Chapter 567
[ 488 words ]
Chapter 567:
Yet she continued to keep a part of herself locked away, hidden behind walls I couldn’t break through.
When we got home, I forced myself to suppress the irritation simmering inside me. I took the children to the backyard, giving Lianne the space she seemed to need.
Ruby sat happily on my shoulders, laughing as she tugged at my hair. Nearby, Silas sat absorbed in his computer. But no matter what I was doing, my eyes kept drifting toward the slender figure moving behind the floor-to-ceiling windows.
A while later, I noticed her heading into the kitchen.
Lianne rarely cooked. The sight of her awkwardly trying to prepare something instantly eased much of the frustration I had been carrying.
Then I heard a small cry. Without thinking, I rushed to the kitchen.
Lianne stood by the counter holding up her left hand. Blood had formed on the tip of her finger, and the knife beside her sat at an odd angle.
The moment she noticed me, she quickly hid the injured hand behind her back. With her free hand, she held out a freshly washed set of utensils. She looked hesitant, and her gaze was filled with a desire to please. “I… I wanted to make something you like. Ethan, are you still mad at me? Please don’t be.”
As I watched her clumsy attempt to make peace with me, my defenses immediately crumbled.
No matter what happened, I just couldn’t stay angry with her.
“You’re something else,” I murmured, unable to hide my fondness for her. “And somehow, I still love you.”
𝗧𝘩е b𝘦s𝘵 𝗋𝘦𝖺d𝗂𝗻g 𝘦𝘹p𝗲𝘳𝗶𝘦ո𝘤𝗲 𝗼𝗇 ga𝗅𝗻о𝘃𝖾𝘭ѕ.c𝗼𝗆
I went to get the first aid kit and returned a moment later. Taking Lianne’s hand carefully, I cleaned the small cut, then wrapped a bandage around her injured finger.
She nestled closer to me, speaking in a gentle, soothing tone. “You don’t have to do that. It’ll heal in no time. And… don’t be upset. I just wanted to visit Dad by myself. There are things I need to tell him that I can’t say in front of anyone else.”
I sighed, scooped her up in my arms, and carried her upstairs.
When we got to the bedroom, I laid her carefully on the mattress. I planted my hands on either side of her and leaned over her.
The room was cloaked in darkness, illuminated only by dim moonlight spilling through the window. Her face was bathed in a silver glow, and her familiar scent drifted around me.
“I’m not upset,” I said. My voice came out rough as I lowered my head, the tip of my nose brushing against hers. “I’m just… confused. Lianne, sometimes it feels like you’re afraid to let me get close… like you’re constantly protecting a part of yourself from me. Is it because I wasn’t there when your father died? Do you still resent me for that?”
It was the regret that haunted me most. If I could turn back time and change one thing, it would be that.
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