Chapter 194
Zane asked calmly, “Hmm?”
I was a bit confused. “Didn’t I mention it? I put a small recorder inside the dolls.”
It was clear that Willow didn’t want us to hear what she was saying to Dorothy and Milton.
Naturally, I respected her privacy. I had no intention of listening to the recording myself. When the time was right, I would just have Zane pass it on to Dorothy and Milton for Willow.
Zane was surprised to learn I had prepared so much in advance. “When did you do this?”
I replied, “Just earlier, when Willow was upstairs talking to herself in the mirror.”
He asked again, “When did you buy the recorder?”
“Quite a while ago,” I answered calmly. “Before I divorced Steven, they did too many awful things. I just wanted to record everything they said and did. One day, I’ll release all the recordings and videos. It’ll be my way of getting back at them.” Zane looked at me with admiration. “Not bad.”
“Would you mind if I did this?” I hadn’t considered Zane’s feelings, as I was focused on what was best for Willow. “If you think kids need privacy, and I shouldn’t have recorded it, I’ll remove the recorder.”
“No need,” Zane replied, clearly on my side. “Right now, our goal is to help Willow get better. Besides, she’s only five years old-she doesn’t have any real privacy yet. When she gets older and needs space, we can respect that then.”
Willow carefully placed the two dolls at the head of her bed and stared at them. For some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to speak when she thought of the dolls as Dorothy and Milton. She even avoided looking into their eyes and instead focused on her small, chubby hands.
She took a deep breath, reminding herself over and over that they were just ordinary stuffed toys, not real people. Gradually, her tense emotions began to ease.
After a long silence, she finally said, “Grandma and Grandpa, I’m sorry. After Daddy and Mommy’s car accident, Grandma Rowena told me you’d hate me. I…”
Willow didn’t fully understand why, but as soon as she mentioned the past, tears started to fall. “I’m scared you’ll hate me. I’m afraid that when you look at me, all you’ll see is disgust.”
After a moment, she continued, “That’s why I’ve been avoiding you. I didn’t dare face you. Last time, told Mommy about it. She said you love me and wouldn’t blame me. Is that true?”
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As Willow poured out her thoughts, it felt as though the heavy weight on her chest had lifted, and she felt much lighter. Finally, she added, “Grandpa and Grandma, I love you.”
…
Willow ran downstairs with joy. As soon as she saw Zane, she beamed and asked, “Daddy, why are you so handsome?”
Zane usually shrugged off compliments from others as he was fully aware of his own appearance. When it came from his daughter, it made him feel like his entire world brightened. With a smile, he replied, “You’re pretty cute, too.”
Willow grinned and leaned toward me. “Mommy, you’re beautiful, too.”
I smiled and said, “Thank you.”
Willow took a deep breath. “The air feels so fresh today, and the living room looks especially nice…”
She went on, complimenting
everything from the living room to the yard, every plant, every dish, and even the small decorations. She found something good to say about everything.
I asked in surprise, “Are you really this happy today?”
Willow nodded enthusiastically. “It’s the happiest day of my life!”