Chapter 7: Daddy Came Home

Six years had passed since Varany walked away from Bradly. Now she was on her way to meet him again, with their daughter sleeping in her arms.

Nihan's fingers were wrapped around the doll Ashley had bought her, and a small smile remained on her face even in sleep.

“Hey, Sis. Are you okay?” Ashley asked.

Varany nodded. “I'm fine.”

She wasn't, but she forced herself to keep going.

When they entered SM Marikina, Varany saw Bradly standing nearby, talking to another man.

Her breath caught.

It was him.

The man she had left behind, the man she had once loved, and the man she had never completely forgotten.

Bradly turned.

Their eyes met.

For a moment, neither moved. Shock crossed his face, followed by an emotion Varany could not bear to name.

She tried to speak, but the room began to spin.

“Hey! Are you okay?” Ashley called.

Varany took one step before her legs gave out.

She never reached the floor.

Bradly caught her, holding her securely while keeping Nihan safe against her chest.

For one brief moment before everything went dark, Varany knew exactly who was holding her.

Bradly.

Bradly

The moment Ashley called, Bradly turned the car around. Varany wanted to see him after almost six years, and he was determined to get there.

Then his phone rang.

Xander.

“Bro, where are you?” Xander asked.

“I'm heading to SM Marikina. My wife wants to talk to me.”

Xander knew what Bradly had been through during the six years Varany was gone. “Wow. You finally found her.”

“My sister found her two months ago,” Bradly said. “She kept it from me because Varany asked her to.”

“There is more.”

“What more?”

Bradly smiled. “I have a daughter.”

There was silence on the other end.

“A little princess,” he added.

He still struggled to believe it. Varany had raised their daughter alone and experienced every birthday, illness, and important moment without him.

“Damn,” Xander muttered. Then he changed the subject. “Speaking of your brat sister, I've been calling her. She keeps ignoring me.”

Bradly laughed. “Just meet me at SM Marikina. I need to talk to my wife alone.”

“Copy that.”

After the call, Bradly waited.

An hour later, Ashley finally appeared with Varany.

Bradly stood immediately.

She was pale and holding Nihan in her arms.

Varany took one step, then stumbled.

“Varany!”

Ashley shouted, and Xander cursed, but Bradly was already moving.

He reached her before she hit the floor and caught both Varany and Nihan.

For one terrifying second, the sight took him back to the day he thought he had lost Varany forever.

Bradly held Varany securely, supporting her back while keeping Nihan safe. She felt frighteningly light, and even unconscious, her arms remained wrapped around their daughter.

Then Nihan screamed.

“Mommy! Please help my mom! Uncle My! Aunt Ashley! Daddy!”

Bradly's attention snapped to her.

“Daddy, please help Mom,” Nihan sobbed.

Ashley quickly lifted Nihan into her arms while Bradly carried Varany to a nearby chair and knelt beside her.

“Babe, wake up. Please.”

Varany did not respond.

Nihan climbed beside her and kissed her cheek repeatedly. “Mommy, I'll be good. I won't ask for ice cream. I'll eat vegetables. Please wake up.”

Bradly wiped away her tears. “Mommy will be okay. She just needs to rest. Let's be strong for her.”

Nihan nodded.

Ashley brought a small bottle of ammonia to Varany's nose. After a moment, Varany stirred and slowly opened her eyes.

“Mommy!”

Nihan immediately threw herself into her arms.

Varany held her daughter tightly, still weak but protective as always.

Bradly remained on his knees in front of them, watching silently.

Varany was awake.

Bradly looked at his wife and daughter together and realized he was finally seeing the family he had lost six years ago.

“I'm fine, baby,” Varany whispered, brushing Nihan's hair away. “Are you hurt?”

“No, Mommy,” Nihan cried. “Daddy saved you.”

Bradly's chest tightened at the word.

Ashley stepped closer. “You scared me. Nihan is fine. Bradly caught you before you fell. What happened? You were fine a moment ago.”

Varany looked around the room, then her eyes landed on Bradly.

She froze.

The shock on her face quickly turned into something he could not read. Then she tried to pull away.

Bradly immediately loosened his hold. He would not trap her or force her to stay. He kept one arm behind her only to steady her.

But Nihan wrapped her little arms around both of them and refused to let go.

For the first time in six years, they were together.

Bradly said nothing. He simply looked at Varany, knowing one wrong move could destroy the fragile moment.

But then Nihan smiled through her tears and looked between them.

“Mommy…”

Her little hands held onto both of them.

“Daddy came home.”

Varany froze.

Bradly could not speak.

To Nihan, they were already a family again.

But the fear in Varany's eyes told Bradly the truth.

She had not come to bring him home.

She had come to decide whether to let him stay in their daughter's life at all.