girl pouted, ready to speak, but Isabella quickly shoved the ice cream into her mouth. “Go eat over there! Don’t interrupt while we’re talking to Auntie!”
The girl frowned and complained, “Mom, I don’t like vanilla. That’s Daddy’s favorite!”
Isabella’s face went pale and she quickly handed her a chocolate ice cream. “Here, go eat over there…”
“Stop,” I said calmly.
They froze, Isabella trembling slightly. I stepped forward, took off my necklace and handed it to the little girl.
“This is our first meeting, so I’ll give this to you as a gift.”
The girl stared at the necklace curiously and said, “This looks like a bullet.”
“You’ve got a good eye,” I said calmly. “It is a bullet. Someone once tried to rob your godfather and I took that bullet for him before removing it myself.”
The girl’s eyes widened in awe. “Wow, Auntie, you’re amazing! You even stopped a bullet!”
Matt frowned, his voice tense. “Sarah, that necklace is our keepsake. It means a lot. Isn’t it inappropriate to give it to a child?”
I smiled at him. “Why not? Since she calls you ‘godfather,’ I’m her ‘godmother.’ It’s only right to give my goddaughter a gift.”
I looked at Isabella, whose face had gone pale. “Isn’t that right, Miss Manning?”
Isabella’s lips trembled as she forced a shaky smile. Then the little girl dug through her small bag, pulled out a bracelet and handed it to me. “Auntie, this is for you!”
My eyes widened and my expression darkened. It was a jade bracelet with a gold plaque engraved with the Thornton Family’s secret emblem.
