Accidentally Yours, My Super Rich Second Husband-Chapter 60: A Familiar Stranger
Delphinia stepped out of the car, her dress swaying lightly in the breeze. The pick-up area buzzed with kids laughing, cars humming, and the occasional bark of a dog from the nearby park. Even with all the noise around her, Delphinia felt surprisingly calm. Picking up Ashton from school had become one of her favorite parts of the day—a routine she looked forward to.
Walking towards the bench near the old oak tree, she exchanged polite nods and smiles with a few familiar faces. Parents she had come to recognize sat scattered around, some chatting, others scrolling through their phones as they waited for their children. Delphinia reached her usual spot and smoothed her dress as she sat, glancing at her watch. She had about ten minutes to wait.
Her thoughts wandered to Ashton and their growing bond. She smiled softly, recalling his excitement the night before. "I want to tell my friends I have a mom now," he had said, his voice filled with pride and joy. The memory brought a bittersweet pang to her chest. It was heartwarming to see Ashton happy, but the fact that he had felt the lack of a mother figure for so long filled her with both sadness and determination to be there for him.
The gentle rustling of leaves overhead and the distant laughter of children playing on the school grounds brought her back to the present. She looked around, observing the other parents. Most were engaged in conversations, probably about their children, sharing anecdotes and advice. For the first time, Delphinia felt like she fit in here, so different from her lonely past.
As she watched the school doors, her attention was drawn to a tall woman approaching the bench. The woman wore a black cap and oversized sunglasses, covering most of her face. Her posture was slightly tense, and she seemed to be making a conscious effort to avoid drawing attention to herself.
Delphinia offered her a polite smile as the woman sat beside her without a word. "Hello," Delphinia began, her tone friendly. "Are you here to pick up your child? Or maybe a niece or nephew?"
The woman tilted her head slightly but didn’t look at her. "Yes... something like that," she replied quickly.
Delphinia’s smile faltered momentarily at the ambiguous response. "Oh," she said, trying to keep the conversation light. "What grade are they in?"
"Third? Fourth?" The woman’s confusion was clear. She shrugged, as though it didn’t matter.
Delphinia let out a small, awkward laugh, unsure how to respond. "I see," she said, her voice trailing off. She wondered how someone could be unsure about such a basic detail.
Just as Delphinia was about to ask another question, the woman raised a hand, signaling her to stop. Finally turning her head slightly in Delphinia’s direction, she said firmly, "Please, I could use some peace right now."
"Oh! I’m sorry," Delphinia said quickly, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "I didn’t mean to bother you."
The woman said nothing further, and an uncomfortable silence settled between them. Delphinia clasped her hands in her lap, her fingers fidgeting slightly as she stared ahead. Clearly, not everyone was in the mood for small talk, she thought to herself.
After a few minutes, the woman stood abruptly, brushing invisible dust off her pants. She walked away quickly, adjusting her hat slightly. Delphinia watched her go, something nagging at the back of her mind. There was something oddly familiar about her.
She furrowed her brow, replaying the brief interaction in her head. Where had she seen that woman before? Her walk, her posture, even her voice—it all felt like pieces of a puzzle she couldn’t quite put together.
Then it hit her. "Oh my gosh!" she gasped, covering her mouth with both hands. Her eyes widened in shock. "The supermodel!" she whispered to herself, her voice trembling with excitement and disbelief.
She sat there, frozen for a moment, as the realization sank in. She had just been sitting next to a world-famous supermodel, one she had seen countless times in magazines and on TV. But what was her name? Delphinia’s mind raced, but she couldn’t quite remember.
"Delphinia!"
The sound of Ashton’s voice snapped her out of her daze. She turned to see him running towards her, his backpack bouncing against his back, a big smile on his face.
"Ashton!" she called, standing up to greet him. "Do you know who I just ran into?"
Ashton tilted his head, looking up at her with a mix of curiosity and confusion. "Who?"
Delphinia opened her mouth to answer but stopped short. What was the supermodel’s name again? She wrinkled her nose in frustration, waving her hand dismissively. "Never mind. You wouldn’t know her anyway."
Ashton shrugged, clearly uninterested. "Okay," he said simply, adjusting the straps of his backpack.
They began walking towards the car, Delphinia still buzzing with excitement over her discovery. "Can you believe it? A supermodel at your school!" she said, more to herself than to Ashton.
Ashton gave her a sideways glance, left her guessing what he was thinking. Suddenly, he stopped walking, causing Delphinia to halt as well.
"What is it?" she asked, looking down at him.
Ashton hesitated, his brow furrowing as though he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words. "Nothing," he said finally, shaking his head.
Delphinia studied him for a moment, her smile softening. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah," Ashton said, his voice quieter than usual. He started walking again, and Delphinia followed, a slight frown tugging at her lips.
The ride home was uneventful, but Delphinia couldn’t shake the feeling that something was on Ashton’s mind. Every now and then, she glanced his way, noticing the way he seemed lost in thought. Whatever it was, she decided to give him time. If he wanted to talk, he would.
As they pulled into the driveway, Delphinia’s excitement about her unexpected encounter returned. She couldn’t wait to tell Evander. Well, maybe she would leave out the part where the supermodel had essentially told her to be quiet. Still, what were the odds?
