I felt nothing when I heard his words.
There was no anger, nor sorrow. Just… nothing.
We had been apart for five years. I no longer believed he had any real feelings left for me.
What he could not let go of was not me. It was the fact that, when his guilt was at its heaviest, I had left him.
He was not willing to accept that. That was all.
So, I looked at him and asked, “How are Elena and the child?”
Daniel hesitated before replying, “I don’t know.”
I was a little confused, assuming he was just too embarrassed to tell me. So, I did not press further.
Instead, I continued, “Mr. Cooper, I understand how you feel. You probably still dwell on the past because of your guilt. But I
moved on a long time ago, and you should too.”
Just as I finished speaking, a little girl with twin pigtails suddenly ran over.
“Mommy, when are we leaving?”
Daniel’s eyes widened at the word mommy.
His voice trembled with disbelief. “Abby… is this… your daughter?”
The moment my daughter appeared, I knew things were about to go wrong.
Since I never expected to run into Daniel here, I had not told her to address me as Ms. King in front of strangers, as she usually
did.
Hearing his question, my mind raced. I stood up, smiled slightly, and said, “All the children at the orphanage call me Mommy.”
Daniel was not convinced. He pressed further. “How old is she?”
It was not just his imagination. After all, the little girl’s features looked eerily similar to his own.
Before I could respond, my daughter, Matilda King, cheerfully answered, “I’m five years old!”
Daniel’s expression darkened. A deep, inexplicable disappointment filled his heart.
If the child he and Abigail had conceived had survived… they would be around the same age now.
I picked up Matilda and walked away. Even after a distance, I could still feel his gaze burning into my back.
As we walked, Matilda suddenly asked, “Mommy, was that man my dad?”
2/3
Chapter &
Her question caught me off guard. “Why would you think that, Tilly?”
+15 BONUS
She tilted her little head, thinking. “Because he looked really sad when he saw me. When I told him I was five, he almost cried.
Mommy, why do I have to tell people I’m five?”
I was surprised by her keen perception.
Feigning ignorance, I smiled and said, “Because Tilly is so tall.”
Hearing that, Matilda immediately brightened up, and dropped the subject.
I let out a quiet sigh of relief.
