202
~Bella's POV
I followed Bella's gaze and nodded slowly. "Yes… that's you."
She stared hard, as if trying to recognize the face. Her fingers trembled as they reached up and touched her cheeks gently, tracing the features she saw in the mirror but didn't remember owning.
"My face… it's older."
I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Yes. It is."
Her voice shook. "Bella… how long was I… how long have I been gone?"
I stepped closer and took her hand. "Ten years," I said softly.
Her eyes widened. "Ten?"
I nodded, the heaviness settling in both our chests.
"I missed ten years of my life?" she asked, barely a whisper.
"Yes," I replied, my voice cracking, "but it's okay. You're here now. That's what matters."
Mia was quiet for a long time. Then she said, "No wonder I didn't recognize myself."
She looked back toward the mirror, still in disbelief. "I thought… I thought I was still sixteen."
"You were," I said gently. "But now you're twenty-six."
