Bonds at War: The Untouched is Mine novel Chapter 189

Chapter 189 Invitation

TESSA

I had been restless all morning. Ever since Ben and Ingrid came here, a strange unease clung to me whispering fears I couldn’t quite name. My chest always felt heavy with the thought of someone coming in take Calla away.

It was irrational, maybe, but motherhood is full of irrational terrors. You can tell yourself your child is safe, but the moment you turn away and they’re not where you left them, the world collapses.

That happened today.

I turned from the stove after finishing lunch, wiping my hands on a towel, only to find the chair beside me

empty.

“Calla?”

No reply.

My heart leapt into my throat. I searched the kitchen and the living room, and even peeked into the small laundry room, as if she might’ve slipped in there without me noticing. Nothing. The silence grew louder. pounding in my ears.

“Calla!” My voice cracked. I bolted toward the hallway and checked her room. Her toys were scattered, bur there was no little girl in sight. Panic settled in my veins. What if-?

I didn’t let the thought finish. I pushed through the door and ran outside.

“Whoa.”

The word stopped me dead.

There was Owen, crouched down in the grass and beside him was Calla. She clutched a small wildflower, holding it up like she’d found treasure. Owen’s hands kept her balanced as she leaned forward.

Relief hit me so hard my knees nearly buckled.

“It’s just me,” he said with a soft grin, eyes lifting toward me.

I exhaled a shaky breath, pressing a hand against my chest. “God, Owen…”

Before I could think twice, I crossed the yard and pulled him into a hug. He froze for half a second, caught off guard, then patted my back before hugging me properly.

He chuckled against my shoulder. “You usually don’t do this. Did you miss me or something?”

I pulled away, clicking my tongue, masking the sudden rush of emotion with a small smile. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

As I looked at him, however, the relief tangled with something else. Nostalgia, was it? It had been months

since he’d last come here.

1/4

Chapter 189 Invitation

When Owen was still in Elite, he promised he’d visit me every month. And he did. Even when training was brutal, even when exams piled up, he found time. He missed my labor, though an exam had kept him away, and even now he carried that guilt. I told him a hundred times that it wasn’t his fault, but Owen wasn’t the kind of man to forgive himself easily.

After graduation, life pulled him farther away. He landed a position with United Factions as a biotech analyst. His days were consumed with tracking medicines, evaluating formulas, ensuring that the systems keeping people alive were efficient and fair. Oddly enough, it ran parallel to my own path, so we joked about being “busy buddies,” drowning in work.

So seeing him here now felt strange and comforting in ways.

“You got free time?” I asked softly.

He nodded, the corners of his mouth lifting. “Fortunately, I’ve got today–and two days next week.”

Before I could answer, a small voice pierced the air.

“Uncle Owen!”

Calla launched herself into his arms, and he caught her easily, spinning her around once before setting her on his hip.

“Hey, munchkin,” he said, tapping her nose. “You’ve grown. What are you eating these days? Bricks?”

She giggled, tugging at his collar. “Miss woo.”

I stood back and watched them. In that instant, something inside me ached.

As sweet as the image was, I knew of its implications. The image of Calla playing with a father figure felt foreign.

She had plenty of male figures in her life, but a father was different. Calla had never had that. No matter how much love she was showered with, I knew, deep down, that she felt that missing piece. Children have a way of knowing, even if they can’t put it into words.

I always felt bad about that.

I pressed my lips together, swallowing the guilt that tried to surface.

I shook my head, pushing the thoughts aside before they swallowed me whole. Calla deserved joy, not my melancholy.

“Come on,” I said gently, leading the way back inside.

We entered the house together, Calla still clinging to Owen’s hand. The three of us settled at the table, and soon the smell of the lunch I’d prepared filled the room. Bowls clinked, chairs scraped against the floor, and we ate like a normal family.

The moment we finished, Calla had her afternoon nap, always needing one after a full meal. That was her trait even in her daycare, and I smiled while Owen tucked her in. She was sprawled out on her little bed, cheeks still flushed from laughing too hard during lunch, her lashes long against her skin as she

surrendered to sleep.

2/4

Chapter 189 Invitation

Owen lingered by her bedside longer than I expected, brushing the blanket higher over her small frame When he finally turned back, there was a change in his expression.

I stiffened immediately, recognizing the signs.

“What?” I asked right away, narrowing my eyes.

He raised a brow. “What do you mean? I didn’t even say anything”

I leaned back on the doorway, folding my arms over my chest. “Don’t play with me, Owen. I’ve known you long enough to understand your expressions. You have something to say.”

“What is it? Tell me.”

He hesitated, biting his lip. He went out of the bedroom and led me to the couch, where his bag was. His hand went inside and pulled out an envelope.

It appeared to be an… invitation of some sort.

I reached for it carefully, my hands a little shaky as I pulled it from his grasp. My breath caught when I read the word on the front–Grand Wedding.

A gasp escaped before I could stop it. My heart started racing even though I hadn’t even opened it yet. I peeled the flap back slowly.

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify