She didn’t want to like her father.
“Grape…” Josie held her, her words tinged with a hint of sorrow. “Don’t dislike Daddy…”
Adult matters should not involve children, after all. Grape pursed her lips. “But Daddy… he doesn’t like me either.” Her tone could hardly conceal her sadness and despair. Josie understood what Grape was thinking.
After all these years, she, as a mother, had ultimately failed her.
“If I have to choose between Mommy and Daddy, then I…” Grape’s eyes were filled with determination as she hugged Josie’s neck. “I choose Mommy…”
A warmth spread through Josie’s heart, and tears began to fall uncontrollably.
“Grape-” Josie held her quietly.
Little did she know, at that very moment, Dexter’s car had already pulled up at the door downstairs.
As the car engine turned off, the car window slid down, revealing the man’s profound profile. His brows were tightly knitted as if burdened with worries he couldn’t untangle.
The unfathomable eyes gazed at the house, illuminated by light.
“Mr. Russell, this is Grape’s birth certificate…” Larry handed over the information he had found.
Although he had already confirmed his suspicions deep down, his heart still ached slightly when he saw the date of Grape’s birth.
It’s hard to imagine.
Over the past two years, she had been living in a foreign land, raising her child alone. Her days were far from easy.
“You can go back first…” Dexter instructed.
There were certain things that he had to face alone.
“Mr. Russell…” Larry expressed with some concern. Dexter waved his hand dismissively, and Larry understood his meaning. Without delay, he opened the car door and stepped out…
Josie stayed with Grape, coaxing the little girl to sleep until she fell asleep.
The strength in Josie’s hands finally lessened. She gently laid the little one down on the large bed, looking at the face still marked with tear stains. An involuntary sense of remorse welled up within her.
“Grape, it’s me who owes you an apology-” Josie murmured to herself. After tucking in Grape, she stealthily slipped out of the room.
Nightfall descended.
Josie stood alone on the vast balcony. The evening breeze brought a hint of chill, causing the loose strands of hair at her temples to flutter in the wind. This awakened Josie considerably.
As she took a quick glance, her gaze involuntarily settled on the car downstairs. Josie’s heart began to pound as if she had already guessed something.
The man gazed at her through the car window, their eyes meeting in a heated exchange. His intense stare seemed as if it could see right through her. Overwhelmed, Josie quickly averted her gaze and hurriedly retreated into the safety of the house.
Dexter… How did he manage to find this place?
Right at that moment, the phone in her pocket rang.
It was a call from Lachlan.
The screen displayed his slightly travel-worn face
“I’ve arrived in Rivodia… Alice.”
Lachlan seemed like a husband on a business trip, reassuring his wife of his safety.
“Oh, it’s good that you’ve arrived.”
“It should be nighttime in Sumanthova now. How come you haven’t rested yet, given how late it is?”
When Josie thought of Dexter downstairs, her emotions became somewhat unstable, and it was clear that she was distracted.
“What’s wrong, Alice?”
Regaining her composure, Josie stammered, “No… I’m fine.” She then politely added, “You’ve been traveling all day. You should be the one resting.”
Lachlan raised an eyebrow.
“Alice, are you feeling upset? Is it because work Isn’t going well, or has Grape been mischievous again? Or could it be… because I left Sumanthova?”
Lachlan’s words carried a playful yet sincere tone.
Josie was surprised.
Lachlan’s words from the previous day still lingered in her mind, and she knew exactly what he was thinking. However, she couldn’t feel even a fraction of the same emotions towards him.
“I’m not in a bad mood. It’s just that the darkness of the night is affecting my concentration.”
