Nina couldn’t shake her unease as she noticed something was wrong. Pharaoh gripped her hand tightly, his strength fading as he suddenly collapsed backward.
“Dad! Daddy!” Nina screamed, her voice piercing the air.
“Thud!” His body hit the sand, and Nina's cries quickly drew the others to the scene.
By the time they arrived, Pharaoh, trembling, extended a hand weakly forward. “Wait… wait for me… don’t go so fast…” His voice trailed off, and before he could finish, he breathed his last in Nina’s arms.
The moment was so abrupt that Nina couldn’t process it. She held him tightly, her face etched with disbelief, while tears streamed down Freya’s face uncontrollably.
Meanwhile, Nash stood nearby, holding Gemma in his arms, his expression grave. Beside him, Orion sobbed loudly, his cries echoing across the beach. He had grown deeply attached to his grandfather during the time they had spent together.
But what could they do? Death was irreversible.
Plans for Pharaoh’s funeral began, and Nina suggested holding it by the sea, as it was where he had expressed his final wishes.
However, Micah firmly insisted on honoring Pharaoh’s stated desire. “Dad wanted to be buried in Birkham. Let’s respect his wishes. Nina, this way, it’ll also be easier for you to visit him.”
Nina hesitated, her voice trembling as she replied, “But Birkham isn’t where he’s from. The Yaren Tribe was his home. And maybe he could be buried with Mom. They could finally be together.”
Her words carried a raw, aching sorrow, slicing through the air like a knife.
Meanwhile, Nina was in a fragile state. Despite the love and care she had received from her adoptive parents, Zion and Julia, the reappearance of her biological father, especially after all he had done to make amends, had reignited her longing for him to stay.
She hadn’t expected his departure to come so suddenly.
The loss hit her hard, leaving her unable to process it. She felt useless, questioning everything. After all, she had been a war reporter for five years, navigating gunfire and danger. Yet, when faced with the finality of death, she found herself at a loss.
Nina retreated to her bed, unable to muster the energy to eat or do anything else.
It was Nash who finally brought the children to her. Gently placing Gemma on the bed beside her, he said softly, “Nina, don’t dwell on it too much. I know how much this hurts, but Dad left with everything taken care of. He trusted us to carry on.”
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